Dubai's entrepot heritage has been built up on a maritime tradition, and wooden dhows are still a functional feature of the Creek, which cuts a swathe through the centre of the city.
So the appearance at the show of the Dubai Ports Authority is not really a surprise, particularly as the emirate heralds its air-sea transhipment expertise as a major attraction to woo international companies.
The ports authority highlights the fact the Jebel Ali Free Zone, which has attracted around 1,200 companies, offers an ideal warehousing and distribution hub to serve a regional market of about 1.5 billion people.
Sultan bin Sulayem, managing director of Dubai Ports Authority and chairman of Jebel Ali Free Zone, says: "Some 40% of cargo passing through Port Rashid and Jebel Ali terminals is now destined for Dubai.
"While we continue to be the hub port in the region, we will also increase our focus on the home market for which valuable import and export cargo can be generated."
Source: Flight Daily News