The world's largest man-made port allows Jafza to offer unsurpassed logistics capabilities by sea, land and air.
Just 35 kilometres southwest of Dubai city, the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is built around the world's largest man-made port. It covers 100 square kilometres, of which about 30 per cent has been leased. An array of investment incentives has attracted more than 850 companies including almost 100 American firms. Most companies are set up to re-export goods through Dubai to other markets, the largest being Iran and India.
History
Initially encompassing 70,000 square metres of warehousing and 850,000 square metres of covered area, Jafza took nearly three years to create, transforming 25 acres of desert into a secure, dynamic working environment. In May 1980, Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum signed a decree establishing Jafza, adding to the port a major trade and industrial area, eventually extending to 750 acres.
Through the years, Jafza has benefited from major investments in its infrastructure. The very latest information technology has allowed the free zone to consolidate its unsurpassed logistics capabilities by sea, land and air.
When Jebel Ali opened in 1985, Indian and Gulf state companies were first in the door. 16 registered in the first year. Today, about 16 new companies register each month, and about 40 per cent of them are from industrialised countries in Europe, the US and the Far East.
There are 200 European companies and about 100 from North America. The UAE accounts for close to 200, with 154 Indian and 34 companies representing Pakistan. There are about a dozen companies from the former Soviet Union and another dozen from China and Hong Kong.
Details
Jafza is an outstanding example of the entrepreneurial spirit of the free trading city of Dubai. Taxation is non-existent. Restrictions are minimal. There is no obligation to take on a local partner. Staff may be recruited from anywhere. Excellent port facilities, warehouses, office space, and factories are already built and ready for lease. The strategic location of Dubai allows easy access to the 1.5 billion consumers in the countries surrounding the Gulf and Red Sea.
Outside Jafza, commercial law in the UAE requires foreigners to go into business with local UAE firms or sponsors who are entitled to own at least 51 per cent of the business and its profits.
But inside Jebel Ali, there is no need to bother with these rules. Foreign companies are free to manufacture, trade and form joint ventures as they please.
R&W International is establishing an inventory stocking facility and warehouse operation to bring the benefits of duty free operations to its customers.
No currency restrictions, excellent port facilities, and a tremendous commitment to tax free operations makes the Jebel Ali Free Zone an excellent option to start a business.
In a move reflecting Jafza's focus on continuous growth, Jafza International, the global free zone operations arm of Economic Zones World, in its first investment in North America, has acquired around 5.260 million square metres (1,300 acres) of land in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, USA, to set up a world class logistics and business park comprising light manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facilities. With a total investment of around $600 million (about Dh2.2 billion), Jafza aims to transform Orangeburg into a major logistical hub in the United States, which will create about 8,000 to 10,000 jobs over the next decade, and attract private investment of around $1.2 billion (about Dh4.4 billion).
Services
Jafza offers ready-made factories and warehouses and excellent infrastructure, support services and communications. It also allows access to a consumer market of 1.4 billion people from countries around the region.
