DHL Express has launched five fully-automated DHL SERVICE POINT 24/7 outlets in Dubai incooperation with the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) as part of a pilot project
aimed at reducing emissions and increasing logistics capacity.The five self-service terminals operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are locatedat the Deira City Centre and Khalid Bin Waleed RTA metro stations, DIFC Building 5, Dubai InternetCity Block 11 and the Emarat Service Station on Al Wasl Road.
DHL said the introduction of this automated first and last mile delivery concept in the UAEis a breakthrough in logistics technology, designed to offer a simple but sustainable shippingservice for individual consumers, SME customers from a wide range of industries, as well as banks,embassies and government offices.
DHL SERVICE POINT 24/7 is also an environmentally friendly shipment collection and deliverysolution. By consolidating shipments at designated locations, the number of courier trips made byvehicles is greatly reduced, which contributes to a reduction in congestion and carbon footprint.In the initial phase, the terminals can potentially yield a combined carbon reduction of 80 tonsper year. In the expanded phase, the carbon reduction is expected to rise to 280 tons per year.
Frank-Uwe Ungerer, Country Manager, DHL Express United Arab Emirates, said that Dubai is thefirst city outside of Germany to pilot the deployment of DHL SERVICE POINT 24/7 machines. “DHL isproud to be leading the introduction of new logistics innovations to our customers in the UAE, incollaboration with the Department of Economic Development.”
H.E Sami Al Qamzi, Director General DED, added: “Dubai is an inspiring model for sustainablebusiness growth, a centre for global trade. The logistics sector plays a vital role in growing oureconomy and the commencement of ground-breaking services such as DHL SERVICE POINT 24/7 cementsDubai’s position as a pioneer and thought-leader in the region.”
Created in Germany by DHL, SERVICE POINT 24/7 is a pioneering urban logistics solution in theform of a secure stand-alone outlet that gives customers the convenience and flexibility ofcollecting and dropping-off their shipments whenever it suits. DHL has been using these servicepoints in Germany, where they are known as Packstations, since 2001. Today, there are more than2,500 service points in Germany and around one and half million customers that use them frequently.
Such innovations also help drive efficiencies in the logistics sector, in line with the DubaiStrategic Plan 2015’s focus on management growth and development and emphasis on environment,planning and efficient infrastructure, DHL Express noted.
The DHL SERVICE POINT 24/7 pilot is the second initiative of the City Logistics programme,targeted at three areas critical to Dubai’s growth: reducing congestion, improving convenience andminimising carbon footprint. This follows the successful initiative led by DED in 2010 indeveloping the UAE’s first carbon neutral warehouse at Dnata Cargo’s Freight Gate.
The initiative results from the City Logistics programme developed by DHL’s innovation unit,DHL Solutions and Innovations (DSI) in partnership with the DED in 2009.
