Interview: Aboubaker Omar Hadi
How critical is the green transition of ports to the consolidation of Djibouti as a maritime centre?
ABOUBAKER OMAR HADI: The global transport sector is the second-highest contributor to greenhouse gases after fossil fuels. With 80% of worldwide trade carried by the sea, given the country’s location on the second-busiest sea trade route green initiatives undertaken by Djibouti’s maritime will be critical to accelerating global climate adaptation and resilience. In East Africa, Djibouti has epitomised the global maritime industry’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, culminating in the region’s first international summit on climate change that took place in October 2022. Nevertheless, a complete transformation of the sector is imperative to mitigate the effects of climate change and engender a carbon-neutral future.
What are the emissions targets set by the DPFZA for the ports and logistics segment?
HADI: In the short term, the DPFZA will implement training and awareness programmes to promote cleaner and more efficient shipping practices, develop renewable energy to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and encourage ship owners to adopt cleaner technologies and fuels through support measures and financial incentives. In the medium term, we aim to develop emissions monitoring and control programmes to combat their negative impact on the environment, implement new vacuum technologies for cleaner grain unloading and handling, create an ecolabel on logistics and port flows to promote green logistics chains and ISO 14001 environmental management system certification for the port, and establish air quality monitoring systems.
In the long term, we aim to foster the use of new technologies to eliminate carbon emissions and enhance fuel savings, as well as utilise clean fuels – predominantly liquid natural gas and hydrogen – to ensure a cleaner energy mix for marine transport.
Which initiatives are driving the digitalisation of Djibouti’s ports and free zones?
HADI: Strengthening Djibouti’s smart port architecture is critical to building a modern transport and logistics hub. Key to this goal is the Djibouti Port Community System (DPCS), a subsidiary of the DPFZA, which leverages digital technology to optimise processes and enhance transparency at our ports and free zones. The DPCS was launched in 2018 and consolidated under its purview the systems of all port, Customs and government agencies under one platform, creating a single window for efficient and timely cargo flows.
Strategic investment in transport and logistics infrastructure has been made to ensure transparency and visibility through enhanced tracking mechanisms. The integration of the Djibouti Port Corridor Road (DPCR) systems, for example, enables the customer to track their cargo to Ethiopia by scanning the QR Code of the DPCR ticket along the corridor. This tracking functionality, combined with data analysis, allows key stakeholders to examine delays in real time, improve services, reduce costs and verify cross-border trucks.
In what ways is digitalisation improving efficiency?
HADI: The deployment of a suite of digital services including electronic berth requests, vessel clearance e-certificates, and integrated online payments for Customs clearance and freight forwarding services has helped to improve efficiency. Digital services are further bolstered by integration with the wider ports and intermodal community to establish a single submission platform to minimise errors by eliminating the use of different systems. The digitalisation initiative has reduced delays and costs, with existing customers saving four to five hours and up to $650 on each consignment. Additionally, by lowering nine manual processes to five, documentation can be finalised within an hour. The main challenge of implementing a port community system is gaining and maintaining stakeholder buy-in.
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