Tiemen Meester

Given the conveyor belt of challenges that continue to beset the supply chain, DP World’s COO Tiemen Meester finds himself in the front line of the never-ending battle to keep the world open for business.

Dutch-born Meester has been with smart-logistics solutions giant DP World for seven years, and says that, while the world economy and supply lurches from peak to trough, he prefers to keep things on the level.

“I'm very focused on what I call a positive environment,” he says, speaking to sister Publication, Business Chief. “Even if results are under pressure or things are not going your way, you need to create an upbeat, positive, fun environment. People need to work through the highs and lows.”

DP World started life as a single operation in Dubai’s Port Rashid but is now an integral part of global trade, with 150 companies spanning six continents and revenue of US$17bn in 2002. The company contributes an incredible 23.8% to Dubai’s GDP.

Ports & Terminals is one of the four pillars of DP World’s operations, alongside Logistics, Marine Services, and Technology. In simple terms, if goods are placed on a vessel, Ports & Terminals handle the containers at both ends of the crossing.

Where those ports at either end of the journey are located is a hot topic of conversation, with many businesses looking to mitigate risk by shortening the supply chain, through a policy of nearshoring and reshoring the manufacture of goods. 

“I think nearshoring is happening but we need to put it into context,” says Meester.”If you have a global supply chain and you have production in four countries and decide to nearshore, then that is not going to happen quickly, it's actually very slow.”

But Meester does concede there is a trend of production moving away from China, towards India in the east and Mexico – feeding into the US – in the west. 

“But it's more that the growth out of China will mature and flatten, while the growth out of Vietnam, Philippines, India will accelerate,” Meester explains.

He adds that the impact for DP World is “knowing where to have the right ports and terminals in locations that may become more significant over time”. 

Sustainability is another issue close to Meester’s heart; DP World’s ports and terminals across the world are transforming their environmental impact. 

“Maybe the biggest subject right now is decarbonisation,” he says. “It's the single biggest subject outside the constraints and the physical movement of goods.”

He adds: “We have our vision for 2040 and 2050 but it’s really about what we can do now, and what technologies we can deploy now for quick results. 

Meester admits that fossil-based marine fuels will “take longer to fix” but points out DO World can buy green energy from sustainable sources “wherever possible”, adding: “We rolled that out and the board gave us half a billion dollars in terms to deploy these measures.” 

He also says that the focus in Ports & Terminals is electrification and that he and his team are set on moving away from the combustion engine where possible. 

He says that Over the next five years, the company will replace 1,100 diesel tractors with electric alternatives – almost half of the current global fleet. 

“I'm optimistic we can significantly reduce emissions over the next five years,” says Meester. Despite all the pressure and disruption of the last few years, Meester shows no signs of losing passion, despite his 30-year career. 

“I'm an eternal optimist,” he says. “When I wake up, and the sun shines, I feel great because it's a new day.” 

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