His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE’s Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, witnessed the unveiling of the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub and EZDubai, the new e-commerce zone within Dubai South’s Logistics District.
With some AED17 billion (US$ 4.6 billion) of government and private sector investments, the Mohammad bin Rashid Aerospace Hub is designed to create an effective value chain for the aerospace sector and increase the gross domestic product, GDP, contribution of advanced industries to the emirate’s economic growth. The 6.7-square-kilometre aerospace hub includes the commercial strip, as well as the maintenance and technical support, business aviation, education, and research and development, R&D, facilities.
Formerly called aviation district, the aerospace hub is home to a five-star VIP terminal facility that hosts some of the world’s leading fixed base operators for private jets, including Falcon Aviation, JETEX and Jet Aviation. The hub will provide major business entities customized aviation services and seamless connectivity, besides proximity to the world’s largest airport in the making, the Al Maktoum International Airport.
The Aerospace Hub has a dedicated education and R&D cluster aimed at building a comprehensive aviation campus where institutes can set up and optimize delivery of top-level learning programs. It is also home to the E2 Event and Exhibition Centre, a dedicated exhibition zone and permanent home of the Dubai Airshow and the Emirates Flight Academy.
Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, DACC, and Dubai South, said: “It is an honor to unveil the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub in the presence of our leader His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who continues to demonstrate his untiring support to the aviation sector and see his vision of growth and development, and the future of Dubai turn into reality.”
“With the aviation industry being a key growth industry, it is only fitting to name this incredibly important hub in his honor. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub is committed to making Dubai the region’s aerospace capital by ensuring that we advance through excellence and deliver value that will benefit millions,” he added.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid also witnessed the launch of EZDubai, a 920,000 square-meter purpose-built e-commerce zone within Dubai South’s Logistics District, which is expected to unlock vast potentials in online commerce. It provides a range of logistical facilities and business solutions designed for startups, SMEs, innovation labs and incubation centers to support local, regional and trans-continental businesses serving both business-to-business and end consumers.
Al Zaffin added: “EZDubai is a pioneering effort by Dubai South to provide the local and regional e-commerce sector with a competitive platform that will boost growth further through a suitable business environment, equipped with a range of high-quality infrastructure and supported by a regulatory framework, thereby enabling the delivery of products and services faster.”
“We are confident that initiating this project will pave the way not only for large fulfillment centers but also for small and medium enterprises, to tap Dubai’s leading model of economic development and contribute to the emirate’s GDP,” he concluded.
With e-commerce in the GCC and Egypt expected to grow from $7 billion to $24 billion by 2022, EZDubai seeks to add strong value to the sector by providing an efficient supply chain focused on a structured regulatory framework, complete ecosystem and the dual warehouse concept. The new e-commerce hub has six dedicated areas providing more than 550,000 square meters of leasable area for e-commerce and similar businesses intended as last mile centers, e-fulfillment centers, repair and return centers, supply centers, business blocks (shared buildings), and business blocks for regional headquarters.
