The UAE in global trade: growth through efficiency

UAE

H.E. Khamis Juma Buamim, chairman and CEO of Khamis Buamim Investments (KBI), talks to The Energy Year about minimising the cost and environmental impact of logistics operations and deploying technologies to improve the energy efficiency of the group’s maritime fleet. KBI is a business conglomerate with activities in the oil and gas, industrial contracting and maritime transportation sectors, among others.

How do you assess the UAE’s potential to become a global logistics hub?
The UAE has a history of interconnectivity in global trade, which has helped drive economic growth in specific sectors. Historically, traders would bring products to Jebel Ali and then export them to the entire region and the world. At that given time, that business model was sufficient, but in today’s environment, you have to also think, “How can I do it at a cheaper rate?” Infrastructure and regulation play a big role in that. Mobility does not mean only within the port, but externally as well. You need to build a holistic system that meets all your requirements and minimises your cost structure.
You also need to consider how to minimise environmental impact. Businessmen are thoroughly re-evaluating their interconnectivity and processes based on cost and carbon footprint factors. This is driven by initiatives taken in the UAE and globally. The UAE can offer cost-effective and sustainable logistics, and that promises tremendous growth for the decades to come.

What growth opportunities do you see ahead for KBI?
We build our business opportunities around consortium processes, regionally and globally. Our focus is driven by the needs of different countries, whether in the services sector, the shipping side or even in technology. We are associated with quite powerful institutions, domestic and global, and we leverage the capabilities of the Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries, of which I am the chairman, to enhance and integrate our services.
One current targets are the Middle East and North Africa. We are in pursuit of two major components that the world needs. One is energy – oil and gas in particular, but also coal. The second is minerals, which are essential for certain advanced technologies. Both have to be extracted, whether through mining or by drilling, and processed or refined.

What are some shipping solutions that KBI is keen to invest in?
What I would like is to invest in technological advancement to enhance energy efficiency. We’re doing that in shipping now because, historically, we didn’t pay too much attention to smart technologies. It’s important to look into your speed and consumption, the type of fuel you use and the interconnectivity of your vessels. When one of your vessels goes to the dry dock, it needs to be part of a broader operational plan. Technology has delivered many improvements in the shipping industry, and it has also helped the logistical side immensely.

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