<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2022/04/30/jafza-begins-construction-work-on-logistics-park-as-demand-for-warehouses-grows/" target="_blank">Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone </a>(Jafza), one of the biggest trading centres in the region, has successfully completed the first phase of the Jafza Logistics Park. The first phase of the project, which is being developed in collaboration with Group Amana, covers an area of more than 500,000 square feet and includes temperature-controlled warehouses and office space, the free zone said in a statement on Monday. “The successful completion of the logistics park is a significant achievement that will empower businesses and stimulate economic growth,” said Abdulla Al Hashmi, chief operating officer of parks and zones at DP World GCC. “The park's strategic connectivity via Jebel Ali will boost our customers' reach and help them further expand their footprint." <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2022/01/29/gfh-unit-completes-early-exit-of-amazon-portfolio-in-spain-amid-warehousing-demand-boom/" target="_blank">The second phase</a> is expected to add another 250,000 square feet of storage and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2025. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2023/04/24/uae-among-top-12-in-world-banks-logistics-performance-index-2023/" target="_blank">The UAE's e-commerce market</a> is expected to reach $9.2 billion in 2026, up nearly 92 per cent from 2021 amid a surge in online sales in the country, Dubai Chamber of Commerce said last year. Growth momentum within the sector is supported by rising demand for online shopping and steady investment flows in the relevant infrastructure, the study said. E-commerce sales in the UAE grew to $4.8 billion in 2021, up almost 85 per cent compared with $2.6 billion in 2019. Global lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital services, with consumers increasingly turning to cashless transactions and online shopping. Last year, Aldar Properties, the biggest developer in Abu Dhabi by market value, set up a<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/property/2023/10/30/aldars-third-quarter-net-profit-surges-48-on-higher-revenue/" target="_blank"> logistics business</a> line after acquiring a 70 per cent stake in Abu Dhabi Business Hub, which owns a warehousing, industrial and office complex in the emirate. In July, AD Ports Group, which runs industrial cities and free zones in Abu Dhabi, expanded its global asset portfolio with the acquisition of Spanish integrated logistics platform Noatum.
