Emirates

SAFEEN Feeders bolsters UAE-coastal feeder service fleet with addition of SAFEEN Pearl

ABU DHABI, 6th December, 2021 (WAM) — SAFEEN Feeders, a leading container feeder operator of AD Ports Group, has today announced acquisition of a container ship that will join its feeder service fleet in the Arabian Gulf.

SAFEEN Pearl, formerly called Vega Virgo, will be deployed in its UAE Coastal Service (UCO) providing seamless connection to UAE coastal ports via its hub at Khalifa Port. The UAE-Coastal Feeder Service provides shipping customers with a perfect connectivity solution that accelerates last leg deliveries between the Group’s flagship, Khalifa Port, and the coastal ports of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Fujairah, while supporting movement of goods and optimising local logistic chains.

Additionally, the cost-effective service complements SAFEEN Feeder’s UAE-Indian Sub-Continent Gulf Service (UIG) that benefits exporters operating from India’s West Coast and Pakistan by enabling them to connect their volume to UAE coastal ports. It also provides a hub and spoke network option to major shipping lines calling on Khalifa Port.

Captain Maktoum Al Houqani, Chief Corporate Authority Officer and Acting Head of Maritime Cluster – AD Ports Group, Managing Director – Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, said: "We welcome the addition of SAFEEN Pearl, which further strengthens our unique feeder proposition in the Arabian Gulf, and also brings a host of enhanced capabilities and much needed capacity into the ranks of our esteemed service fleet.

"As part of the UAE-Coastal Feeder Service, SAFEEN Pearl will greatly improve our ability to provide customers with a flexible, agile, sustainable, and cost-effective solution that meets their demand of a coastal service in the UAE from our hub at Khalifa Port. It will also develop our ability to target customers in the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Gulf region and connect them with some of the world’s leading shipping liners."

SAFEEN Pearl has a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 10,000 tonnes and a nominal handling capacity of 966 TEU. It has a LOA of 139 metres, breadth of 22.6 metres and a draft of 8.8 metres. It was built in South Korea in 2012.

Capt. Abdulla Darwish Al Hayyas, Director of Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said: "The UAE has consolidated its pioneering position among the best maritime hubs in the world. The UAE’s ports rank among the top 10 internationally in the volume of container handling. The UAE ports handled over 19 million TEUs during 2020. Adding SAFEEN Pearl to AD Ports Group’s feeder service fleet in the Arabian Gulf will enhance the UAE’s position and its seaborne trade and transhipment capabilities. Registering the ship, which carries the UAE flag confirms that it fulfils all the requirements set by international organisations regarding the Flag State in accordance with regulations and procedures that ensure safety, protecting the environment and maritime security. Moreover, the move also supports the UAE’s re-election bid to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council under category B, which will take place next month; supporting the UAE’s active role in serving the shipping sector and international trade."

Launched in 2020, SAFEEN Feeders was created to deliver premium feeder services linking Abu Dhabi to other crucial ports across the UAE, the wider-Gulf region, and the Indian subcontinent. SAFEEN Feeders currently operates its services through a joint commercial agreement with Bengal Tiger Line (BTL), a renowned feeder service operator. The current service network offered by SAFEEN Feeders covers nine key ports across the targeted region and intends to expand its network coverage to Africa, other ports in the Middle East and Asia.

Emirates

Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes Tarapaca Region, Chile

SANTIAGO, 26th March, 2023 (WAM) – A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Tarapaca region in Chile on Saturday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.

The quake was at a depth of 155 kilometers (96.31 miles) below the earth's surface, according to Reuters.

Emirates

RTA introduces Comprehensive Digital Experience Lab

DUBAI, 26th March 2023 (WAM) — Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced the pioneering Comprehensive Digital Experience Lab, a first-of-its-kind initiative among Dubai Government organisations.
The Lab aims to bolster the quality of customer service provided via digital channels and enhance employees' experience with digital systems by engaging relevant personnel in digital service design stages.
The Lab enhances the quality and design of services from customers' perspectives while simultaneously improving and standardising their experiences across various digital channels. It also boosts the customer happiness index, the adoption of digital services and supplies the necessary technologies and skilled personnel to operate the Lab.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, stated during a tour of the facility, “The establishment of the Comprehensive Digital Experiment Lab aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the well-being of Dubai and its global competitiveness. It also contributes to offering a variety of choices for residents to transform Dubai into the world’s best city for living.
“The Lab also embodies the instructions of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city. This involves delivering comprehensive, interconnected, and proactive digital experiences for customers to ensure maximum happiness with the RTA's services. This drive aligns with the Services 360 Policy, which seeks to provide seamless and forward-thinking services across all digital platforms to measure up to customer aspirations,” he explained.
“The RTA is committed to playing a leading role in service digitisation by mapping out a comprehensive roadmap for automating services and tasks. It also strives to enhance artificial intelligence and data sciences, improve the operational efficiency through optimising the use of the existing resources, and expand the scope of digital partnerships and innovation,” Al Tayer added.
Mohammed Yousef Al Mudharreb, CEO of the Corporate Technology Support Services Sector, said, “The Lab has been designed in line with the world’s best practices, utilising international expertise and benchmarks from leading international companies. It features a dedicated test room for customers to evaluate services and engage with various experiments through guided sessions, trialling specific services on apps or alternative digital platforms.”
“By applying a range of tools, software, and devices, operators can gain insight into user behaviour to enhance and refine experiences. For example, CCTV cameras and eye-tracking instruments will record the user’s interactions with the service, which are then represented on heat maps displaying areas of focus and inattention. Accordingly, it enables the analysis of strengths and weaknesses, allowing for targeted improvements to the service based on customer reactions and attitudes,” he continued.
“The Lab also includes an observation room for monitoring the testing process or engaging in focus groups on service delivery. The room has screens that detect the customer's behaviour and interaction with the service on digital platforms,” Al Mudharreb added.
“The Comprehensive Digital Platform is a new concept in designing the User’s Experience. It focuses on engaging external and internal customers (employees) in various service design phases. The Lab has been used in key current projects such as RTA App, smart kiosks, and dashboards that serve the RTA’s decision-makers,” Al Mudharreb said in conclusion.

Emirates

Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme issues 432 decisions worth AED 299 million

ABU DHABI, 26th March, 2023 (WAM) – The Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme (SZHP), an initiative under the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), has issued 432 decisions for housing aid valued at AED 298.7 million. This includes applications for house construction, completion, purchase, maintenance, and upgrade. The move is part of the Initiatives of the UAE President and is pursuant to the order of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to complete all housing grant applications submitted to the Programme, at a total cost of around AED 2.3 billion.
Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said: “As we welcome the holy month of Ramadan, the month of giving, SZHP continues its endeavors to enhance family stability, ensure decent living, and improve the quality of life of UAE citizens. The UAE’s wise leadership is deeply invested in the government housing sector as it helps build a cohesive society that can contribute to the progress of our nation.”
Eng Mohamed Al Mansouri, Director of SZHP, said: “We have set ambitious plans to meet the growing housing needs of UAE citizens. We work closely with our partners from the federal and local government, the private sector, and the banking sector to achieve these plans. The Programme follows in the steps of the founding father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by contributing to the social wellbeing and prosperity of the people.”