Amazon is on the march in the Gulf. Ronaldo Mouchawar describes how the e-commerce titan is building in Saudi Arabia as part of its pandemic-accelerated growth strategy An ITP Media Group Publication Issue 194 | April - May 2021 An ITP Media Group Publication Issue 194 | April - May 2021Thank you to our esteemed colleagues and friends for your recognition of our efforts! An ITP Business Event WINNER OF THE LOGISTICS EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR3LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | APRIL - MAY 2021www.logisticsmiddleeast.com APRIL - MAY 2021 | CONTENTS We reveal all 14 winners from the Logistics Middle East Awards 2021 as the industry recognises resilience and supply chain heroes Ronaldo Mouchawar, VP MENA, describes how Amazon is localising its services and supply chains to expand in Saudi and neighbouring states We look at key supply chain hubs in Saudi Arabia to assess why the kingdom is becoming a chosen springboard into the Middle East COVER HOW AMAZON IS LOOKING TO GROW IN THE GCC REGION REPORT WHY SAUDI ARABIA IS BECOMING A PRIME GATEWAY TO THE GULF p26p16p14 CONTENTS APRIL - MAY 2021 LME AWARDS ALL WINNERS OF LME AWARDS 2021 ARE REVEALED4APRIL - MAY 2021 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com CONTENTS | APRIL - MAY 2021 Most popular news stories on logistics- middleeast.com [1] There were fears that a con- tainer ship blocking the Suez Canal in Egypt could prevent other vessels from travelling through the crucial trade artery for days as ships piled up along the waterway. The Ever Given was eventually fl oated and freed after nearly a week of efforts by specialist maritime rescue teams from the Netherlands and Japan. [2] After months of crippling shortages, container availabil- ity is fi nally improving again in China, according to Container xChange’s Container Availabil- ity Index (CAx). The CAx read- ing of incoming containers across main Chinese ports is currently up 56% compared to before the Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays which started on 11 February. [3] Emirates Post Group has UAE-based energy logistics group, Tristar Transport, has said it intends to proceed with an initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) with the IPO to be completed in April. The offer size is expected to represent up to 24 percent of the total issued ordinary shares RE GU L A R S [8] VACCINE DISTRIBU- TION Hellmann Worldwide Logis- tics is one of the key members of Abu Dhabi’s Hope Con- sortium. We learn about the role the group is playing in regional and global vaccine distribution eff orts [10] SPOTLIGHT Energy supply chain firm Tristar Group recently went for an IPO on the Dubai Financial Market but is still maintaining its ‘business for purpose’ principles [12] RED CARPET A colourful gallery of glittering highlights from the Logistics Middle East Awards 2021 so you can relive all the action from the evening of recognising resilience [36] FIFA WORLD CUP With Qatar counting down to the World Cup in 2022, we shine a light on GWC, the tournament’s offi cial logis- tics partner, to learn how it plans to deliver the goods [38] AFRICA Africa is a tricky market to get right when it comes to logistics. Tristar’s CEO explains how the group is working to overcome unique challenges including climate, security and infrastructure [40] Q&A Hellmann Worldwide Logis- tics group and regional CEOs speak about the organisa- tion’s brand new bases in Egypt and Oman [42] COMMENT How the new normal has given businesses an opportu- nity to improve food supply chains, says Sridar Naray- answami, president, MEA, at Emerson [50] FINAL WORD The carbon footprint of e- commerce fulfi lment needs to be addressed by retailers planning growth in the Middle East, writes Renaud Marlière, logistics expert at Asendia p12 p26p38 JOIN THE CONVERSATION To have your copy of delivered to your doorstep, subscribe by logging on to www.itp.com/subscriptions In the next edition of Logistics Middle East, we will be analysing how the market’s recovery is progressing as well as evaluating e-commer suply chains in the region. Plus, we take a dive into sustainability! Get in touch to be featured!6APRIL - MAY 2021 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com Published by and © 2021 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC EDITOR’S COLUMN T he star of this month’s cover is Amazon’s Ronaldo Mouchawar. He is a giant of the Middle East business stage in his own right. But our April-May issue actually features a host of heroes on every page. This special Logistics Middle East Awards edition is all about recognising the massive achievements of the logistics sector and the impressive resistance it has shown in the face of sheer adversity. This time last year, the world seemed to stand still as countries around the world locked their borders and life retreated indoors. But behind the scenes, logistics and supply chain professionals were working overtime, in extremely difficult conditions, to ensure goods continued to flow around the world. Whether it was food, masks or medicines, supply chain operators stretched, strained and bent over backwards to keep communities and businesses on their feet. Even as you read this now, a year on from the outbreak of COVID-19, our colleagues are working tirelessly to distribute vaccines. Over the last 18 months, the Gulf region in particular has come into its own, acting as a logistical hub and gateway. It’s fair to say we are now centre of the world not just geographically, but in a leadership sense too. The people our industry have demonstrated this year that the Middle East is a rich pool of innovation and expertise in the logistics sphere. The Logistics Middle East Awards 2021, held in March, was the industry’s first chance to properly recognise those unsung heroes, their remarkable achievements and their resilience since the pandemic began. I have to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who attended and who made the event possible, not least our supportive sponsors, LogSquare, IQ Fulfillment, ASYAD, Almajdouie Logistics, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Grand FreightX and ALS Logistics Solutions. And of course, once again, thank you to everyone in the logistics and supply chain sectors for helping to keep the world ticking when everything else stopped. PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London & Mumbai ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi Managing Directer Alex Reeve EDITORIAL Group Editor Joe Peskett Tel: +971 4 4443426 email: joe.peskett@itp.com ADVERTISING Commercial Manager Lindsey Alba Tel: + 971 4 444 3524 email: Lindsey.Alba @itp.com ITP LIVE General Manager Ahmad Bashour Tel: +971 4 4443549 email: ahmad.bashour@itp.com COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Efraim Evidor PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Photographers Efraim Evidor, Adel Rashid Staff Photographers Aasiya Jagadeesh, Ajith Narendra Fritz Asuro, Jessica Samson PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production & Distribution Director Kyle Smith Production Manager Basel Al Kassem Production Coordinator Manoj Mahadevan Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles CIRCULATION Distribution & Warehouse Manager Praveen Nair MARKETING Director of Awards & Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Subscribe online at www.itp.com /subscriptions The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. JOE PE SKETT EDITOR JOE.PESKETT@ITP.COMSPOTLIGHT | HELLMANN WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS 8APRIL - MAY 2021 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com Abu Dhabi in November 2020 launched the Hope Consor- tium, comprising global enti- ties that assembled to offer a complete supply chain solution for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe. The consortium’s main logisti- cal muscle is made up Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Etihad Aviation Group and Hell- mann Worldwide Logistics. For Ajay Rohira, Director Strategic Sales (MESA) for Hellmann, it is an honour to support the delivery of a complete supply chain solution for facilitating the vaccine distribution. He believes that Hellmann was called on to join the Hope Consor- tium because of its extensive network an presence in 480 locations alongside its solid cooperation with airlines, charter operators and cold-chain vendor distribu- tors. In addition, Hellmann’s dedicated healthcare capabilities help to add value to the supply chain initiative, Rohira says. In fact, Hellmann has significant ex- pertise in the healthcare logistics vertical. Anna Mansurova, Commercial Director of Hellmann’s healthcare division in the MESA region, says that the company is able to provide a door-to-door distribution model for temperature-controlled zones ranging between minus 80 degrees Celsius up to 25 degrees Celsius, offering various active and passive packaging solutions. “Hellmann is able to offer commercials down to the level of cost per vaccine dose across major vaccine producer hubs and vaccine receivers globally. This all done with the great eye for detail, GDP compli- ance and real-time monitoring capabilities, assuring product integrity,” she comments. Aside from healthcare services, Rohira says Hellmann is an expert in other areas, including air freight with full- and part- charters, commercial flights, active and passive containers, land-side handling services, cold chain reefer transporta- tion, customs clearance and storage. Hellmann’s control also offers tempera- ture monitoring using data loggers and real time smart visibility. And the group Abu Dhabi’s Hope Consortium is giving some of the world’s populations the best chance at being vaccinated against COVID-19. Here, we speak to two directors at Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, which is one of the consortium’s members, to learn more about the crucial supply chain initiative. RAY OF HOPE provides risk management with route risk assessment for high potential and sensitive port pairs and lane qualifications. Hellmann will need to draw on all of its skills and expertise to take on the massive challenge of vaccine distribution. Rohira explains: “Challenges are country-specific for customs special provisions for tem- porary import and export clearances. There are challenges in infrastructure constraints for storage and distribution in a temperature-controlled environment as specified for vaccines requirements. An additional complexity of our current en- vironment is reduced capacity and flight connectivity to remote locations. This re- quires creative solution design, consider- ing time constraints posed by the choice of packaging solutions or limitations of airport infrastructure.” Assessing the progress of vaccine distri- bution in the GCC region currently, Man- surova says that according to Our World in Data, in the context of GCC countries, the UAE leads the way in the number of doses administrated to the population, while Bahrain has a greater percentage of population covered. “The speed and variety of vaccine avail- ability in the UAE has been exceptional and reflection of the solid planning and preparedness undertaken by the govern- ment. This now strategically positions Hope Consortium to enable vaccine dis- tribution worldwide,” she notes. Mansurova adds: “The UAE is ranked ninth in the IMD World Competitive- ness Yearbook 2020 and is the only Arab country to have maintained its position among the top 10 competitive countries for four years in a row. Basic infrastructure is one of the contributors to that rating. Investments by Hope Consortiums into healthcare logistics infrastructure and on- board partners further enhances the UAE’s ability to execute a compliant healthcare supply chain.” She concludes: “The UAE’s answer to the global vaccine availability challenge is the creation of the public-private part- nership we call the Hope Consortium. Well-chosen partners joined hands to offer an end-to-end solution from vac- cine sourcing to final mile delivery and support with inoculation programmes. Hellmann by extension, contributes its expertise in healthcare logistics, blend- ing together intelligence, compliance and risk mitigation, supported by digital technologies.” Ajay Rohira, Director Strategic Sales (MESA) for Hellmann Worldwide Logistics Anna Mansurova, Commercial Director of Hellmann’s healthcare division in the MESAThank you to our esteemed colleagues and friends for your recognition of our efforts! An ITP Business Event WINNER OF THE ENERGY SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE YEARNext >