Bush backs transfer of U.S. ports to Dubai firm

WASHINGTON – Brushing aside objections from Republicans and Democrats alike, President Bush endorsed the takeover of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports by a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates. He pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement.

The president on Tuesday defended his administration’s earlier approval of the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to Dubai Ports World, despite concerns in Congress it could increase the possibility of terrorism at American ports.

The pending sale — expected to be finalized in early March — puts Dubai Ports in charge of major shipping operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. “If there was any chance that this transaction would jeopardize the security of the United States, it would not go forward,” Bush said.

“It sends a terrible signal to friends around the world that it’s OK for a company from one country to manage the port, but not a country that plays by the rules and has got a good track record from another part of the world,” Bush said.

Assurances on security
To assuage concerns, the administration disclosed some assurances it had negotiated with Dubai Ports. It required mandatory participation in U.S. security programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials; roughly 33 other port companies participate in these voluntarily. The Coast Guard also said Tuesday it was nearly finished inspecting Dubai Ports’ facilities in the United States.

A senior Homeland Security official, Stewart Baker, said this was the first-ever sale involving U.S. port operations to a state-owned company. “In that sense this is a new layer of controls,” he said. Baker added that U.S. intelligence agencies were consulted “very early on to actually look at vulnerabilities and threats.”

Bush sought to quiet a political storm that has united Republican governors and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee with liberal Democrats, including New Jersey governor Jon Corzine, and New York’s two Democratic senators, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer.

Frist has ‘serious questions’
Frist said Tuesday, before Bush’s comments, that he would introduce legislation to put the sale on hold if the White House did not delay the takeover. He said the deal raised “serious questions regarding the safety and security of our homeland.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., asked the president for a moratorium on the sale until it could be studied further. “We must not allow the possibility of compromising our national security due to lack of review or oversight by the federal government,” Hastert said.

 

Ports company will delay takeover

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Dubai Ports World has agreed to postpone its plans to take over management of six U.S. ports after the proposal ignited harsh bipartisan criticism on Capitol Hill.

“We need to understand the concerns of the people in the U.S. who are worried about this transaction and make sure they are addressed to the benefit of all parties,” said Ted Bilkey, the company’s chief operating officer, in a statement released Thursday night.

According to the statement, DP World will delay taking over management of the U.S. ports “while it engages in further consultations with the Bush administration and, as appropriate, congressional leadership and relevant port authorities to address concerns over future security arrangements.”

The announcement came on the heels of comments from the second in command at the Pentagon, who said Thursday that people who publicly oppose allowing a Middle Eastern company to take over management of some U.S. ports could be threatening national security.

Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the Senate Armed Services Committee that blocking the deal could ostracize one of the United States’ few Arab allies.

“The terrorists want our nation to become distrustful,” England said. “They want us to become paranoid and isolationist, and my view is we cannot allow this to happen. It needs to be just the opposite.” (Watch: Can the UAE be trusted?)

England joined several administration officials in defending their approval of a deal in which DP World, which is controlled by the government of the United Arab Emirates, would take over British-based P&O. The transaction reportedly is worth $6.8 billion.

Bipartisan opposition to the deal has been strong, with House and Senate leaders threatening to intervene.

Critics of the deal say they oppose putting management of the ports in the hands of a foreign-government-controlled company, especially a government that has had questionable links to terrorists in the past.

The White House said Thursday that President Bush might accept delaying the deal if it would appease Congress, but that an earlier promise to veto any legislation stalling the deal stands.

The merger — which involves ports in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and Louisiana — is scheduled to be completed March 2. (Where are the ports?)

Bush has vehemently defended the deal. But Thursday his top aide, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, told Fox News Radio that it also was important that Congress be comfortable with the merger before it’s made final.

“What is important is that members of Congress have the time to get fully briefed on this,” Rove said. “They’re going to be coming back next week. We intend to work closely with them in order to give them a comfort level on this.”

Rove also said the sale is far from complete.

“There are some hurdles, regulatory hurdles, that this still needs to go through on the British side as well that are going to be concluded next week. There’s no requirement that it close, you know, immediately after that,” he said.

The merger was given the OK by an administration panel called the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States.

The committee is led by the Treasury Department but includes representatives of the State, Defense and Commerce departments, England told the committee, adding that intelligence agencies and the Homeland Security and Transportation departments also contributed to the review. (Watch how foreign investment in other industries also raises security concerns — 1:56)

Also Thursday, Bush reiterated that the deal poses no security risk.

“This deal wouldn’t go forward if we were concerned about the security for the United States of America,” he told reporters during a Cabinet meeting.

Administration officials have repeatedly said that though DP World would manage the ports, the company would not handle security. U.S. agencies such as the Coast Guard and the Customs and Border Protection service will be in charge of that, as they are at all other ports, Bush said.

The Department of Homeland Security has released a letter saying DP World will maintain current security arrangements, keep as many U.S. managers in place as possible and take all steps to assist American law enforcement. (Watch what some longshoremen have to say about the deal — 2:11)

DP World COO Bilkey added that U.S. authorities have been given the “sovereign right” to inspect all containers before they’re loaded onto ships.

“Security now in our business is a marketing tool,” he said. “The shipping companies want to know that you run a secure operation.”

The deal raises red flags for some critics because some of the money that funded the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington was funneled through Dubai, which is a major Persian Gulf banking center, and two of the hijackers were from the UAE.

Dubai also was a midway point for the illegal sale of nuclear technology to North Korea, Iran and Libya by Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan, and the UAE was one of three countries that recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate rulers.

However, the UAE also is a key U.S. ally in the region, a frequent stop for U.S. warships and aircraft, and a supply depot for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Robert Joseph, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said the UAE cut its ties to terrorists after September 11 and decided to “deepen and strengthen their relationship with the United States and to join us in fighting the war on terror.”

Still, that has not been enough to douse the firestorm of criticism on Capitol Hill.

Republican leaders in both the House and Senate have demanded that Bush delay the deal so it can be scrutinized, and Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, accused the White House of taking “a casual approach” to its review.

Levin also said the president’s threat to veto legislation that would interfere with the deal demonstrates that the White House is “out of touch” with the public’s concerns.

“It also demonstrates presidential disdain for outside views in general and congressional views in particular,” Levin said.

Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, who is backing legislation to force a 45-day review of the deal, concurred with her colleague and questioned whether the committee on foreign investments considered security concerns when it approved the takeover.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt defended the committee’s process, its deliberation and its consideration of all aspects of the merger, including security concerns.

“They were raised. They were resolved. We moved on,” he said.

Congress’ skepticism over the deal has elicited cries of bigotry.

“If it was an African country or a European country or an Asian country, it would not have been subjected to this kind of scrutiny,” said Abdel Khaleq Abdullah, a political science professor at United Arab Emirates University. “But since this is just purely an Arab country, I think it just stopped some of the lawmakers who are making a big deal out of a purely legitimate business transaction.”

At his Cabinet meeting Thursday, Bush also questioned whether a double standard was being applied to DP World and said it was “interesting” that there was no outcry about a British company managing the ports. (Watch Bush attempt to shoot down the deal’s naysayers — 2:27)

“It’s really important that we not send mixed messages to allies,” he said.

Foreign-owned companies operate many ports in the United States. For example, companies from China, Denmark, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan run docks in Los Angeles, California.

Fact Sheet: Securing U.S. Ports

The Administration has dramatically strengthened port security since 9/11.

• Funding has increased by more than 700% since September 11, 2001.
• Funding for port security was approximately $259 million in FY 2001.
• DHS spent approximately $1.6 billion on port security in FY 2005.

Following 9/11, the federal government has implemented a multi-layered defense strategy to keep our ports safe and secure. New technologies have been deployed with additional technologies being developed and $630 million has been provided in grants to our largest ports, including $16.2 million to Baltimore; $32.7 million to Miami; $27.4 million to New Orleans, $43.7 million to New York/New Jersey; and $15.8 million to Philadelphia.

Who Secures The Ports:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): CBP’s mission is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States by eliminating potential threats before they arrive at our borders and ports.

CBP uses intelligence and a risk-based strategy to screen information on 100% of cargo before it is loaded onto vessels destined for the United States. All cargo that is identified as high risk is inspected, either at the foreign port or upon arrival into the U.S.

Coast Guard: The Coast Guard routinely inspects and assesses the security of U.S. ports in accordance with the Maritime Transportation and Security Act and the Ports and Waterways Security Act. Every regulated U.S. port facility is required to establish and implement a comprehensive security plan that outlines procedures for controlling access to the facility, verifying credentials of port workers, inspecting cargo for tampering, designating security responsibilities, training, and reporting of all breaches of security or suspicious activity, among other security measures. Working closely with local port authorities and law enforcement agencies, the Coast Guard regularly reviews, approves, assesses and inspects these plans and facilities to ensure compliance.

Terminal Operator: Whether a person or a corporation, the terminal operator is responsible for operating its particular terminal within the port. The terminal operator is responsible for the area within the port that serves as a loading, unloading, or transfer point for the cargo. This includes storage and repair facilities and management offices. The cranes they use may be their own, or they may lease them from the port authority.

Port Authority: An entity of a local, state or national government that owns, manages and maintains the physical infrastructure of a port (seaport, airport or bus terminal) to include wharf, docks, piers, transit sheds, loading equipment and warehouses.

Ports often provide additional security for their facilities.

The role of the Port Authority is to facilitate and expand the movement of cargo through the port, provide facilities and services that are competitive, safe and commercially viable. The Port manages marine navigation and safety issues within port boundaries and develops marine-related businesses on the lands that it owns or manages.

A Layered Defense:

Screening and Inspection: CBP screens 100% of all cargo before it arrives in the U.S.- using intelligence and cutting edge technologies. CBP inspects all high-risk cargo.

CSI (Container Security Initiative):  Enables CBP, in working with host government Customs Services, to examine high-risk maritime containerized cargo at foreign seaports, before they are loaded on board vessels destined for the United States. In addition to the current 42 foreign ports participating in CSI, many more ports are in the planning stages. By the end of 2006, the number is expected to grow to 50 ports, covering 90% of transpacific maritime containerized cargo shipped to the U.S.

24-Hour Rule: Under this requirement, manifest information must be provided 24 hours prior to the sea container being loaded onto the vessel in the foreign port. CBP may deny the loading of high-risk cargo while the vessel is still overseas.

C-TPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism): CBP created a public-private and international partnership with nearly 5,800 businesses (over 10,000 have applied) including most of the largest U.S. importers — the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). C-TPAT, CBP and partner companies are working together to improve baseline security standards for supply chain and container security. (We review the security practices of not only the company shipping the goods, but also the companies that provided them with any services.)

Use of Cutting-Edge Technology: CBP is currently utilizing large-scale X-ray and gamma ray machines and radiation detection devices to screen cargo. Presently, CBP operates over 680 radiation portal monitors at our nation’s ports (including 181 radiation portal monitors at seaports), utilizes over 170 large scale non-intrusive inspection devices to examine cargo, and has issued 12,400 hand-held radiation detection devices.  The President’s FY 2007 budget requests $157 million to secure next-generation detection equipment at our ports of entry.  Also, over 600 canine detection teams, who are capable of identifying narcotics, bulk currency, human beings, explosives, agricultural pests, and chemical weapons are deployed at our ports of entry.

UAE/Dubai Ports World Acquisition

DP World will not, nor will any other terminal operator, control, operate or manage any United States port. DP World will only operate and manage specific, individual terminals located within six ports.

• The recent business transaction taken by DP World, a United Arab Emirates based company, to acquire British company Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) does not change the operations or security of keeping our nation’s ports safe. The people working on the docks also will not change as a result of this transaction.
• This transaction is not an issue of controlling United States’ ports. It is an issue of operating some terminals within U.S. ports.
• DP World will operate at the following terminals within the six United States’ ports currently operated by the United Kingdom company, P & O:
  o Baltimore – 2 of 14 total
  o Philadelphia – 1 of 5 (does not include the 1 cruise vessel terminal)
  o Miami – 1 of 3 (does not include the 7 cruise vessel terminals)
  o New Orleans – 2 of 5 (does not include the numerous chemical plant terminals up and down the Mississippi River, up to Baton Rouge)
  o Houston – 4 of 12 (P&O work alongside other stevedoring* contractors at the terminals)
  o Newark/Elizabeth – 1 of 4
  o (Note:  also in Norfolk – Involved with stevedoring activities at all 5 terminals, but not managing a specific terminal.)
  *Stevedoring – provides labor, carries physical loading and unloading of cargo.

• P&O and DP World made a commitment to comply with current security programs, regulations and partnerships to which P&O currently subscribes, including:
  o The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT);
  o The Container Security Initiative (CSI);
  o The Business Alliance on Smuggling and Counterfeiting (BASC); and,
  o The Megaports Initiative MOU with the Department of Energy.

• All P&O security arrangements will remain intact, including cargo security cooperation with CBP, compliance with USCG regulations (ISPS and MTSA) regarding port facilities/terminals, and foreign terminal operations within CSI ports.

• Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Container Security Initiative (March 2005). As a result, CBP officer are working closely with Dubai Customs to screen containers destined for the U.S. Cooperation with Dubai officials has been outstanding and a model for other operation within CSI ports.

U.S. Recommended Standards for Container Security Initiative (CSI)

The Container Security Initiative consists of four core elements. These are: (1) establishing security criteria to identify high-risk containers; (2) pre-screening those containers identified as high-risk before they arrive at U.S. ports; (3) using technology to quickly pre-screen high-risk containers; and (4) developing and using smart and secure containers.

In order to be eligible to participate in CSI, the Member State’s Customs Administration and the seaport must meet the following three requirements:

1. The Customs Administration must be able to inspect cargo originating, transiting, exiting, or being transshipped through a country.
2. Non-intrusive inspectional (NII) equipment (including gamma or X-ray imaging capabilities) and radiation detection equipment must be available and utilized for conducting such inspections. This equipment is necessary in order to meet the objective of quickly screening containers without disrupting the flow of legitimate trade.
3. The seaport must have regular, direct, and substantial container traffic to ports in the United States.

   As part of agreeing to participate in CSI, a Member State’s Customs Administration and the seaport must also:

4. Commit to establishing a risk management system to identify potentially high-risk containers, and automating that system. This system should include a mechanism for validating threat assessments and targeting decisions and identifying best practices.
5. Commit to sharing critical data, intelligence, and risk management information with the United States Customs Service in order to do collaborative targeting, and developing an automated mechanism for these exchanges.
6. Conduct a thorough port assessment to ascertain vulnerable links in a port’s infrastructure and commit to resolving those vulnerabilities.
7. Commit to maintaining integrity programs to prevent lapses in employee integrity and to identify and combat breaches in integrity.

DP World: Myth Vs. Fact

MYTH: The Bush Administration is outsourcing the security of our ports to a

company owned by the Government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

FACT: The United States government is in charge of U.S. port security. We will never outsource the security of our ports. The U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection are in charge of security of our ports.

MYTH: UAE is a haven for terrorists and allowing a UAE-owned company to control our ports will endanger our national security.

FACT: UAE is a friend and ally of the United States, a partner in the Global War on Terror, and a strong partner in global port security. Partners like the UAE are siding with the international community in the fight against terror. The UAE has been very helpful in the fight against terrorism, especially intelligence sharing and cutting off terrorist financing. The UAE has worked with us to stop terrorist financing and money laundering, including by freezing accounts, enacting aggressive anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing laws and regulations, and exchanging information on people and entities suspected of being involved in these activities. The UAE has a world class carrier port, and we have more U.S. Navy ships in UAE ports than in any other port outside the United States. The UAE services our ships while in port, refueling them, providing them with food and water, and doing small repairs, among other services. Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Container Security Initiative – a multinational program to protect global trade from terrorism.

• General Peter Pace, Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs of Staff: “[T]he military-to-military relationship with the United Arab Emirates is superb. … They’ve got airfields that they allow us to use, and their airspace, their logistics support. They’ve got a world-class air-to-air training facility that they let us use and cooperate with them in the training of our pilots. In everything that we have asked and work with them on, they have proven to be very, very solid partners.” (U.S. Department Of Defense, Press Briefing, 2/21/06)
• General Tommy Franks, Former CENTCOM Commander: “I personally believe that we have had no greater ally in seeking a resolution of problems in the Middle East, the Palestinian issue, the Israeli issue, than we have found in the United Arab Emirates.” (Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes,” 2/22/06)

MYTH: This transaction will make it easier for terrorists to infiltrate America’s ports.

FACT: America’s ports will be just as secure after the DP World transaction as they were before. First, the workers unloading cargo at the Nation’s ports will remain the same ones working today. Any management or other personnel from outside the country will still have to go through the normal visa application process, which includes a very rigorous vetting process that not only does systems checks, but also other background and fingerprint checks. Once in the United States, visa recipients are put through another set of checks to make sure no critical information has changed since the visa was issued. The visa process has been strengthened and improved by the Federal government since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

MYTH: Because DP World is a state-owned firm, a foreign country will own the ports of six major U.S. cities.

FACT: The ports will remain under the ownership and control of state and local authorities, not DP World. As a port operator, not owner, DP World will manage the physical equipment and movement of containers on and off of ships, not the security related to the shipped containers, which is the responsibility of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As a result of the transaction, DP World will own and operate terminals at some U.S. ports, which means they will be responsible for physically operating the cranes that move cargo. Ports are publicly owned facilities, typically by State or local authorities. Like all port operators, foreign or domestic-owned, DP World will have to comply with Coast Guard and Customs security regulations. In addition to meeting all these standards, DP World has committed to additional security measures requested by the Department of Homeland Security and signed a letter of assurances making commitments to meet and maintain stringent security standards for the port terminals that they will operate in the United States.

MYTH: No foreign-state-owned firms operate terminals in U.S. ports.

FACT: Several terminal operating companies at U.S. ports are joint ventures or are owned by foreign-state-owned firms. The China Overseas Shipping Company (COSCO), a state-owned firm, has a joint operating agreement with a U.S. stevedoring company at Long Beach, California. Eagle Marine Services – which operates terminals in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Oakland – is owned in part by the government of Singapore. The Yang Ming Marine Transport Company – which operates terminals at Tacoma and Los Angeles – is owned, in part, by the Taiwanese.

MYTH: The CFIUS review process was merely a rubber stamp.

FACT: The CFIUS review process was a rigorous and thorough analysis of the national security implications of the transaction. Well before the transaction was publicly announced, both DP World and Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), a British private company, contacted the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) on October 17, 2005, and notified the Committee that they intended to file for a national security review. In reviewing a foreign transaction, CFIUS brings together 12 Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice to consider transactions from a variety of perspectives and identify and analyze all national security issues. Each Federal agency conducts its own internal analysis, and in this case, the Departments of Transportation and Energy were also brought in to review the process.

On November 2, an intelligence assessment was requested and a little more than 30 days later, the intelligence community concluded that DP World’s transaction does not pose a threat to the U.S. national security. This assessment was completed before CFIUS’s official review began.

On December 16, the companies made their official filing with CFIUS that began the 30-day review process. During this 30-day period, the Department of Homeland Security negotiated an assurances letter with the companies. Roughly 90 days after first being approached about the transaction and 75 days after thorough review of the transaction began, the CFIUS members decided not to oppose the transaction, and the review closed on January 17. As with any CFIUS decision not to pursue further investigation, the decision was made by consensus. The review process requires any agency that sees a potential credible threat to the national security to raise those concerns.

MYTH: The Administration is ignoring the law.

FACT: Just as was the case under the first Bush and Clinton administrations, the CFIUS process has required a Federal agency to register a security concern before a further investigation can be launched. When there is a consensus of CFIUS members, the transaction does not proceed to an extended investigation. A Committee consensus means that no member saw any national security threat, or there were no unresolved national security concerns to prevent the transaction from going forward.

MYTH: This transaction is only now being made public.

FACT: DP World announced its intent to purchase P&O on November 29, 2005. Even before the official announcement, the press was reporting on the possible transaction as early as October 30. Between October 2005 and January 2006, there were at least 162 mentions of the transaction in the press.

The United States–UAE Bilateral Relationship

“But I also want to repeat something again, and that is, this is a company that has played by the rules, that has been cooperative with the United States, a country that’s an ally in the War on Terror, and it would send a terrible signal to friends and allies not to let this transaction go through.”

- President Bush, 2/21/06

“[T]he military-to-military relationship with the United Arab Emirates is superb. … They’ve got airfields that they allow us to use, and their airspace, their logistics support. They’ve got a world-class air-to-air training facility that they let us use and cooperate with them in the training of our pilots. In everything that we have asked and work with them on, they have proven to be very, very solid partners.”

- General Peter Pace, Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff, 2/21/06

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Is A Longstanding Friend And Ally Of The United States. The United States and UAE have a longstanding alliance. The UAE is a key partner of the United States in the War on Terror, helping to advance Middle East peace efforts. The UAE is also a vibrant trading partner and has provided critical support in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The UAE Is A Key Partner In The War On Terror. The UAE provides U.S. and Coalition forces unprecedented access to its ports and territory, overflight clearances, and other critical and important logistical assistance. Today, the UAE is providing assistance to the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, combating terrorists by cutting off their financing, and enhancing America’s homeland security by actively participating in initiatives to screen shipments and containers.

• UAE Ports Host More U.S. Navy Ships Than Any Port Outside The United States. The UAE provides outstanding support for the U.S. Navy at the ports of Jebel Ali – which is managed by DP World – and Fujairah and for the U.S. Air Force at al Dhafra Air Base (tankers and surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft). The UAE also hosts the UAE Air Warfare Center, the leading fighter training center in the Middle East.
• The UAE Is A Partner In Shutting Down Terror Finance Networks. The UAE has worked with us to stop terrorist financing and money laundering, including by freezing accounts, enacting aggressive anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations, and exchanging information on people and entities suspected of being involved in these activities.
• The UAE Is An Established Partner In Protecting America’s Ports. Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Container Security Initiative (CSI) – a multinational program to protect global trade from terrorism. Under CSI, a team of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers is permanently stationed inside Dubai’s ports, where they work closely with Dubai Customs to screen containers destined for the United States. Cooperation with Dubai officials has been outstanding and a model for other operations. Dubai was also the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Department of Energy’s Megaports Initiative, a program aimed at stopping illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material.
• The UAE Is A Critical Partner In Afghanistan. The UAE extends vital military and political support to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and substantial financial and humanitarian support to Afghanistan and its people.
• The UAE Is Supporting The New Iraqi Government. The UAE has provided significant monetary and materiel support to the Iraqi government, including a pledge of $215 million in economic and reconstruction assistance.

The UAE Is Supporting Middle East Peace Efforts. The UAE is a moderate Arab state and a long-time supporter of all aspects of Middle East peace efforts. The U.S. and the UAE are also working together to create a stable economic, political and security environment in the Middle East.

The UAE Provided $100 Million To Help The Victims Of Hurricane Katrina. The UAE was one of the first nations to offer financial aid to the U.S. after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. UAE’s $100 million donation was one of the largest by any nation.

The CFIUS Process And The DP World Transaction

“If there was any chance that this transaction would jeopardize the security of the United States, it would not go forward. The company has been cooperative with the United States government. The company will not manage port security. The security of our ports will continue to be managed by the Coast Guard and Customs. The company is from a country that has been cooperative in the war on terror, been an ally in the war on terror. The company operates ports in different countries around the world, ports from which cargo has been sent to the United States on a regular basis.”

- President George W. Bush, February 21, 2006

President Bush Strongly Supports The Decision To Move Forward With The DP World Transaction

The Administration, As Required By Law, Has Reviewed The Transaction To Make Certain That It Does Not In Any Way Jeopardize National Security. Under the process conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), officials carefully reviewed the national security issues raised by the transaction and its effect on our national security. Twelve Federal agencies and the government’s counterterrorism experts closely and carefully reviewed the transaction to make certain it posed no threat to national security.

DP World Has Provided Strong Security Assurances To The United States. DP World has signed a letter of assurances making commitments to meet and maintain security standards for the port terminals that they will own and operate in the United States. There are a number of safeguards that are in place in the agreement, and the American people should feel confident that the transaction will in no way harm the security of the Nation’s ports.

DP World’s Bid For The London-Based Peninsular And Oriental (P&O) Steam Navigation Company Was Announced Last Fall. DP World, a UAE-based commercial entity, is purchasing the U.S. subsidiary of the London-based P&O Steam Navigation Company. The announcement of DP World’s bid for P&O was made in November 2005, and the news was widely reported in the press and international financial trade publications. The formal CFIUS process was set into motion in December, and the Federal government conducted a thorough review to ensure that port security would in no way be compromised by the deal.

The Administration Has Taken A Principled Position Based On The Security Of Our Nation And Careful Review Of The Transaction. The President has made clear that he stands firmly behind the decision to allow the DP World transaction to move forward. Preventing this transaction by a reputable company to go forward after careful review would send a terrible signal to friends and allies that investments in the United States from certain parts of the world are not welcome.

The Port Security Of the United States Is The Administration’s First And Foremost Concern

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Is Always In Charge Of The Nation’s Port Security, Not The Private Company That Operates Facilities Within The Ports. Nothing will change with this transaction. DHS, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other Federal agencies, sets the standards for port security and ensures that all port facility owners and operators comply with these standards.

The Transaction Is Not About Port Security Or Even Port Ownership, But Only About Operations In Port. DP World will not manage port security, nor will it own any ports. DP World would take on the functions now performed by the British firm P&O – basically the off- and on-loading of cargo. Employees will still have to be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. No private company currently manages any U.S. port. Rather, private companies such as P&O and DP World simply manage and operate individual terminals within ports.

Background On The CFIUS Process

The CFIUS Process Was Rigorously Followed, And CFIUS Agencies Carefully Reviewed The Transaction. Ensuring the protection of our national security is the top priority of all members of CFIUS. In reviewing a foreign transaction, CFIUS brings together 12 Federal agencies with diverse expertise to consider transactions from a variety of perspectives and identify and analyze all national security issues.

• The Department of the Treasury, which chairs CFIUS, receives notices of transactions, serves as the contact point for the private sector, establishes a calendar for review of each transaction, and coordinates the interagency process.
• During the initial 30-day review, each CFIUS member agency conducts its own internal analysis of the national security implications of the transaction under review. CFIUS also consults with the intelligence community. In this case, the Departments of Transportation and Energy were also brought in to widen the scope and add to the expertise of the CFIUS agencies involved in the review process.
• All CFIUS decisions are made by consensus of the entire committee. The review process allows any agency that sees a potential credible threat to the national security to raise those concerns.
• In the course of the review of this transaction, DHS reached an agreement with DP World to mitigate security concerns.

  DP World Has Played By The Rules, Has Cooperated With The United States, And Is From A Country That Is A Close Ally In the War on Terror. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been a solid partner in the War on Terror. The UAE has been extremely cooperative on counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation and has provided considerable support to U.S. forces in the Gulf and to the governments and people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

• The UAE Is A Partner In Shutting Down Terror Finance Networks. The UAE has worked with us to stop terrorist financing and money laundering, including by freezing accounts, enacting aggressive anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations, and exchanging information on people and entities suspected of being involved in those actions.
• The UAE Is An Established Partner In Protecting America’s Ports. Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Container Security Initiative (CSI) – a multinational program to protect global trade from terrorism. Dubai was also the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Department of Energy’s Megaports Initiative, a program aimed at stopping illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material.

  Port Security Begins Abroad. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) created the CSI to enable CBP to inspect 100% of high-risk containers at foreign seaports before they are loaded onboard vessels destined for the United States. Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join CSI. Cooperation with Dubai has been outstanding and a model for other operations.

• DP World currently manages 19 container terminals and has operations in 14 countries. The United States government has a strong working relationship with DP World.

Dubai Ports Group offers over $120mn for Djen Djen Port

Negotiations are still underway between Dubai Port Group and Algerian authorities to snatch a share in Djen Djen container terminal (Jijel Wilaya) for investments there, well informed sources told El Khabar. The Emirate Company has expressed its readiness to invest 120 to $150bn to modernize the sea port and bring in new equipment while negotiations meant to allow the Emirate company to engage a partnership to manage Algiers container terminal came up to an advanced stage.

Dubai Ports World to Build Chinese Port

BEIJING – Dubai Ports World has received approval to build a container port in China, a news report said Friday, a year after the United Arab Emirates company’s planned purchase of U.S. port operations caused a political uproar.

DP World is to invest 3.5 billion yuan ($450 million) in the facility in Qingdao on China’s northeastern coast, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing a city government spokesman.

The terminal was scheduled to begin operating in 2008 or 2009, the report said.

DP World is one of the world’s largest port operators, with terminals in 24 countries.

It dropped a plan last year to buy operations at six U.S. ports after critics said it might endanger American security. They cited the UAE’s history, noting that money to finance the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks moved through its banking system and the government’s past support of Afghanistan’s Taliban government before the attacks.

Source 

Chinese have ownership in U.S. cargo monitors

A Chinese company with close ties to the communist government owns 49 percent of the Lockheed Martin subsidiary that is negotiating a contract with the North American SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. – the Dallas-based trade association – to place cargo monitoring sensors along as superhighway stretching from Mexico to Canada. China’s Hutchinson Port Holdings entered into a $50 million joint venture in 2005 with Savi Technology, a Lockheed Martin wholly-owned subsidiary, to form a new company called Savi Networks LLC. Savi Technology owns 51 percent and Hutchinson Port Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chinese holding company Hutchinson Whampoa Limited, holds the rest.

Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Leslie Holoweiko confirmed to WND that Savi Networks LLC is the company named in the contract currently being negotiated with NASCO to provide cargo sensors all along the NASCO I-35 super-corridor. If successfully negotiated, the contract would appear to give Hutchinson Holdings operational involvement all along the emerging I-35 NAFTA superhighway. Hutchinson Holdings also operates the port at L�zaro C�rdenas, Mexico.

Hutchinson, Whampoa, Ltd. is the holding company of billionaire Li Ka-shing, a well-known businessman, whose companies make up 15 percent of the market capitalization of the Hong Kong Stock Market. According to the Washington, D.C., government watchdog Judicial Watch, a declassified U.S. government intelligence report that Judicial Watch obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request indicates Li is “directly connected to Beijing and is willing to use his business influence to further the aims of the Chinese Government.”

A Judicial Watch complaint filed in 2002 at the time HWL was purchasing the then-bankrupt Global Crossing, notes Li Ka-Shing’s holdings includes ports, telecom and energy assets around the world. Hutchinson Ports was forced to drop a bid to purchase Global Crossing when the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States refused to approve the transaction on national security grounds.

Savi Networks LLC operates RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) equipment and software to track and manage containerized ocean-going cargo. According to the company, the goal of Savi Networks LLC is to install “active RFID equipment and software in participating ports around the world to provide users with information on the identity, location and status of their ocean cargo containers as they pass through such ports.”

Conceivably, the Savi-installed RFID software would permit NASCO to track containers from the time they leave ports in China and the Far East to when they enter North America at Mexican ports such as L�zaro C�rdenas.

Data on the cargo could be read then by any sensor-reading station the Savi-NASCO project placed anywhere along what NASCO calls the North American SuperCorridor, generally identified by NASCO as incorporating Interstates 35, 29 and 94.

NASCO and Savi Networks LLC plan to put Savi sensor reading stations all the way north, to destinations in Canada such as Winnipeg.

The Savi technology includes an architecture designed to accommodate Automatic Identification Data Collection (AIDC) technologies, such as is used in barcodes, RFID technologies and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that can track container ships on the ocean or the containers as they travel on land by truck or train.

The NASCO plan to use cargo tracking technology is consistent with the plans announced by the working groups in the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or SPP, to rely primarily on technology, instead of in-person inspection, to track and monitor containers entering the U.S.

As disclosed in the “2005 Report to Leaders” on the SPP website, FAST lanes and SENTRI software will be used extensively to “streamline the secure movement of low-risk traffic across our shared borders” with Mexico and Canada.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership was declared by President Bush, Mexico’s President Fox and then-Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada at their summit meeting in Waco, Texas, March 23, 2005.

Global Crossing was noted for turning Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe’s $100,000 investment into an $18 million personal fortune. The company’s bold move to control the U.S. international fiber-optics network, however, ending in a corrupt, corporate meltdown that preceded the Enron debacle.

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Source: Net Daily

Chinese Ownership of Mexican Port Causing Worry

Chinese control of worldwide port facilities is an issue that should be reexamined in light of recent concerns about rising Chinese influence around the globe.  The Chinese company Hutchison Whampoa, owned by Chinese billionaire Li Ka Shing, controls 35 major ports in the world, including the four most important ports in Mexico. 

 

Hutchison is about to build a brand new port at Punta Colonet, a Baja California cove located just two hours south of the US border.  In the event of a conflict with China, a Chinese built and controlled port so close to the US could potentially function as a staging area for hostile activities.  Also, the US should keep an eye on Huchison’s remarkably friendly relationship with the Mexican government.

 

Hutchison Ports Holding, part of the Hutchison Whampoa group, runs 35 ports including the Bahamas, Buenos Aires, and two in the Panama Canal. And again, it is owned by Li Ka Shing, China’s most influential billionaire who is known as “The Superman of the Orient.” In 2003 Forbes magazine ranked him fifth among the world’s ten “most powerful” billionaires, behind Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Silvio Berlusconi and Rupert Murdoch.

 

A 1998 declassified Army intelligence report stated “Li Ka-shing, the owner of Hutchison Whampoa [Limited] … is directly connected to Beijing and is willing to use his business influence to further the aims of the Chinese government.” 

 

During the public debate over the Panama Canal turnover in 1999, several members of Congress expressed concern about Hutchison’s control of ports on both sides of the Canal.  The critics argued that Hutchison’s involvement essentially meant that control of the strategic waterway was being handed over to the communist Chinese government.

 

Admiral Thomas Moorer told The New American magazine that “The Chinese penetration of Panama has been effected primarily through an entity known as the Panama Ports Company, a front corporation for Hutchison-Whampoa Limited, a Communist Chinese-controlled company owned by Hong Kong billionaire Dr. Li Ka-shing. Dr. Li’s business empire has long been intertwined with enterprises that front for the Communist military and intelligence arms of the People’s Republic of China. Ten percent of his Panama Ports Company is owned by China Resources, the commercial arm of China’s Ministry of Trade and Economic Cooperation.” 

 

If Hutchison Whampoa is connected to the Chinese government, the US should take notice of this company’s plans to build a new port in Baja California.  The new port would be located two hours south of the US border, at a remote location called Punta Colonet.

 

The area is desolate, totally empty, far from populated areas, and prying eyes could easily be kept out.  All infrastructure, railways, roads and port facilities would need to be constructed from the ground up.  During construction, it would be reasonable to cordon off the construction area and keep people out for security reasons.

 

The Chinese could quietly erect “special” installations disguised as something else, unnoticed amongst the massive construction project.  Then Chinese ships could unload cargo items directly into the dual-purpose installations, or send presents to the US via the connected railway.  Viola! A Chinese military base 200 miles from the United States.

 

The ability to pull off such a maneuver would require enormous political clout in Mexico, which Hutchison already has.  Tijuana politician Jaime Martinez Veloz has alleged that Hutchison has a track record of power mongering and insider maneuvering in Mexico.

 

Martinez said that Hutchison obtained the concession to operate the Lazaro Cardenas port using a method that Martinez described as “a vile swamp of transnational, governmental and business corruption.”  He added, “the favoritism and partiality of the Mexican port authorities towards the oriental consortium Hutchison has ‘inexplicable’ reasons, but one day they will be known.”

 

Martinez also mentioned that Hutchison’s owner, Li Ka Shing, might have a track record of making enormous donations to political parties in various countries.

 

Former Baja California governor Ernesto Ruffo is now functioning as Li Ka Shing’s Mexican front man, promoting the port in conjunction with rich local partners.  The permits for the project are not in place, and there are pending lawsuits, but the Chinese victory already looks like a done deal.

 

Anyone concerned about a possible conflict with China should take a close look at the plans for the new Punta Colonet port, since the project could provide a bit more than what was bargained for.

SOURCE: Mexidata 

COSCO

China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) the national flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China, is one of the world’s premier full service intermodal carriers.  The company utilizes a vast network of ocean vessels, barges, railroad and motor carriers to link the international shipper with the consignee. Founded in 1961, COSCO has consistently been the world’s fastest growing shipping company over the past decade and is now one of the largest container operators in the world.  The company’s core international shipping business is divided between Chinese imports/exports and cross trade cargos.

Additional services offered include shipping agency services, freight forwarding, terminals and warehousing, intermodal services, insurance, real estate, as well as ship repair and manning.

Cosco Container Lines, headquartered in Shanghai.  COSCON’s operations are managed by regional offices in New York, Hamburg, Sydney, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Dubai, Johannesburg and Beijing.  85 representative offices are maintained in 49 countries around the world, while operational agencies are located in 1000 cities in 160 countries.

Bigger Faster Ships  COSCO continues to make major investments in its equipment.  New, larger ships have greatly increased COSCO’s capabilities.

Included is the addition of five 5,250 TEU vessels with expanded refrigerated capacity for 1,000 plugs per vessel.  Currently the company owns and operates a fleet of more than 117 container ships for a total capacity of 256,171 TEU.  Capacityo n owned and leased containers total nearly 535,000 TEU.  Included in this total are 191,687 – 40 foot containers and 22,862 temperature controlled units.  Cargo handling capabilities include 20 ft. and 40 ft. dry containers, refrigerated containers, flat-racks, open tops, high cube and other specialized equipment.

Quicker, More Efficient Shipping Than Any Other Carrier In addition to the improvements in equipment, recent scheduling additions and revisions have resulted in significantly faster transit times for COSCO’s customers… as much as 10% faster than just a year ago.  COSCO’s 20 Main Line Services connect over 1000 ports worldwide to reach more direct ports of call tha any other carrier in the world.  COSCO’s knowledge of China is unmatched by any other carrier.  In particular, COSCO offers invaluable expertise of the rail, truck and feeder services.  Especially important for shipments that are bound for or being shipped from the nation’s interior.

Backed by the company’s outstanding track record, COSCO remains committed to outstanding service and dynamic, consistent growth.  The company’s young management team in the North American headquarters look forward to a very bright future for both COSCO and their customers.

Source COSCO

China Shipping Development Co. Ltd.

China Shipping Group (China Shipping) was founded on July 1,1997,in shanghai,the largest coastal city in China.It is one of the key state-owned enterprises under the direct administration of the Central Government and is a super-large shipping conglomerate that operates across different regions
and countries. In 2004,China Shipping was awarded the best prize of development & reform in state-owned sector by Ministry of Propaganda and SASAC.
Under its umbrella , there are five specialized shipping fleets of oil tankers,tramps,passenger ships,container vessels and special cargo ships,which comprise of over 440 vessels with an aggregated deadweight of 15 million tones and an annual traffic volume of over 270 million tones.
China Shipping operates the diversified businesses of integrated logistics,ship management terminal management,finance and investment,engineering and labor service,supply and trading and information technology. It has also established more than 260 overseas branches and offices.
China Shipping(Group)Company is the holding company of three publicly listed companies,i.e.China Shipping Development,China Shipping Container Lines and China Shipping (Hainan)Haisheng,whose H shares and A shares are traded on the stock markets of Hong Kong and Shanghai respectively.

China shipping Container lines

China Shipping Container Lines Company Limited (“CSCL”) is the fastest growing and world leading major container shipping company with its headquarters in China. China Shipping Container Lines Co., Ltd is a specialized corporation affiliated to China Shipping (Group) Company, involved in container liner services and other relative services as well. It is currently ranked as the world’s 10th largest container shipping company in terms of operating capacity

As at 23 Aug 2004, CSCL has a young and modern fleet that comprises 114 vessels with a total operating capacity of 231,480TEU, among which 28 of them had capacities of over 4,000 TEU. The average age of vessels with capacity of more than 4,000 TEU is 1.6 years. Such a young and energetic fleet provides CSCL with additional competitive advantage to stay at the industry forefront.

China shipping Container Lines Co., Ltd now is operating dozens of domestic coastal routes and international container liner services from China to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, Mediterranean, North America, West Africa and Persian Gulf. With 16 vessels in operation, China Shipping’s Far East-North America lines cover 8 base ports and over 40 inland points of North America.

The company has formed a network covering the main ports of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Its Far East-Europe/Mediterranean line is now serving almost all china base ports; with big capacity as compared with other carriers is also a dominant player in China with a share of over 50% in a significant number of domestic ports.

With near six years’ optimizing the structure of owned service lines, especially with the delivery and usage of the new built vessels, CSCL gradually forms the main force of a fleet of more than 4100 TEU’s capacity container carried vessels, and at the same time CSCL also emphasizes on perfecting the service lines structure, adjusting the devotion of motion capacity and modernizing the fleet.

By the year of 2005, CSCL will arguably hold a fleet of nearly 60 core vessels of more than 4100 TEUs’ capacity with 5200 TEUs’ average space and 350 thousand TEUs’ total space, and will ascend to stand in the top 10 lists of the global containers liner companies.

The domestic coastal transportation is covering more than30 ports from South China to North China, providing most economic, efficient and rapid service to every customer and we play as a leading role in china domestic transportation.

China Shipping Container lines Co., Ltd also has its own international cargo agencies, container yards and trucks, China shipping container Lines Co., Ltd will expand its worldwide liner services and provide qualified service to client.

Dubai Ports Information

In March 2006, it purchased the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) of the United Kingdom, which was then the fourth largest ports operator in the world, for £3.9 billion ($7 billion), beating a bid from Singapore’s PSA International of £3.5 billion. P&O is one of the most famous names in British business, having been the largest shipping operator in the world at one time. DP World has promised to keep P&O’s headquarters in London. P&O operated major U.S. port facilities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Miami. After the deal was secured, the arrangement was reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States headed by the U.S. Treasury Department and including the Departments of State, Commerce, and Homeland Security. It was given the green light, but soon after, both Democratic and Republican members of Congress expressed concern over the potential negative impact the deal would have on port security. They cited the 9/11 Commission report, which stated that two of the 9/11 hijackers were United Arab Emirates nationals, and reports that the UAE was a major financial base for the al Qaeda terror network. The country did not fund al Qaeda but money was transferred through UAE’s banks without the government knowing what the money was for (because of privacy concerns). Republican leaders Dennis Hastert and Bill Frist, usually working in close synchronization with the office of the President, came out to publicly question the deal. Frist said in a statement, “If the administration cannot delay the process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review.” [1] Representative Sue Myrick (R-NC) sent a one-sentence letter to the president that read, “Dear Mr. President: In regards to selling American ports to the United Arab Emirates, not just NO — but HELL NO!”

Dubai Ports World currently operates 19 major terminals around the world, with five major projects in development. The company additionally has logistics offices in London and the UAE. [10]

Americas – 4

1. Venezuela – Puerto Cabello
2. Dominican Republic – Puerto Caucedo
3. Argentina – [Puerto Nuevo - Terminales Rio de la Plata S.A.]
4. Canada – Vancouver

Asia Pacific – 11

1. Australia – Adelaide
2. Hong Kong – CT3
3. Hong Kong – ACT
4. China – Tianjin
5. China – Yantai
6. Hong Kong – ATL
7. China – ATL Yantian
8. China – Shanghai Ji Fa
9. China – Yantian
10. India – Cochin
11. India – Visakhapatnam

West Asia/East Africa Region – 2

1. Saudi Arabia – Jeddah
2. Djibouti – Djibouti

Europe – 3

1. Belgium – Antwerp
2. Germany – Germersheim
3. Romania – Constanţa

UAE ports – 2

1. Dubai Port
2. Fujairah Port

Projects in development – 5

1. South Korea – Pusan [11]
2. India – Vallarpadam [12]
3. Turkey – Yarmica [13]
4. Peru – Callao, through a 70% stake in the company Terminal Internacional de Contenedores del Callao [14] [15]
5. Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City

Dubai Ports — Strategic Implications

Creating a Global Ports Empire

Islamic Economics: Not an Exotic Addition to the English Country Garden

Dubai Ports Operating Shariah Compliant Ports

Implications of Financing with Sukuk Bonds

Impact of High Oil Prices

The Well Known Causes of Concern

Dubai Key Transfer Point for Illegal Shipments of Nuclear Components

The goal of Islamists, following in the footsteps of Muhammad is to create the Islamic kingdom of God on earth. The strategy to obtain this goal in our lifetime includes the control of the world’s energy infrastructure, the transportation systems, currency, media, elections, immigration and education. The control of the port facilities is hence a critical element. Foreign ownership, in and of itself, although important, is not as significant as the strategy and goals of the owner. In the case of DP World ownership, my hypothesis is that their plan for utilization of these strategic infrastructure resources is to accomplish the ultimate goal of world domination of the sea borne transportation infrastructure. In similar moves, a newly-formed Dubai consortium unveiled plans to bid for the development and operation of airports in China, India and the Middle East, a market they estimate to be worth $400 bln. The consortium comprises DAE Airports and six other top companies in the United Arab Emirates.

DAE Airports is a subsidiary of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a recently launched holding firm that aims to invest $15 bln in manufacturing and services in the aviation sector. Its partners are real estate-based Emaar, air services supplier DNATA, aviation industry technology firm Mercator, Emirates National Oil Co, Amlak Finance and Dubai Airports Free Zone Authority (DAFZA).

In the case of DP World’s acquisition, the prices paid for acquisition cannot be justified based of strictly economic factors. The implications of Islamists creating global port control have strategic, security and religious implications.

The influential Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and popular host on the Qatari satellite channel Al-Jazeera has commented that…the conquest [of Europe] need not necessarily be by the sword… [The conquest of Mecca] was not by the sword or by war, but by a [Hudabiyya] treaty, and by peace… Perhaps we will conquer these lands without armies. We want an army of preachers and teachers who will present Islam in all languages and in all dialects… Europe will see that it suffers from materialistic culture and will seek an alternative; it will seek a way out, it will seek a lifeboat. It will find no lifesaver but the message of Islam, the message of the muezzin, who gives it religion but does not deny it this world, brings it to Heaven, but does not uproot it from Earth. Allah willing, Islam will return to Europe, and the Europeans will convert to Islam. Then they themselves will be able to be the ones to disseminate Islam in the world, more than we ancient Muslims. This is within Allah’s capabilities. (See also: “Iran Reaches the Mediterranean”)

Creating a Global Ports Empire

Because of the role of Sukuk Bond financing and the significant impact of ports for the potential of economic jihad we are discussing the acquisition of P&O. On November 29, 2005, Dubai, the upstart sheikdom of the United Arab Emirates, agreed to purchase the storied British shipping company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation, for £3.3 billion ($5.7 billion), strengthens Dubai’s position as a center of commerce and transport. P&O, as it is known, got its start in the 1830s carrying mail among Portugal, Spain and England, but it later expanded to ferry passengers and goods throughout the British Empire. The company now has operations in one hundred global ports, as well as a passenger ferry service in Europe and a real estate portfolio. Citigroup and Rothschild advised P&O.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on February 14, 2006 hosted a press conference organized by Dubai University College (DUC) to announce the renewal of support for the Joint Venture for Finance and Entrepreneurship (JVFE) housed at the DUC through a financial support of US$50,000 Dollars, granted by Citigroup Foundation. This being the second grant to be given by Citigroup to the college for the second successive year.

The Dubai state government owns Dubai Ports World (DPW). DPW was formed in September 2005 from the combination of the Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International Terminals. This organization is responsible for the Shariah compliant port at Dubai and the Jebel Ali free trade zone as well as the new Port of Klang (Port Kelang, Malaysia) that will become Malaysia’s primary maritime and logistics hub. In January 2005, Dubai Ports International purchased the container company, CSX World Terminals, for $1.14 billion. Deutsche Bank underwrote the transaction. In September, Dubai merged its two state-owned port companies to create DP World, which operates ports from the Middle East to Romania and India.

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer–which advised CSX Corporation on the sale of its global container terminal to Dubai Ports—was also doing work for CNOOC, which made a failed bid on the U.S. oil firm Unocal takeover last year and also worked on the United Nations Oil-for-Food brouhaha.

With the acquisition of P&O, the company will have terminals in the most important areas of the world, stretching from Australia to Canada and Argentina to Eastern Russia and the heartland of America.

The $9.3 billion financing package put together by for the DP World’s takeover of P&O includes an innovative Islamic bond issue that is tied to a potential initial public offering (IPO) of the new group. The financing, which includes a $6.5 billion loan, is the largest takeover-related transaction in the Middle East to date. Barclay’s Bank and Deutsche Bank have underwritten the $6.5 billion loan. DP World plans to issue a $2.8 billion Sukuk bond that is partially convertible into shares in DP World, in the event of an IPO within the next three years. The bond will not pay regular interest, in order to comply with Shariah law. Instead, investors will be paid when the bond matures, after two years.

Sukuks avoid Islam’s ban on interest payments by returning a yield and maturity to investors at the end of the note’s tenure. Because they are traded, investors can exit before the tenure period.

On November 15, 2005, Dubai’s port operator, DP World, said it would also set up a $500 million container terminal at Qingdao in eastern China. The terminal, which will be open in 2008/2009, will have a capacity of more than two million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). It will consist of a quay measuring 1,320 meters in length across four deep draft berths. DP World wholly owns the terminal.

Qingdao is home to the country’s third largest container port, which handles more than six million TEUs annually. The operator has a presence in the Chinese ports of Tianjin and Yantai. “This is a very important step for DP World,” said Jamal Majid Al Thaniah, CEO of Dubai Ports and Free Zone Authority. “The new terminal at Qingdao is a crucial development in our strategy of investing and developing ports in the world’s growth markets, particularly in China and North Asia.”

Islamic Economics: Not an Exotic Addition to the English Country Garden

Once there are Islamic financial institutions and linked transportation infrastructure, how long will it be before Muslims insist that the state and business direct all their monetary dealings with Muslims through these institutions, for example, boycotting businesses with Jewish connections en route? How long before Muslims, extending the logic of their concentration in places like Bradford and Leicester, seek to establish their own law within these areas, the germ of a state within a state? And how diverse would such a state be?

Once the international ports are controlled, how long will it be before the ports require that products shipped through the ports comply with the principles of Shariah (Islamic law)? Control of shipping and air infrastructure is a critical strategy for the progressive control of world economies.

Dubai Ports Operating Shariah Compliant Ports

Jafza International, the Dubai-based International Free Zone operator, was awarded a fifteen-year contract to develop and manage the Free Zone, which will combine with Port of Klang (Port Kelang, Malaysia) to become Malaysia’s primary maritime and logistics hub. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2006. Port Klang has a great potential of becoming a regional distribution hub for Southeast Asia with its population of 550 million people. Not only do two economic powerhouses, India and China, flank it, but it is also the crossroads of these two giants of world trade. As a predominantly Muslim country, it will be creating a second halal hub for the distribution purposes following in the path of Dubai’s port. DP world is the operator for these ports.

Implications of Financing with Sukuk Bonds

An Islamic Sukuk bond is structured by bundling leasing transactions but behaves in practice like any highly rated bond. The reason for the excitement is rather longer. Firstly, Sukuk brings a new source of funds, generally at attractive rates. And secondly, it is vital to developing deeper and more liquid Islamic capital market. There is a great deal of surplus cash sitting in Islamic financial institutions waiting to be tapped by new financial instruments.

The Sukuk products are asset-backed; stable income, tradable and Shariah-compatible trust certificates. The primary condition of issuance of Sukuk is the existence of assets on the balance sheet of the government, the monetary authority, the corporate body, the banking and financial institutions, or any entity that wants to mobilize the financial resources. The identification of suitable assets is the first, and arguably most integral step in the process of issuing Sukuk certificates. The Shariah considerations dictate that the pool of assets should not solely be comprised of debts from Islamic financial contracts (e.g. Murabahah, Istisna).

Sukuk investors have an inherent right to information on the use of their investments, the nature of the underlying assets, and other particulars that would otherwise be considered redundant in conventional investments. The Sukuk bonds for the P&O acquisition are not guaranteed by the Dubai government even though Dubai’s Ports Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) is fully state-owned. The Sukuk offers an attractive yield because repayments are not dependent on cash flows of the borrowing company but from a future IPO of a strategic government asset. Under the offer, the bonds will be repaid within two years, with 70 per cent returned in cash and 30 per cent as equity shares from the planned public offering. If no IPO takes place prior to the final redemption of the Sukuks, investors would be compensated with a higher yield. According to Sohail Zubairi – Vice-President and Head of Shariah Structuring, Documentation and Product Development, Dubai Islamic Bank, the PCFC Sukuk is based on Musharaka or partnership. It is Sharikat Al-Aqd or contractual partnership where an agreement is entered between the two or more parties to combine their equity (be it in cash or kind) for the purpose of investing the same in a Shariah compliant manner for making profits, which are then distributed according to a pre-agreed ratio.

The potential net result is that, as of now, the unknown “partners” have, because of their investment inherent right to information and use of the funds. These “partners” will also be in a preferred position for the launch of a future IPO. Such an arrangement has far reaching implications for all ports controlled by DP World.

Impact of High Oil Prices

The high oil prices and dependence on imported oil is leading to massive transfers of wealth outside the United States. The people of the United States might get this purchase of P&O in perspective by pondering the extent to which the “Gulf allies” supplying the oil already own vast quantities of U.S. assets, as well as dollar assets held offshore. For Abu Dhabi alone, a 1 percentage point move in U.S. interest rates now means more than a $10 per barrel swing in the price of oil. Do the math.

The Well Known Causes of Concern

Soaring oil prices and a vibrant UAE economy are expected to further boost the private wealth of UAE citizens in the coming three years, according to recent estimates. With some 53,000 dollar millionaires, the UAE already has a greater net worth of billionaires than does the United States. UAE’s private wealth sector is expected to grow by a staggering 12.5 percent per year, exceeding the average rate throughout the Gulf. It also boasts the fourth largest gas reserve and third largest oil reserves in the world (excluding the Canadian tar-sands), and is the second largest economy in the GCC after Saudi Arabia.

According to the Iran Daily dated May 2, 2005, the Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries and Mines (ICCIM) and the Dubai-Based Iranian Businessmen Council have reportedly signed a groundbreaking cooperation agreement as part of efforts to encourage the repatriation of assets held by Iranian expatriates.

According to ISNA, the ICCIM is planning to draw up a comprehensive report on challenges facing export of goods from Iran as well as obstacles in the way of attracting investments by Iranian expatriates. It further said that the ICCIM report would be studied and followed up by the Parliament and the government.

Some 4,000 Iranian businesspersons have invested in Dubai due chiefly to poor facilities and restrictive investment regulations at home. UAE has provided foreign investors with convenient port services, banking and insurance facilities, low-cost labor, straightforward trading laws and inexpensive transportation. Lack of competition in Iranian banking system has largely benefited the tiny Persian Gulf state, which re-exports several billion dollars worth of goods to Iran per annum.

On February 18, 2002 Douglas Farah in the Washington Post published an article entitled Al Qaeda’s Gold: Following Trail to Dubai. Farah traces the gold shipments to Dubai from the Taliban in Afghanistan. Quoting from this article.

Since it is exempt from international reporting requirements for financial transactions, gold is a favored commodity in laundering money from drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorist activities, U.S. officials said. In addition, Dubai, one of seven sheikhdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates, has one of the world’s largest and least regulated gold markets, making it an ideal place to hide.

Dubai is also one of the region’s most open banking centers and is the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates, one of three countries that maintained diplomatic relations with the Taliban until shortly after Sept. 11. Sitting at a strategic crossroad of the Gulf, South Asia and Africa, Dubai has long been a financial hub for Islamic militant groups. Much of the $500,000 used to fund the Sept. 11 attacks came through Dubai, investigators believe.

“All roads lead to Dubai when it comes to money,” said Patrick Jost, who until last year was a senior financial enforcement officer in the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. “Everyone did business there.” When the U.S. bombs began pounding Taliban and Al Qaeda targets last autumn, the rush of gold and money out of Afghanistan intensified.

The Pakistani financial authorities said that $2 million to $3 million a day is usually hand-carried by couriers from Karachi to Dubai, mostly to buy gold. Late last year that amount increased significantly as money was moved out of Afghanistan, they said.

Dubai’s links to suspected terrorist financing and money laundering have long been a point of contention between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. “There is no question the UAE was used by terrorists, the question is why,” a U.S. official said. “It is no more lax and unregulated than many places. The answer is, Dubai is so damn convenient.”

Douglas Farah amplified on his findings in “Terrorist Responses to Improved U.S. Financial Defenses” Before The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee On Financial Services

According to an article published by News24 on August 19, 2005, an al-Qaeda linked-group in Dubai has launched what it calls a media jihad, or holy war, to “terrorize” United States-led forces in Iraq and their families by bombarding them with e-mails and by posting gruesome photos online.

The group, calling itself the “Brigade of Media Jihad”, called on its militants to “post terrifying pictures on the internet in order to terrorize the enemy”, said a statement on an Islamist website whose authenticity could not be verified.

“Our objective is to undermine the morale of our enemies, dash their hopes and dreams and reveal the truth of what is happening in Iraq. The media war is an integral part of the war on the ground,” said the statement.

Dubai Key Transfer Point for Illegal Shipments of Nuclear Components

Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the “father” of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program and the man who relentlessly pursued it through clandestine means and methods for decades, finally admitted in a written statement that he oversaw its further clandestine spread to at least three other countries.

The incontrovertible truth is that Pakistan’s nuclear program in every aspect has been, and remains, under the firm and total control of its army at least since 1977; even its navy and air force have little role in it. Its clandestine nature relied on building a black market largely managed by trusted senior army (and ISI) officers and senior scientists in the nuclear establishment. Such people have undoubtedly been under a strong security and intelligence cover as much for their safety as to keep an eye on them. With a flourishing $2 billion-plus annual narcotics trade, and banks like the former Dubai-based Pakistani-owned “Outlaw Bank”, the BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International), and the Mehran Bank to manage the black market in narcotics, nuclear trade and tools for terrorism, there was obviously no dearth of unaccounted funds for the purpose. General Aslam Beg, the army chief in late 1980s who controlled the nuclear program, later publicly acknowledged receipt of hundreds of crores of unaccounted funds which he passed on to the ISI and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

In a report prepared for the US Senate on the BCCI in December 1992, Senators John Kerry and Hank Brown said one of the areas that required deeper investigation was “the extent of BCCI’s involvement in Pakistan’s nuclear program. There is good reason to conclude that BCCI did finance Pakistan’s nuclear program through the BCCI Foundation in Pakistan as well as through BCCI-Canada”. The Emirates government was the biggest shareholder of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, or BCCI, which was broken up in 1991 for its links with drug dealers and terrorist groups.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) set up BCCI in the 1970’s; in order to launder the heroin proceeds to finance Pakistan foreign military ventures. It used the growing network of Pakistanis, which were, as a matter of state policy, being sent by the thousands to oil-rich Gulf states as guest workers, as civil servants, as economists, as police, and as military. Through such links, BCCI was able to enlist the Emir of Abu Dhabi and top Saudis to the board of BCCI.

Another step in shutting down the supermarket would be for the United States to crack down on retransfer points such as the United Arab Emirates. Many politicians believe that there have been sufficient safeguards put in place to reduce this risk. This is a complicated task that must be monitored for a long period of time. Unfortunately, the Emirates, one American ally at the heart of the scandal, despite its role as the key transfer point in Dr. Khan’s atomic bazaar, escaped from criticism. We cannot worry only about rogue regimes without also shutting down the places that allow them to buy what they want. Next to Dubai’s main port is the Jebel Ali free trade zone, a haven for freewheeling international companies. Experts estimate that it has a handful business shops from rogue regimes like Syria and North Korea. So, the United States and the international community have to continue to put pressure on the countries such as United Arab Emirates or Malaysia that allow dangerous trade to flourish, even withholding aid and refusing arms sales.

Source:  CFP

In Defense Of Dubai

A nefarious multinational corporation secretly controlled by a hostile Arab government has engineered a covert takeover of six major U.S. ports. America is at risk of losing control of its borders and compromising national security in an entirely preventable way.

Horselips.

Never have I seen a bogus story explode so fast and so far. I thought I was a connoisseur of demagoguery and cheap shots, but the Dubai Ports World saga proves me a piker. With a stunning kinship of cravenness, politicians of all flavors risk trampling each other as they rush to the cameras and microphones to condemn the handover of massive U.S. strategic assets to an Islamic, Arab terrorist-loving enemy.

The only problem — and I admit it’s only a teeny-weeny problem — is that 90 percent of that story is false.

The United Arab Emirates is not an Axis of Evil kind of place, it will not own U.S. ports, it will not control security at U.S. ports and there is nothing new about foreigners owning U.S. ports. Odds are higher that you’ll be wounded interfering with a congressman providing soundbites than by something smuggled into a port terminal leased by Dubai Ports World.

But please: let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story. And what’s wrong with a little Arab-bashing anyway?

I am no expert on ports, transportation or shipping. But it takes very little reading and research to cut through the gas on this one.

Myth #1: An Arab company is trying to buy six American ports.

No, the company is buying up a British company that leases terminals in American ports; the ports are U.S.-owned. To lease a terminal at a U.S. port means running some business operations there — contracting with shipping lines, loading and unloading cargo and hiring local labor. Dubai Ports World is not buying the ports.

Several companies will lease terminals at a single port. In New Orleans, for example, the company Dubai Ports World is trying to buy (P&O Ports) is just one of eight companies that lease and operate terminals.

P&O Ports does business in 18 other countries. None of them are in righteous lathers about the sale of the business to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates. Dubai Ports World already operates port facilities all over the world, including such security-slacker states as China, Australia, Korea and Germany.

Myth #2: The U.S. is turning over security at crucial ports to an Arab company.

No, security at U.S. ports is controlled by U.S. federal agencies led by the Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Control Agency, which are part of the Homeland Security department. Local jurisdictions also provide police and security personnel.

Complaints about security at ports should be directed to the federal government.

Myth #3: American ports should be American.

Well, it’s too late, baby. According to James Jay Carafano of the Heritage Foundation (a place really known for its Arab-loving, soft-on-terror approach), “Foreign companies already own most of the maritime infrastructure that sustains American trade…” Thirty per cent of the countries port terminals are operated by companies that are, um, unAmerican.

At the port of Los Angeles, 80 per cent of the terminals are operated by foreign companies. Chinese companies operate more than half the terminals. So why is this suddenly a threat? After all, political outcry managed to scupper the deal a few months ago in which a Chinese company was going to take over the Unocal oil company.

Remember the global economy? Internationally, 24 of the 25 largest companies that operate port terminals aren’t American. That means just about every container that enters a U.S. port has come from a foreign-controlled facility.

Go to any port in the country and you’ll be lucky to see a single giant vessel with U.S.A. on its stern. Foreign-owned airplanes fly into American airports every hour. Many U.S. companies have foreign entities among their largest shareholders.

My colleague Charlie Wolfson reports that State Department sources say Dubai Ports World already handles port calls for U.S. Navy ships from the 5th fleet for their regular port calls in the United Arab Emirates — a pretty high measure of trustworthiness.

Myth #4: The United Arab Emirates has “very serious” al Qaeda connections.

That’s what Republican Rep. Peter King says. It’s also what the administration said of pre-war Iraq, but that didn’t mean it was true. I suppose you could say each and every Arab and Islamic country has al Qaeda issues, but even on that yardstick the UAE is a pretty good player and by most accounts, getting better.

Politicians have been quick to point out that two of the 9/11 hijackers were from UAE. And we’re turning over our ports to them? Well, by that logic, we shouldn’t let Lufthansa land in our airports or have military bases in Germany, because that country housed a bunch of the 9/11 hijackers as they were plotting.

Yes, Dubai has plenty of blood in its hands, especially as a source or courier for terror funds. To my knowledge its crimes were not government sponsored. It is not a rogue state. It has been among the closer and more cooperative Arab allies for the past two years (another conspiracy theory: Bush is paying them off at the expense of our safety).

Some combination of these facts led the Dubai Ports deal to be approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a joint effort of a dozen government agencies tasked with security (yes, I know, that’s slim solace).

Certainly the security of American ports is an important issue. Certainly who controls the finances of companies that lease terminals at ports is far down the to-do list of how to improve security at ports.

That has everything to do with adequate funding and proper management at the relevant agencies. Management is the responsibility of the executive branch, while funding and oversight is the job of Congress. There is scant evidence that Congress or the administration have excelled in their duties.

That’s why it’s so tempting for politicians of both parties to indulge in xenophobic Arab-bashing on this matter of minimal national security importance. There are scads of real homeland security issues and glaring national security problems coming out of Arab or Muslim states; this is not in either category, not even close. But as one Republican said, regardless of the facts, the administration was politically “tone deaf” on this one. Appearance is more important than reality.

Often bipartisanship is a sign of pragmatic consensus or noble common cause. In this case it is merely a demonstration of an occupational hazard of politicians: cover-your-arse-itis.

Source:  CBS News

Dubai world recent projects

Arabian Canal

Arabian Canal is a spectacular man-made canal and a crowning achievement for Dubai. It will contain hundreds of communities, districts and neighbourhoods encompassing a diverse mix of entertainment, retail, commercial, hospitality and residential offerings.

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Downtown Jebel Ali

Downtown Jebel Ali is one of the largest development projects in Dubai, with a projected built up area of 75 million sq. ft. and an estimated value of around USD 12 billion. It will create lively, dynamic and vibrant urban environments incorporating parks, piazzas, retail pavilions, urban focal points and street level “landmarks”. The construction work has already started for phase one and the first set of showcase office buildings will be commissioned by Q2 2007. Downtown Jebel Ali will be formally launched in Q3 2006.

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Jumeirah Park

Located at the heart of Dubai’s most desirable residential district, Jumeirah Park is a secure, integrated and family orientated residential community spreading over 350 hectares. The community combines well crafted villas with the richness of expansive parks, eco-friendly green spaces and family orientated amenities. Launched on 6th September 2006 Jumeirah Park features 2,000 properties, and is the latest addition to Nakheel’s Jumeirah family of brands – Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the award winning Jumeirah Islands.

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London Gateway Terminal

The London Gateway project will be executed by the group’s flagship company, DP World and will include a world-class port capable of handling the largest deep-sea container ships, as well as the UK’s largest business park. The 1500-acre site located strategically in the county of Essex, will include the construction of the UK’s largest multimodal business and logistics park, with DP World working in collaboration with Shell.

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V & A Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s number one tourist location with 22 million visitors per year and contains 603,000 square metres of land with development rights.Nakheel Hotels and Resorts are creating a new masterplan for the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town on the lines of The Palm and The World projects. The project vision is to create a resort destination with shopping, leisure and business facilities.

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Vancouver Terminal

Vancouver terminal project a gateway terminal to Canada and United States began construction with US$140 million in the third quarter of 2004 and is a part of the DP World network with the acquisition of P&O group. The first phase of the expansion was recently completed when the second of the renewed berths began taking vessel calls and can now accommodate vessels to a depth of 15.5 metres. The extension takes capacity at the terminal from 360,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent container units) to 800,000 TEU with potential to further expand the terminal to reach a capacity of 1.2 million TEU.

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Dubai Ports

DP World is one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world with 42 terminals and 13 new developments across 27 countries. Its dedicated, experienced and professional team of more than 30,000 serves customers in some of the most dynamic economies in the world.

DP World aims to enhance customers’ supply chanin efficiency by providing quality services to effectively manage container, bulk and other terminal cargo. It also provides logistics, infrasturcture development and consultancy services where its experience adds significant value for customers.

The company constantly invests in terminal infastructure, facilities and people, working closely with customers and business partners to provide quality services today and tomorrow, when and where customers need them.

In taking this customer-centric approach, DP World is building on the established relationships and superior level of service demonstrated at its flagship operations in Dubai – Port Rashid and Jebel Ali. Jebel Ali has been voted “Best Seaport in the Middle East” for 13 consecutive years. DP World’s international achievements were recognised in 2006, when Lloyd’s List awarded it the prestigious Port Operator of the Year Award.

In early 2006, DP World acquired P&O, including P&O Ports. The combined 2006 throughput of the company was around 42 million* TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) from the Americas to Asia, with global capacity of more than 48 million TEU. That capacity is set to increase significantly in coming years with a committed pipeline of expansion and development projects in key growth markets, including India, China and the Middle East. Capacity will rise to around 90 million TEU by 2017.

Approach
DP World’s hallmark is our unique ‘integrated port management’ model, which brings together container terminals, other cargoes, free zones, infrastructure developments and consultancy services. Combined with our ‘common user’ status, DP World’s cross-sector expertise offers solutions in all aspects of port operations, ultimately driving efficiency and financial returns for our customers.
We have applied the successful management systems developed Port Rashid and Jebel Ali to our global network of terminal operations. This enables our customers to experience the same high level of service they have come to expect when their vessels call at Dubai. With a flat management structure that is low on bureaucracy and high on entrepreneurial drive and flair, We take a long-term view on our investments. We are able to turn around the performance of ports and terminals solely through better management practices, rather than achieving small incremental improvements.

Results
Our ability to deliver a superior level of service to shipping lines is reflected in the company’s performance, achieving double-digit growth annually since we started expanded operations in 2001.

Regions

Our terminal operations are run by eight regional management teams which bring together an in-depth understanding of the geographical area in which they operate and extensive insight into the marine terminals business.
Africa
Regional Director:	Joost Kruijning
Headquarters:	Dubai
Americas
Regional Director:	Dave Sanborn
Headquarters:	Charlotte, USA
Asia Pacific
Regional Director:	Peter Wong
Headquarters:	Hong Kong
Australia & New Zealand
Regional Director:	Jack Williams
Headquarters:	Sydney
Europe and North Africa
Regional Director:	Patrick Walters
Headquarters:	London
Middle East
Regional Director:	Joost Kruijning
Headquarters:	Dubai
Subcontinent
Regional Director:	Ganesh Raj
Headquarters:	Mumbai
UAE
Regional Director:	Mohammed Al Muallem
Headquarters:	Dubai