Gulftainer to launch logistics subsidiary

The new firm will develop the 700,000 square metre international logistics terminal in Sharjah.

DUBAI // Gulftainer, a Sharjah-based port management and transport services firm, will launch a subsidiary later this year to develop a logistics hub in the emirate. The new firm, Momentum Logistics, will develop the 700,000 square metre International Logistics City in the industrial township of Sajaa in Sharjah, according to Matthew Derrick, General Manager of Momentum Logistics. Mr Derrick however declined to give a timeline as to when the planned logistic city will be launched and how much Momentum will invest in the project.

"The launch of [new company] Momentum Logistics will be in the fourth quarter and it will be closely followed by International Logistics City," he said. The project will be located close to Sharjah International Airport, Hamriya port and main road transport arteries, giving the project what he calls a "unique advantage" over other such facilities in the country. The project will house distribution centres, warehouses, a transportation park, a container freight station, a container repair workshop, self storage facilities, offices, residential blocks and a food court.

Mr Derrick said that the new logistic facilities would allow the firms to manage their entire supply chain from a single location. "It's a one-stop shop for all logistics needs," he said. With its base in Sharjah, the firm plans to focus on its flagship project and later intends to become a global player in the third-party logistics services. "The creation of the International Logistics City is merely a first step in this direction," said Mr Derrick.

Established in 1976, Gulftainer's primary role is to manage and operate the container terminals in Port Khalid and also Khorfakkan on behalf of Sharjah Port Authority. Gulftainer has service and advisory contracts in Kuwait, Pakistan and the Comoros. Gulftainer also owns one of the largest heavy transport fleets in the country, an inland container depot, a container repair company, a shipping agency which undertakes cargo agency work and international port management.