The World Logistics Passport (WLP) welcomed a host of new members and partners representing international traders and freight forwarders from more than 15 countries during the first Global Freight Summit (GFS) hosted by DP World in Dubai.

The WLP is a Dubai-led global initiative designed to smooth the flow of international trade, reducing the cost of logistics for its members in terms of money and time while also facilitating access to new market opportunities.

The GFS included a closed session hosted by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Chair of the WLP Global Steering committee, in the presence of Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority, co-chair of the WLP Steering Committee, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Co-chair of the WLP Steering Committee, and global trade leaders, which offered industry experts, leaders and innovators a forum to candidly discuss their supply chain concerns and explore opportunities to overcome the trade barriers together with the WLP team.

Sheikh Ahmed said, “The UAE is at the forefront of supporting innovative initiatives that enhance global trade. WLP helps remove trade barriers, unlock multimodal trade, and smooth the overall trade journey for the traders.”

Bin Sulayem stated that the WLP vision is to promote global growth by finding tools and solutions that will address the bottlenecks of the entire supply chain and enhance the flow of trade across the world.

He also stressed the importance of WLP’s mission in connecting the public and private sectors, understanding their challenges and progressing solutions to connect all our hubs and gateways to the network.

The session concluded with a special announcement of a new Platinum tier membership award for invitees, which is available across WLP’s 27 global hubs. The benefits range from priority inspection at customs to reduced cargo landing fees. The members also received a specially curated suite of digital solutions by DP World, including a limited-time free membership of Digital Freight Alliance, SeaRates, CARGOES Runner, and CARGOES Flow.

New Members: The WLP and the GFS were established to open opportunities for traders and freight forwarders to overcome trade barriers and facilitate new exchanges.

During the three-day event in Dubai, the Indo-Latin American Chamber of Commerce (ILACC) and the Federation of National Associations of Freight Forwarders and International Logistics Operators of Latin America and the Caribbean (ALACAT), signed an agreement with the WLP.

It seeks to strengthen the value proposition for members and understand the critical challenges of today’s supply chain, to create logistics solutions that will improve trade between the participants through WLP and contribute to the country’s economy.

Moisis Solis Flores, President of ALACAT said, “We are committed to nourishing the trade relationship between India and the Latin American region. Working with the WLP compliments our vision. Together, we intend to build stronger synergies to enhance the trading journey for both our regions.”

DP World said recently that it is expanding its operations in China by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support logistics and trade development at the Lin-Gang Special Area, a free trade zone in Shanghai.

The MoU was signed today with Shanghai Lin-Gang Economic Development Group (Lin-Gang Group) at a virtual ceremony by Lin-Gang Party Secretary and Member of Shanghai Standing Committee, Jinshan Chen, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, and Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and Managing Director, DP World UAE & Jafza.

DP World will work with the Lin-Gang Group and deploy the World Logistics Passport (WLP) programme, a global, private sector-led, initiative designed to smooth the flow of global trade, unlock market access through the creation of new trade routes and provides economic efficiencies to members.

The WLP will provide Chinese businesses with faster and more cost-efficient access to markets in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and across Africa.

At the same time, DP World will share its experience from Jafza, its flagship freezone in the UAE. Combined with the Jebel Ali Port, Jafza forms a world-class, integrated ecosystem for over 9,000 companies from around the world, serving more than 3.5 billion people globally by connecting directly to 150 ports and more than 180 shipping lanes.

The Lingang Special Area offers some of the most innovative and forward-looking business policies for both Chinese and international companies beyond normal free zones offerings. There are currently more than 40,000 corporations registered in Lin-Gang, including Tesla which operates a Model 3 factory, China International Maritime Containers (CIMC), China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), Caterpillar, and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). Its strategic position in southeast Shanghai makes it an important node for Shanghai coastal thoroughfare with access to waterways, air routes, railways, highways, inland rivers and the subway.