Global port operator Gulftainer gears up for efficiency, goes for RISE with SAP

Sharjah: Gulftainer, a leading operator of regional ports and terminals and a provider of customised supply chain and logistics solutions, has announced that it will migrate its core ERP to the cloud, adopting RISE with SAP and S/4HANA to enhance its regional and global operations, as part of its wider digital transformation roadmap.

Under their expanded collaboration, Gulftainer’s Group CEO, Peter Richards met with Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director at SAP UAE, at COP28 – Expo City Dubai, alongside senior representatives from both companies including Vinay Sharma, Director of IT at Gulftainer and Johannes Dressler, Chief Operating Officer at SAP Middle East South, to formalise a new chapter of this strategic partnership that will advance Gulftainer’s digital capabilities, providing a competitive edge to customers and partners.

Peter Richards commented: “In a dynamic and fast-paced supply chain and logistics industry, technological innovations are the key driver for our transformation journey. Gulftainer has long been at the forefront of accelerating technology trends, setting an ambitious strategy to implement new technologies and innovative solutions within our operations, infrastructure, business procedures and engineering to achieve our growth goals in meeting customers’ needs and the dynamic changes in the market”

Leveraging RISE with SAP will allow Gulftainer to adopt new technology solutions, reduce operating costs and cut time to market with customised solutions, aiming to realise its digital ambition of becoming more innovative and resilient.

Through the new solution, Gulftainer stands to benefit from managed services that include continuous updates and maintenance.

Richards added: “We are confident that the implementation of ‘RISE with SAP’ in our business ecosystem will propel us towards new levels of efficiency, sustainability and excellence in the supply chain and logistics sectors. This underscores Gulftainer's dedication to leveraging cutting-edge technology for the advancement of our regional and global operations.”

Additionally, the adoption of RISE with SAP will grant Gulftainer access to advanced analytics, machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA) technologies, fostering improved business operations and insightful decision-making, while helping the company meet its environmental commitments.

“From our discussions at COP28, it was clear that Gulftainer is committed to reducing its environmental impact, and by embracing cloud computing, the company will be able to leverage embedded sustainability processes in S/4HANA. Gulftainer will also be future-proofing its business through automatic upgrades to the solutions leveraging advanced technologies. With SAP S/4HANA deployed, the company will benefit from increased efficiencies, real-time data insights, and greater visibility over its operations, enabling the agility to respond quickly to changes in the market and take advantage of opportunities as they arise,” explained SAP’s Zeineddine.

“The adoption of RISE with SAP will ensure unparalleled operational efficiency – from streamlined updates to more robust security features – the solution will empower Gulftainer with advanced technological data to enhance our business operations, licenses optimisation and customer service,” said Vinay Sharma, Director of IT at Gulftainer.

“RISE with SAP will open the door for building business-specific solutions by leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform, AI-based automation and data analytics capabilities that enable agile, effective responses to changes in global supply chains and market conditions. We are keen to accelerate our digital transformation and innovation to better service our customers, keeping pace with technological advancements in the industry,” he added.

Gulftainer is well placed to utilise SAP's expertise to drive further innovations and transformative changes within its regional and international terminals and logistics centres.