It is hard to believe that an airport that averaged 712 flights a day last year could have come from such humble beginnings half a century ago.
But in 1959, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the then Ruler of Dubai, ordered a strip of compacted sand be established along Dubai Creek to serve aeroplanes in need of refuelling during the "Horseshoe line". The route was operated by British Overseas Air Co (BOAC), a precursor to British Airways, on the route from southern Africa via the Gulf to Sydney.
The airport was opened a year later and in 1968, the customs department hired Sultan al Joker who has been there for the past 41 years and is its longest-serving official. Mr al Joker was 18 years old and newly married when he became an inspector.
The source of both his name and occupation owes itself to football. He was known as a funny man by his friends and since then he has been known as al Joker. The head of the football club also happened to be the customs manager at the new airport and offered him a job. His wages were Dh300 a month, delivered in the form of a cheque signed personally by Sheikh Rashid, as was the custom back then for any government worker's salary.
By then, the runway had been covered with asphalt and there were two scheduled cargo flights a night. Middle East Airlines from Lebanon landed at midnight; at 5am, BOAC made its daily arrival. Both relied on the light of 2,000 kerosene lanterns strung along either side of the runway, which supplemented the existing electric lights.
"People from the firefighting division would make sure the lanterns were on; they would watch periodically through the night," said Mr al Joker, as he sat in his office at Dubai Cargo Village, near Terminal 1 at Dubai Airport. His walls are adorned with illustrations of prized falcons and pictures of the late Sheikh Rashid, with "Father of Dubai" written below.
Mr al Joker has witnessed Dubai become one of the great success stories of aviation. The airport rose from those quieter times into a hub for travel between Asia and the West, and the home of Emirates Airline, which now operates a fleet of more than 120 wide-bodied aircraft.
Although the success of Emirates often overshadows the airport's air cargo facilities, last year Dubai handled 1.83 million tonnes of goods to become the world's 11th largest air cargo hub.
The role of Dubai's transport infrastructure comes as international attention has focused on the emirate's economy.
Recent articles have analysed Dubai's exposure to the global financial crisis, examining its debt burden and the troubles surrounding its property and financial sectors. But often overlooked is the fact that it was transport infrastructure that put the emirate on the map, and that is what will help drive the economy through this crisis.
The beginnings of Dubai's modern era were in the late 1950s, when Sheikh Rashid created the airport and also borrowed heavily from oil-rich Kuwait to dredge the creek to allow larger vessels to dock there. Further investments were made as larger ships began calling at Dubai, first with Port Rashid at the mouth of the creek and then with the construction of Jebel Ali, what was then the largest man-made port in the world.
"Dubai really started rising in the mid-1960s," Mr al Joker said. "It is based on trade. It has always been like that."
Last year, that reliance on trade left the city and emirate vulnerable to the global downturn.
Worldwide, cargo volumes began to decline last summer and this accelerated due to a collapse of trade and export, Airports Council International (ACI) said in an industry analysis. "This trend reached free-fall proportions by the last quarter, with cargo down 20 per cent worldwide."
However, Dubai airport was one of the few to see growth last year.
Of the 30 largest air hubs worldwide, 25 reported a decline in cargo figures. Only Dubai, Shanghai, London, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur saw volumes rise, according to ACI.
Passenger traffic at Dubai International rose 9 per cent to 37.4 million. Meanwhile air freight climbed, by 9.4 per cent. The growth fell short of expectations - before the global downturn, DIA had forecast 40 million passengers, or 18 per cent growth - but it still left the airport as the fastest-growing large airport in the world, ACI said.
"With air cargo, just like passenger flights, slowing growth is a global issue," said Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports. Asian exports are a main source of business for the air cargo industry, and Dubai has been affected due to its role as a transit point between Asia and the West, he said. But he took solace that the airport was holding up in a down market.
"The biggest cargo markets are the heaviest hit and Hong Kong and Amsterdam are suffering. The economy of the UAE is still, relative to the rest of the world, reasonably buoyant, however, and we are not seeing the slowing of demand the rest of the world is seeing."
Dubai's growth is largely the product of Emirates, which continues to grow by adding to its fleet and launching routes.
This year, a string of wide-bodied aircraft arrivals will boost Emirates's capacity by 14 per cent. In every passenger aeroplane, Emirates is able to carry several tonnes of cargo.
Other markets have been cultivated over the years. Dubai serves as a transshipment hub for freighters from Asia loaded with electronics, batteries and garments, which refuel in Dubai and continue to Europe, the Americas and Africa.
Luring relief organisations through tax-free incentives, Dubai's -Humanitarian City houses non-profit groups, which regularly schedule flights to war-torn regions for relief missions. These are a speciality for chartered flights.
"We export a lot to Iraq and Afghanistan, and we're seeing more demand here," said Stuart Smith, the cargo sales manager at Air Charter Service.
In an effort to replicate the success of Amsterdam's position as a redistribution centre for the flower trade, Dubai also created a flower mart, where African imports can be sorted and packed on to aircraft bound for the Middle East, eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Another industry is sea-air cargo, which exporters use as a -compromise between sea transport and air freight. Goods such as electronics are shipped to Dubai and then flown the rest of the way to Europe.
The cumulative successes have brought great changes for Mr al Joker and the Dubai airport. In 1968 there was one warehouse to handle the incoming goods. Soon there were 20 warehouses and often Mr al Joker's office was used to temporarily hold the imports. Today, Dubai airport has the capacity to handle 2.1 million tonnes of cargo.
Meanwhile, Dubai is planning the next phase of its transport capabilities. About 40km away, in Jebel Ali, an US$8 billion (Dh29.38bn) airport is being built. Al Maktoum International Airport will one day handle up to 12 million tonnes of cargo a year.
In the meantime, Mr Griffiths said the existing airport would continue to see upgrades.
"To me, the growth of the Dubai economy is intrinsically linked arm-to-arm to the development of the airport," he said. "We're working hard to optimise every square foot of the facilities."
igale@thenational.ae
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Racecard
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
New Zealand T20 squad
New Zealand T20 squad: Tim Southee (captain), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Will Young
Notable Yas events in 2017/18
October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)
December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race
March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event
March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Kibsons%20Cares
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERecycling%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EAny%20time%20you%20receive%20a%20Kibsons%20order%2C%20you%20can%20return%20your%20cardboard%20box%20to%20the%20drivers.%20They%E2%80%99ll%20be%20happy%20to%20take%20it%20off%20your%20hands%20and%20ensure%20it%20gets%20reused%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKind%20to%20health%20and%20planet%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESolar%20%E2%80%93%2025-50%25%20of%20electricity%20saved%3Cbr%3EWater%20%E2%80%93%2075%25%20of%20water%20reused%3Cbr%3EBiofuel%20%E2%80%93%20Kibsons%20fleet%20to%20get%2020%25%20more%20mileage%20per%20litre%20with%20biofuel%20additives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESustainable%20grocery%20shopping%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENo%20antibiotics%3Cbr%3ENo%20added%20hormones%3Cbr%3ENo%20GMO%3Cbr%3ENo%20preservatives%3Cbr%3EMSG%20free%3Cbr%3E100%25%20natural%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Scoreline
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (53')
Atletico Madrid 1
Griezmann (57')
Last five meetings
2013: South Korea 0-2 Brazil
2002: South Korea 2-3 Brazil
1999: South Korea 1-0 Brazil
1997: South Korea 1-2 Brazil
1995: South Korea 0-1 Brazil
Note: All friendlies
