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Bee’ah, the Middle East’s sustainability pioneer, has joined forces with the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), the second largest free zone and industrial hub of the UAE, to successfully launch the first phase of a state-of-the-art Waste Permit Portal, the first of its kind in Sharjah. The advanced portal is part of a range of 15 services that Bee’ah will be providing HFZA with, through a partnership that will recognize the company as an environmental solutions service provider for the free zone.

The HFZA Waste Permit Portal is the first platform in Sharjah that utilises blockchain technology to validate, process and store transactions. As the digital ledger is built on a blockchain network, all transactions are completely secured, essentially eliminating any human error or fraud. The customised portal will not only save customers operating within the free zone time and money when applying for permits, but also reduce the downtime it takes for permits to be issued from several days to only a few hours. The portal makes the process of applying and issuing permits faster, easier and more secure, in addition to delivering periodic reports on volumes, transactions and other key data trends.

Bee’ah’s Environmental Consultancy & Services arm collaborated with the Middle East’s leading digital solutions provider, Evoteq, to develop the range of solutions, all of which are cloud based and provided through online portals. The partnership has also enabled the HFZA to become the first free zone in the UAE to have an integrated special purpose vehicle for the management of services.

HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, said, “In support of the digital revolution in the UAE, we are proud to launch Sharjah’s first blockchain platform. Bee’ah’s journey in engineering these powerful tools for our customers and collaborators, like the HFZA, is paving the way for better solutions, whose rewards are even more pronounced in serving businesses and society. Using proven state-of-the-art technology will not only facilitate seamless operations, but also increase trust between customers and operators, and reduce valuable time and resources. As part of a long term-strategic initiative we have in place, we hope to provide the HFZA with accessible, integrated and environmentally conscious solutions. The model we have developed can easily be integrated into other economic zones, across the UAE; supporting business growth, digital innovation, and better customer experiences.”

The launch of the portal is the first stage of a deeper collaboration between Bee’ah & the HFZA. Under this partnership, Bee’ah will serve as the integrated environmental solutions service provider, delivering 15 unique services, including audits, permits and lab services, to all 14000 members from 160 countries, that operate at HFZA. The services will be rendered under the management of the Environmental Consultancy and Services unit, Bee’ah’s arm dedicated to leading and managing environmental projects and frameworks, as well as studies and assessments, in compliance with local and federal regulatory requirements.

“In our line of business, accuracy and quick turnaround are instrumental factors that underline our success. However, delays in processing applications, testing and issuing permits can be some of the major factors jeopardising our credentials. At Hamriyah Free Zone, we have always been committed to ensuring that our business policies are well-aligned and offer quick set-up models to ensure customer satisfaction. Digitising processes like permit applications is a new step toward innovation, and with the use of blockchain technology, we are confident that the processes will witness enhanced security, efficiency and productivity”, commented HE Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone.

In April 2018, the UAE Government launched the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021. It aims to leverage blockchain technology to transform 50 percent of all government transactions into a blockchain platform by 2021. This strategy, among others, highlights the country’s move to a digital future, encouraging the business landscape to follow suit. The Bee’ah-HFZA collaboration highlights the commitment that entities across the UAE have displayed in supporting the UAE government’s strategy for digitization and innovation.