Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, on Tuesday toured the pavilions of Spain, Hungary, and the Republic of Korea at Expo 2020.

Speaking during the tour, Sheikh Hamdan said Expo 2020 Dubai highlights the best of innovation and excellence achieved by countries across the world, particularly solutions to overcome the most pressing challenges that the global community faces in diverse sectors. He said the mega international event hosted by Dubai represents a rare opportunity for the youth to learn about the latest innovations that are shaping the world’s future and draw inspiration from creative ideas that are driving sustainable development in vital fields.

During his visit to the pavilion of Spain, located in the Sustainability District, Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on its exhibits that highlight the rich productive and creative fabric of the country. Under the theme ‘Intelligence for life’, the Pavilion seeks to highlight the human capacity for innovation and the desire to preserve a good quality of life on the planet, both for current and future generations. The Spain Pavilion also celebrates the country’s deep, age-old ties to the Arab world with an open, eco-friendly exhibition that seamlessly blends ancient heritage and cutting-edge innovation. A wide range of thought-provoking exhibits focus on how Spain is pioneering new education methods and fostering entrepreneurship. Spain’s commitment to sustainability is embodied in the pavilion itself, which is built from reusable materials.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed also went on a tour of the Hungarian Pavilion located in the Jubilee area. Under the theme ‘Aqua Roots of Hungary’, the country’s Pavilion allows visitors to immerse themselves in a relaxing, healing and rehabilitative experience as the country spotlights its unique, mineral-rich thermal springs. The Pavilion sheds light on the healing power of water and balneotherapy – the ancient treatment of ailments by bathing in thermal mineral waters. In an interactive exhibition that reveals the origins of Hungary’s thermal springs, visitors can soak up the country’s wellness and spa culture – and how it is buoying the country’s health tourism industry.  

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed also visited the Pavilion of the Republic of Korea, located in the Mobility District of Expo 2020, where he was introduced to an interactive smart experience that presents what the country offers the world. National values presented through the Pavilion’s design include solidarity, dynamic thinking, a commitment to innovation and flexibility in the face of change. These traits are reflected in the pavilion’s facade, which constantly changes throughout the day. The facade is made up of brightly coloured spinning cubes and puts on a spectacular display, reflecting the spirit of the Korean landscape. The five-storey building, one of the largest pavilions in Expo 2020, reflects Korea’s focus on technological development and its leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in artificial intelligence technologies.

Meanwhile, Hypermotion Dubai, the Middle East edition of the German-initiated industry convex that reimagines the transportation and logistics industries, opened at Expo 2020, held under the presence and patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai Airports, hailing it as a significant boost to the emirate’s smart mobility credentials.

In his comments on this remarkable event, Sheikh Ahmad in Saeed said: “I would like to express my appreciation to the event organisers for their exceptional efforts.

“The fact that Hypermotion will be held in Dubai at Expo 2020 is a clear indication of our determination to maintain the emirate at the forefront of smart mobility as well as to leverage and support transformative and disruptive technology towards improving industries, accelerating the development of localised, high-tech economies. During this event, we will have the opportunity to discover and learn new things through an exciting outlook into the future.”

Running until the 4th November at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Hypermotion Dubai, along with the co-located Materials Handling Middle East trade fair, represents a thriving hub of technology game-changers revolutionising four of the Middle East’s key economic sectors — transport, logistics, mobility, and materials handling.

The three-day event takes place with the collaboration of global ports operator DP World as Global Partner.

Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director of DP World UAE and Jafza, said: “DP World is proud to be the Global Partner of Hypermotion and support its inaugural event in Dubai. We are leading several meaningful discussions this week on topics including Dubai’s emergence as an international trading hub and the importance of big data in revolutionising logistics.

He continues: “Innovation is in our DNA, and Hypermotion - like DP World — seeks to unlock a smarter future for mobility and logistics. In a changing world, we must collaborate to streamline and strengthen operations across the industry. This will benefit business, customers, our planet, and will ultimately keep trade flowing.”

Other key partners include Abu Dhabi Ports as Strategic Partner; and Dubai South, being a smart and sustainable city, as Future City Partner.

Khalifa Al Zaffin - Executive Chairman Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, said: “We are pleased to host a reputable global event such as Hypermotion in Dubai, especially during a special time for the emirate as it hosts Expo 2020 Dubai.

“We look forward to connecting with a consortium of logistics veterans and discussing critical issues related to the future of logistics. As a major player in the region, Dubai South is proud to be aligned with the government’s strategy of diversifying the emirate’s economy and further solidifying its place on the global stage.

“Hypermotion Dubai will provide us with an ideal platform on which to demonstrate our most recent developments and explore a variety of prospects that will open up new perspectives and highlight the relevance of digitalisation in the mobility and transportation industries.”

Simon Mellor, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organiser of Hypermotion Dubai and Materials Handling Middle East, told Gulf Today that “Hypermotion Dubai will be presenting digitally enhanced technologies that will be driving future automation and sustainability initiatives and efforts. The event’s three conferences and expert line-up of over 150 change-makers will lift the lid off progressive innovations for the benefit of all those working in these vital sectors.”

He mentioned that around 75 exhibitors are participating at the event.

“The main concept behind hosting the event at Expo 2020 Dubai is that the mega show’s sub-themes are Sustainability, Mobility, and Opportunity and therefore  “Hypermotion” is also totally focused on Mobility.”

“Swift and decisive COVID measures by the UAE government and a focus on the nationwide vaccination rollout programme has positioned the UAE’s economy strongly and has brought all activities back on track,” Mellor concluded.

Hypermotion Lab focuses on driverless vehicles, urban air mobility and next-generation connectivity in the mobility and logistics arena. The Smart Mobility Conference is unveiling the reshaping of the region’s mass transit industry, while Scalex, a leading manufacturer of digital distance measurement tools, will take a deep dive into supply-chain and logistics excellence, including last-mile delivery.

Hypermotion Dubai has attracted a heady mix of public- and private-sector leaders and policy makers, business owners and strategists, start-ups and innovators looking to networking and pitching new technology breakthroughs through the Asyad Logistics Start-up Challenge. The challenge will comprise three days of workshops, clinics, pitch competitions, and networking with investors and government buyers to provide real opportunities to launch and grow businesses

The event is also hosting market forecasts for both the GCC logistics and electric vehicles sectors in addition to leading data scientists, who will be presenting at the Asyad Global Hackathon Challenge – a knowledge hub of bespoke content, engaging competitions, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.

Together with Hypermotion Dubai, the biennial 11th edition of Materials Handling Middle East features more than 70 exhibitors from 24 countries, headed by Platinum Sponsor Acme, alongside other industry stalwarts such as RFUFCO, Wings, Savoye, Jaspa, Ancra Systems, Lean Tech, Log Square, Swisslog, and Honeywell.

The region’s dedicated trade fair for intralogistics, warehousing, supply chain management, freight and cargo is shining the spotlight on the latest automation technologies addressing the needs of a range of industries from e-commerce, banking and retail, to F&B, automotive and pharmaceuticals.

Acme’s next-gen show line-up includes a number of different solutions for specific applications including a new robotics system in cooperation with their partner, Hanwha, and handling and storage solutions for pallets and cases manufactured in their UAE facility.

Navin Narayan, CEO of Acme, said the Middle East has been slower than other markets when adopting physical automation solutions, however, the pandemic has increased manpower costs and squeezed overall operational margins meaning businesses have had to quickly realise the value of implementing automation technologies in their production and distribution lines.

“The pandemic has definitely accelerated the adoption of semi-automation and automation solutions,” said Narayan.  “Our region has been relying heavily on manual labour for material handling and warehouse operations which were challenged as Covid-19 hit us all.