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Discuss this article (0 Comments)Dubai Maritime City
by ArabianBusiness.com staff writer on Saturday, 14 February 2009
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DMC is now in its final phase and although none of the towers are actually built yet there is a definite buzz within the industry. Ewing is optimistic. "There's a lot of companies with their headquarters already in Dubai," he explains.
"Especially logistics and container companies, so it could make sense for everyone to be based here [DMC]. We haven't gone to the market yet with an actual product and are just trying to raise awareness at the present time. We are in the process of building towers for offices and there are still a lot of infrastructure developments and regulatory issues to overcome, but we are still extremely confident."
Ewing also sees DMC as the final piece in the jigsaw for Dubai's booming shipping industry. "If you look at Dubai it's strong in a number of other key areas," he says. "It has the largest dry-dock in the region, actually one of the largest in the world.
In Jebel Ali it has got the largest port and free zone in the region. It's our plan to look at the management of the services side and try to create a more concentrated hub for that side of things as well."
There is no doubt that DMC is one of the most exciting maritime developments in the world and one has to wonder how much the project is going to capture the maritime industry's imagination when it finally becomes fully operational.
What makes it so attractive, however, is not just the location, but the thought of a diverse maritime community working, living and learning together. Hyperbole is almost de rigueur when discussing a project in this part of the world these days, but DMC is certainly shaping up to be one of the few projects that has the ability to fully justify the hype.
DMC: Timeline
May 2003 - Construction begins on Dubai Maritime City (DMC). The estimated cost of the project is US$177 million. Fast forward to 2009, where the current spend is around the $1 billion mark.
October 2003 - DMC teams up with the Rotterdam Maritime Group (RMG) to create and finalise their business strategy. DMC's project manager, Amer Ali, said: "We selected RMG to work with us on the strategy bearing in mind their expertise in all aspects of port and maritime activities, both regionally and internationally."
December 2004 - After successful presentations in France, the UK and New Zealand, DMC showcases facilities and services at the Seatrade Middle East Maritime Conference and Exhibition in Dubai.
July 2005 - Work on Dubai Drydocks is completed. Its chief executive, Geoff Taylor, said: "We are confident that the newly completed channel will enhance the development activities of Dubai Maritime City." DMC also announces its plans to establish the first ship registry in the Middle East.
September 2006 - Reclamation is now completed and the project moves into the construction phase. Project manager Amer Ali said: "If this pace is sustained, we are confident that completion of the project will be rapid."
April 2007 - Jadaf Dubai carries out the first successful ship-lift at the DMC. The operation involved hoisting a ship weighing 2500 tonnes and transporting it safely to the ship repair yard's new maintenance workshop on the man-made peninsula.
November 2007 - Plans to build a maritime university campus are announced, the final phase of develop- ment is well under way and all of the first and second phase commercial and residential plots sell out. Amer Ali, now CEO of DMC, said: "We are now seeing DMC take shape as we start the final phase of the project involving the infrastructure development."
July 2008 - The Emirates International Maritime Academy is established at DMC. Captain Ja'afar Bin Sidin, director of the DMC Campus said: "Establishing a dedicated marine academy will be a significant step towards ensuring the steady supply of highly qualified maritime professionals in the region.
January 2009 - DMCs announce that 85% of the work is now complete and that the project is ahead of schedule. "With the infrastructure work in the Commercial Precinct currently in the final stages, several real estate developers are starting to mobilise on some plots," said DMC's director of property Khaled Meftah.
May 2003 - Construction begins on Dubai Maritime City (DMC). The estimated cost of the project is US$177 million. Fast forward to 2009, where the current spend is around the $1 billion mark.
October 2003 - DMC teams up with the Rotterdam Maritime Group (RMG) to create and finalise their business strategy. DMC's project manager, Amer Ali, said: "We selected RMG to work with us on the strategy bearing in mind their expertise in all aspects of port and maritime activities, both regionally and internationally."
December 2004 - After successful presentations in France, the UK and New Zealand, DMC showcases facilities and services at the Seatrade Middle East Maritime Conference and Exhibition in Dubai.
July 2005 - Work on Dubai Drydocks is completed. Its chief executive, Geoff Taylor, said: "We are confident that the newly completed channel will enhance the development activities of Dubai Maritime City." DMC also announces its plans to establish the first ship registry in the Middle East.
September 2006 - Reclamation is now completed and the project moves into the construction phase. Project manager Amer Ali said: "If this pace is sustained, we are confident that completion of the project will be rapid."
April 2007 - Jadaf Dubai carries out the first successful ship-lift at the DMC. The operation involved hoisting a ship weighing 2500 tonnes and transporting it safely to the ship repair yard's new maintenance workshop on the man-made peninsula.
November 2007 - Plans to build a maritime university campus are announced, the final phase of develop- ment is well under way and all of the first and second phase commercial and residential plots sell out. Amer Ali, now CEO of DMC, said: "We are now seeing DMC take shape as we start the final phase of the project involving the infrastructure development."
July 2008 - The Emirates International Maritime Academy is established at DMC. Captain Ja'afar Bin Sidin, director of the DMC Campus said: "Establishing a dedicated marine academy will be a significant step towards ensuring the steady supply of highly qualified maritime professionals in the region.
January 2009 - DMCs announce that 85% of the work is now complete and that the project is ahead of schedule. "With the infrastructure work in the Commercial Precinct currently in the final stages, several real estate developers are starting to mobilise on some plots," said DMC's director of property Khaled Meftah.
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