Customs declarations processed by Dubai’s Inland Customs Centres Management showed a substantial increase of 44%, reaching 1.13 million declarations in 2023 compared to 790,000 in 2022. 

 

The total number of inspections for goods and travellers was 198,478. The cleared goods' total weight last year was 6 million tonnes, a 20% increase from 2022's 5 million tonnes. 

 

The Inland Customs Centres also processsed 238,149 Vehicle Customs Cards (VCC), and the number of licensed companies operating in Ducamz reached 396. The cleared shipments of cars at Ducamz Customs Centre demonstrated robust growth, reaching AED20 billion ($5.45 billion) in 2023. 

 

Ducamz, the only centre of its kind in the Middle East and the region, facilitates importing and re-exporting cars in line with customs procedures related to free zones. Paying a visit to Ducamz Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, emphasised the need to enhance trade facilitations. 

 

Smart services

Dubai Customs consistently supports companies operating in Ducamz, assisting them in utilising smart customs services, allowing customers to clear transactions 24/7, ultimately saving time, effort, and reducing business costs.

The aim is to maintain the momentum and boost Dubai's foreign trade, which has reached AED2 trillion in 2023. 

 

Musabih highlighted that the digital services provided by Dubai Customs have become a global benchmark. Additionally, there is an emphasis on attracting foreign investments in the commercial sector. He confirmed that Dubai's customs centres are keeping pace with the strong recovery in non-oil foreign trade, tourism, and travel witnessed by the emirate. He stressed the necessity of exerting more efforts and continuously developing capabilities to meet the evolving needs of both traders and travellers.

 

Accompanying the Director-General of Dubai Customs during the tour were key officials including Dr Abdullah Busnad, Executive Director of Customs Inspection Division; Rashid Al Sharid, Executive Director of Administration and Finance Division; Juma Al Ghaith, Advisor to the Director-General; Hamid Al Rashid, Director of Inland Customs Centres Management; Younis Othman, Director of Information Technology Management; Khalil Saqer bin Gharib, Director of Corporate Communication Department; Mohammed Al Hashimi, Director of Customs Refund Management; Idris Bihzad, Director of Customer Happiness Management; and Rashid Al Dhabbah Al Suwaidi, the Acting Director of Sea Customs Centres Management. The delegation also included several customs centre managers and inspection team leaders.--TradeArabia News Service