The purpose of the visit was to provide insights into Dubai Customs’ experience in fostering new ideas.

Dubai Customs, with its unwavering commitment to support innovation and creativity in the UAE, recently hosted a delegation from Nakheel Properties at the Innovation Center. The purpose of this visit was to provide insights into Dubai Customs’ experience in fostering new ideas and innovations, ultimately contributing to economic growth and ensuring community welfare in the UAE.

Hussain Al Fardan, Head of the Innovation Center, and Amna Al Falasi, the Innovation Officer, warmly received the delegation, consisting of representatives from Nakheel Properties. The delegation included esteemed individuals such as Hamdan Al Falasi, Managing Director of Nakheel Marine Engineering, Hussein Khan Sahib, Director of Marine Engineering Management, and Abdul Aleem Habous, Head of Logistics Operations.

During their visit, Hussain Al Fardan delivered an informative presentation on Dubai Customs’ remarkable journey in innovation development. He highlighted the department’s success in creating and implementing 265 customs innovations, which have significantly facilitated trade, tourism, and travel, fostering comprehensive and sustainable economic development throughout the UAE. These innovations have also bolstered Dubai Customs’ capabilities in safeguarding society through the implementation of advanced and intelligent inspection systems, effectively countering smuggling attempts.

Dubai Customs’ dedication to innovation has garnered widespread recognition, with the department receiving an impressive array of 150 local, regional, and international awards. Notably, the organisation achieved the prestigious distinction of being the First Organisation worldwide in the Platinum Ranking of the Ideas UK Awards for the 2021-2022 cycle. Additionally, Dubai Customs was honoured as the First Leading Customs Organisation for global innovation in 2023, along with being recognised as the First Leading Organisation for innovation at both national and Middle Eastern levels in 2023. Furthermore, the department obtained the ISO for innovation in 2023 from the renowned global company TUV.

These remarkable achievements can be attributed to the steadfast commitment of Dubai Customs’ top leadership, who have fostered an environment that nurtures innovation within the department. This environment motivates employees to contribute their best ideas and fosters a systematic approach for evaluating, developing, and implementing promising innovations using established working methods and processes.

Dubai Customs remains dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge innovation techniques to enhance customs operations. The department embraces modern technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, smart software, and virtual reality to advance customs inspection procedures and facilitate various customs-related processes. Furthermore, by continuously improving customs training programmes, Dubai Customs has significantly elevated its capacity to provide fast, high-quality services and trade facilitation, enhancing Dubai’s competitive advantage and attractiveness for global trade and investment. The department’s innovative initiatives also play a vital role in protecting the community by continually enhancing customs inspection practices.

The visiting delegation expressed admiration for the steadfast support provided by Dubai Customs’ top leadership in cultivating an innovation-driven environment within the organisation. The delegation acknowledged the positive outcome and groundbreaking innovations achieved by the department during this period.