Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, visited the Dubai Customs headquarters today.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance of the UAE, and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council, accompanied Sheikh Hamdan during the visit.
Sheikh Hamdan directed Dubai Customs to continue working towards setting global benchmarks in customs services and trade facilitation.
Sheikh Hamdan emphasises smart customs system for Dubai’s economic growth
“Excellence in customs is key to protecting the economy, enhancing Dubai’s competitiveness, and reinforcing its status as a global trade hub,” he noted according to a statement by the Dubai Media Office.
He said that the next phase requires a smarter customs system that keeps pace with changes, using technologies and processes to ensure trade, strengthen supply chains, and boost investor confidence.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World and the Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, and Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, welcomed Sheikh Hamdan upon his arrival at the Dubai Customs headquarters, along with a number of officials and department heads.
During the visit, he reviewed Dubai Customs’ workflows, inspection and clearance systems, and was briefed on operations, system integration, and trade readiness across ports.
He also commended Dubai Customs for protecting the economy, securing ports, and supporting business.
Dubai Customs described as first line of defence for economy
Sheikh Hamdan emphasised that Dubai Customs is the first line of defence for the economy and a partner in achieving the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, highlighting the leadership’s focus on building a smart, integrated customs system driven by innovation, technologies, and efficiency.
He further highlighted the importance of continued investment in developing Dubai Customs’ capabilities and enhancing its resources, aiming to keep it at the forefront of customs advancements and to make its performance a benchmark for speed, accuracy, innovation, and facilitation.
Strategic plans for 2026-2030 reviewed
During the visit, he reviewed Dubai Customs’ 2026-2030 strategy to keep pace with developments in customs work, enhance its role in protecting society, facilitating trade, and support sustainability.
Sheikh Hamdan also reviewed Dubai Customs’ 2030 AI strategy to digitalise operations, enhance performance, and deliver customs services, and commended Dubai Customs’ systems and solutions, noting that its workforce demonstrates the authority’s progress towards leadership, handling millions of transactions annually, facilitating trade worth hundreds of billions of dirhams, and safeguarding the emirate’s security and economy with professionalism.
AI platform cuts classification time from one day to two seconds
Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on Dubai Customs’ global and regional initiatives, including its 2025 digital projects, most notably the ‘Al-Munasiq 2.0’ platform.
Using AI and big data, the platform cuts the time required for goods classification from one day to two seconds, has 86 per cent adoption, and is used in 117 countries, highlighting Dubai’s role as a leading trade and customs hub.
At the end of the tour, Their Highnesses posed for a photo with the management and staff of Dubai Customs.
