Dubai has supported its position on the global map of automotive markets, through increasing growth in the value of its foreign trade in motor vehicles, which recorded a rise by 18% in the first half of 2013, reaching AED 32 billion, compared to AED 27 billion in the first half of 2012.
A recent statistics declared by Dubai Customs that was timed to coincide with Dubai International Motor Show, showed that the biggest growth was in the imports, which rose to AED 23 billion compared to AED 19 billion, by 21% rise, while the value of cars re-export grew by 13% to AED 9 billion compared to AED 8 billion in the first half of 2012.
This growth reflects the extent to which Dubai markets attract car trade, through increasing in demand within the state, due to the rising purchasing power of individuals and institutions, improving their ability to fund their purchases of new cars, as well as the increasing numbers of citizens and residents who joined the labor market in various economic sectors, as a result of the recent boom in Dubai’s economy. New entrants to workforce in the economic sectors add more demand on cars. The growth in re-export reflects success of car agents in the emirate in reaching the foreign markets, and covering their increasing needs, supporting the national economy's ability to benefit from growth of re-export markets.
Dubai Customs is keen to provide the best facilities for car trading, by accelerating customs clearance procedures to meet market's needs without delay. This is to enhance the increasing growth in this trade, through ensuring the demands of individuals and institutions on cars with all their types and sources are met. The Department constantly coordinates with car agencies to improve the levels of customs services provided to them, through providing a real added value that supports their investments and reinforces economic position of Dubai on the regional and international levels.
According to the statistics of the first half of 2013, Japan comes at the forefront of Dubai's trading partners in cars foreign trade with a share up to 25% of the total, equivalent to AED 8 billion, followed by the USA with a share up to 13%, equivalent to AED 4 billion, then South Korea with a share up to 6%, equivalent to AED 2 billion. So the share of the three countries in total of Dubai's foreign trade of motor vehicles reaches 44%, equivalent to AED 14 billion. On the imports level, the share of these countries is up to 62%; 34% to Japan, 19% to USA, and 9% to South Korea.
China comes at the forefront of car re-export market from Dubai, with a share up to 10% of the total, equivalent to AED 915 million, followed by Libya with a share up to 8%, equivalent to AED 757 million, then Iraq with a share up to 8%, equivalent to AED 708 million. So the share of the three countries is up to 26% of re-export totals.
Dubai Customs has supported its customs facilities for cars trade and other trade sectors, through its transformation into the first 100% smart government department. It provides all services via smartphones to reach the customers around the clock wherever they are, and provides them with a direct follow-up to the requests submitted by phones, through a follow-up system developed internally by Dubai Customs, which enables employees to receive these requests upon submittal, and begin processing them instantly.