Dubai: The Dubai port operator DP World has launched ‘DPMETAWORLD’, an initiative aimed at bringing virtual solutions to real-world supply chain challenges. This project will allow DP World to accelerate digital solutions through the still untapped capabilities of the metaverse, helping drive efficiency and transparency. The platform is expected to go live by the end of 2022.
The announcement was made by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, as part of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos. “Our expansion into the metaverse will not only enhance customer experience and operational efficiency, but also allow us to be more sustainable and resilient for the future,” said Bin Sulayem. “These are vital across all our global operations.”
The activities around education, government services and trade will be explored through DP World’s Meta platform. Given the scale of DP World’s operations, the company is positioned to help customers accelerate the flow of goods into its logistics networks.
“The DPMETAWORLD will allow us to provide highly flexible, cost-effective supply chain solutions,” said Mike Bhaskaran, Group Chief Operating Officer of Digital Technology at DP World. “The real benefit for our customers is being able to see and understand the whole supply chain from end-to-end, with full visibility, and create alternate routes in case of logistics bottlenecks.”
DP World will explore metaverse applications for its services, including simulations of warehousing and terminal operations, in so-called digital twins - 3D virtual versions of physical assets - as well as container and vessel inspections. Other applications include enhanced retail market access, with the potential to extend DP World’s 1600+ showrooms to customers through an immersive shopping experience.
Internally, DP World will be able to benefit from fully immersive virtual training for its staff. According to the company, replacing physical training with an immersive alternative in the metaverse will reduce the time it takes to train operations teams by 50 per cent, slashing costs as well as increasing efficiency and safety and saving over 17,000 training days just in the UAE.
