Agility will invest US$100 million over three years to launch Shipa.com, a new digital logistics platform which will allow businesses, entrepreneurs and consumers manage their freight, e-commerce and urban deliveries online.

“Shipa.com makes life easier through technology, whether you are a small business running your supply chain with a few clicks, or a consumer getting your shopping delivered with a few taps on your phone,” said Henadi Al-Saleh, chairwoman of Agility. “Shipa.com makes logistics convenient, jargon-free, trackable, accountable and accessible.”

According to Agility, Shipa.com consists of three service lines. Shipa Ecommerce gives online merchants access to some of the world’s fastest-growing and most complex e-commerce markets. It offers integrated freight, fulfilment, delivery and returns solutions across the Arabian Gulf with additional reach into the EU and Africa planned for the near future. All solutions will be underpinned by digital integration, with APIs and web interfaces such as checkout integration with customer portals, websites and apps.

Shipa Delivery will offer businesses and consumers on-demand same-day, next-day or cross-border delivery across the Arabian Gulf. The platform is accessible by mobile or directly integrated with its business customers’ systems, and provides solutions to optimize for speed, convenience and affordability.

Shipa Freight allows small businesses to get instant and transparent freight quotes. They can also book, pay and track ocean and air shipments around the world on any digital or mobile device. The fully integrated online freight service is available in over 100 countries.

“Logistics is the backbone of commerce,” Al-Saleh said. “But it’s complex, and that complexity is disproportionately difficult for small businesses to navigate. Small businesses often lack access to the logistics resources, tools and solutions that larger businesses have. “No wonder then, that when we interviewed 800 small and medium-sized businesses around the world, we found that 78% wanted to see their logistics move online. Shipa helps close that gap, empowering small businesses to take advantage of the opportunities being created by the global digital economy.”  

Shipa.com will become Agility’s innovation arm, accelerating the introduction of technology, development of new digital products and the overall pace of change, both within the parent company and across the industry more broadly.

“Shipa.com is the marriage of Agility’s logistics expertise and resources and the digital-first capabilities of the Shipa platform,” said Al-Saleh. “It offers enormous value for our customers and brings new value to our company.”