DP World and China’s Qingdao Port Group will work to develop cruise services between the Yellow Sea industrial hub and Dubai.
The operators of the ninth and seventh busiest container terminals respectively last year will also enhance trade volumes and “stimulate business growth” between the Port of Qingdao and the ports of Jebel Ali and Mina Rashid.
“We are excited about the possibility of developing cruise services between Mina Rashid and Qingdao. This is an area of great potential,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, the DP World chairman.
The deal includes a feasibility study into the opening of a cruise route. DP World and Qingdao Port Group are already joint venture partners in China.
Qingdao Port International listed on the Hong Kong exchange this year amid news of an investigation into a scam that involved commodities stored in the port, mainly copper, being used multiple times as collateral for loans by a local trading company.
More than 381,000 passengers and 110 cruise ships are expected to call at Dubai over the next seven months, Dubai Tourism said yesterday. This year the cruise season in Dubai runs from late October to the end of June.
During the period, passenger numbers are set to rise by 19 per cent compared to a year earlier when the season ended in April, with an additional 60,000 to embark, disembark or transit at Mina Rashid.
Dubai Tourism “forecasts further sustained growth for the cruise sector, spurred by the upcoming opening of an additional 27,000 square metre terminal at Mina Rashid later this season and the implementation of the new cost-effective multiple entry UAE visa for cruise tourists”.
Dubai hopes to have 450,000 cruise tourists annually by 2016, increasing from just over 386,000 last year, helped by demand from new markets.
“Not only are we actively seeking to increase the volume of cruise travellers from the traditional source markets of North America and western Europe, but we are also looking to attract first time global cruise travellers from China and the Far East, as well as India and the subcontinent,” said Hamad bin Mejren, executive director of Dubai Tourism.
“We also believe there is a real opportunity to grow intra-regional cruise tourism with our GCC neighbours.”
business@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The%20Color%20Purple
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBlitz%20Bazawule%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFantasia%20Barrino%2C%20Taraji%20P%20Henson%2C%20Danielle%20Brooks%2C%20Colman%20Domingo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETamer%20Ruggli%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadine%20Labaki%2C%20Fanny%20Ardant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
