Dubai Ports Authority (DPA) took strong steps forward in its modernisation process when it launched "My DPA", a pioneering information technology service to the shipping community in the region, and followed that up within days with a new web-enabled shipping solution, Afsys.

The first service of its kind in the region, "My DPA" was inaugurated at a ceremony at Burj Al Arab in Dubai, marking another step forward in the Dubai government's e-government initiative.

The new portal was introduced by DPA assistant managing director Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah who remarked that the new service represented a milestone in the DPA's electronic services while also reflecting on the Dubai government's efforts to develop the city as an information society.

Announcing the introduction of Afsys, senior DPA manager for business development Ameer Ali and CEO of Information Dynamics Arun Dani said the system was designed to alleviate the growing operational complications faced by shipping agents and freight forwarders in the region and would significantly improve logistics operations by streamlining transportation requirements such as cargo booking and invoicing for customers.

The multiple-level interface, which acts as a comprehensive integrated system for booking, manifesting, equipment control and voyage accounts in addition to the Customer Management Software, uses the latest in Oracle technology. Afsys represents an upgrade of a currently available system "DPA Man", which provides similar functionality for interaction between DPA and shipping agents.

"The upgraded sophistication of Afsys markedly improves electronic communication between DPA and the agent and also facilitates greater interaction between DPA, the principal, the agent, the freight forwarder and the department of customs," DPA said.

The development of a shared format significantly increases operational efficiency by avoiding the unnecessary duplication of information regarding cargo details, DPA added.

Discussing "My DPA", Bin Thaniah said DPA's Internet strategy was consistently directed by the requirements of customers and the nature of their business needs in the electronic age. The portal, the first of its kind in the region, offered services that would boost commercial viability and enhance relations with customers based on DPA's expertise in Internet projects.

DPA's current information services provided customers with a dial-up facility via a dedicated telephone line connection. However, a number of disadvantages associated with current facilities could be overcome through the new technology, he said.

Not only would the portal be more efficient in terms of access to information, it would also trigger cost savings for customers, which represented an important objective in DPA's customer service strategy, he told the representatives.

Giving a background of the Dubai Ports Authority, Bin Thaniah said since the 1970s, DPA had been among the first ports in the world to actively invest in computer-based systems to cope with the growth of throughput. By 1998, the Authority recognised that Internet technology, the driving force behind momentous change in the transport industry, was the way forward to benefit customers most effectively.

My DPA was developed in order to accurately identify and satisfy key customer needs, using direct feedback from a core representative group of customers. Bin Thaniah emphasised that the range of services offered as part of the portal was an ongoing process and would continue to be developed through intensive interaction with the customers who used it on a daily basis.

As with many Internet projects, security for customers using the portal had been a critical area. My DPA's network security features had been developed to guarantee the confidentiality of customers' business operations and information.

Bin Thaniah outlined a number of DPA's future Internet services including the ability to receive customers' instructions over the net, a facility for customers to access accounts with DPA and the possibility of online financial transactions through virtual banking.

Following the launch of Tejari.com, the digital marketplace initiative, DPA would continue to actively explore Internet e-commerce services in addition to a portal dedicated to the Jebel Ali Free Zone called My Jafza.

Bin Thaniah's address was followed by the presentation of My DPA by Juma Al Ghaith, e-commerce manager, DPA. Al Ghaith explained the implementation of the new project and focused on the opportunities and challenges facing customers and ports in the Internet era.

Customers were also briefed on the services that they would receive such as EDI messages and the DPAMAN Manifest System followed by the new services outlined as part of DPA/Jafza's Net Economy Strategy. The strategy focused on features such as the virtual market place, customer-care portal, customer self services with simplified electronic procedures and the development of an e-commerce portal.

Other future services highlighted by Al Ghaith as part of My DPA included greater facilities for enquiries, increased file-and-report downloads, online amendments and corrections such as manifest-and-discharge lists, online service requests from customers such as ETA updates, crane bookings, MT box releases and a dedicated DPA bulletin Board.