Freight forwarder the Rhenus Group has set up its own country organisation in the UAE and is already eyeing further expansion in the Middle East.

The new business will operate as Rhenus Group logistics Gulf DWC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rhenus Group.

It will offer air and sea freight handling and providing customs clearance for imports and exports.

Its range of products also includes project business, warehousing and road transportation to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

“By establishing a new national company with its own management structures, it’s possible to develop new transport routes and expand our spectrum of products,” said Gerrit Kloezeman, managing director at Rhenus Logistics Gulf DWC.

The newly opened business site is located in Dubai Logistics City, one of six clusters in the Dubai World Central free trade zone, located between Al Maktoum International Airport, and the Jebel Ali Seaport.

Once the final stage of the expansion has been completed at the airport, the facility is aiming to handle 16m tonnes of freight and 220m passengers every year.

“We’ll particularly focus on import business at our company. Our conditions for air and sea freight are very attractive, particularly to Dubai; and we’ll also enable other business units to obtain a foothold in the market here,” Kloezeman added.

The services are provided for the whole of the UAE and there are plans to develop more areas in the Middle East.

“We’ve been able to expand our freight forwarding business to include Doha in Qatar earlier than planned because of the high level of demand,” Kloezeman said.