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Internet of Things World Forum Showcases Smart City Technologies in Dubai at 3rdAnnual Conference
As the host city of the third annual Internet of Things World Forum (IoTWF) industry event, taking place December 6-8, Dubai will be a showcase for more than 20 digital city and connected industry solution deployments made possible by Cisco and the IoT industry.
Through a series of smart city experience tours, IoTWF attendees will see why Dubai is touted as one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world. To expand upon last year’s IoTWF in Chicago, Dubai is featuring twice as many solutions than were featured at the 2014 event.
The deployments featured in the tours will include services such as connected parking, connected lighting and waste management, alongside other vertical industries. More importantly, attendees will have the opportunity to visualize these solutions as not only connected but interconnected and able to share data.
In Dubai’s Command and Control Center, nearly all the solutions are integrated into a digital platform as part of Cisco Smart+Connected Communities. The digital platform can aggregate data from various sensors, solutions, and partner applications; conduct advanced data analytics; and supports a wide spectrum of urban services.
Beyond Dubai, utilizing the digital platform in conjunction with the portfolio of Smart+Connected Communities solutions are helping cities being to achieve their digital transformation goals. For instance, a number of cities have made strides in reaching their COP21 climate goals by reducing traffic, encouraging greater use of public transit and streamlining the delivery of services to citizens.
Kansas City, MO in the US, Adelaide in Australia, Hamburg, Germany and Bangalore in India, for instance, have already begun using a single digital data platform for managing their urban services.
Now more than ever, cities are required to capture and analyze data coming from the many sensors, cameras and mobile devices in use. They are employing new analytics techniques, such as fog computing, that is able to gather, process, and conduct analysis right at the edge of a network, where it can be acted upon more immediately.
To accelerate the deployment of fog technologies, a coalition of Internet of Things leaders recently announced the formation of the OpenFog Consortium. It aims to enable end-to-end technology scenarios for the Internet of Things through the development of an open architecture, core technologies including the capabilities of distributed computing, networking, and storage as well as the leadership needed to realize the full potential of IoT.
Cisco is a founding member of the newly formed consortium.
John Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco, will deliver a keynote at the IoTWF on how the Internet of Things is creating a new world of possibilities through digitization. As we move into this new digital era, organizations across both the private and public sectors are already beginning to rethink how they will approach the shift in infrastructures, processes and outcomes on a grand scale. It is likely to disrupt every area of society and redefine sustainability. Digitization has the potential to create a revolution in how we use resources, how we communicate, how we get work done and what we come to know about communities, ourselves and the world.
Dr. Sebastian Saxe, Chief Information Officer, Hamburg Port Authority:
“The reality is this: The reason we would look for a holistic model is that we have all this business going through the city, but it impacts the citizens. To create a model where we are able to do this without negatively impacting the citizens and the city itself is our goal.”
Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Design District (d3):
“We, at Dubai Design District (d3), are very proud to be showcasing some of the real-time Smart initiatives that are being deployed at d3, during the Cisco Internet of Things World Forum. Our aim is to select and implement those Smart solutions that will bring significant benefits to business partners, visitors and management – and, importantly, to Dubai as a Smart City. Through these unique and technologically-enhanced initiatives, d3’s creative tenants will benefit by saving on utility consumption, they will receive an enriched customer experience, improved safety standards, and they will be able to tap into effective, real time data analytics that help drive their business forward.
The d3 Smart City platform is a showcase of how government entities and business associates can collaborate to provide the best services and applications for the population visiting and working at d3.”
Ms. Rama N.S., CEO of Bangalore’s Electronic City Industries Association (ELCIA):
“ELCIA has had an opportunity to study the data collected from the city digital platform lighting and parking use cases that were deployed in Bangalore Electronics City in Feb 2015 by the Cisco Smart+Connected Communities team and this data is proving to be very useful in helping ELCIA understand the energy consumed by public street lighting as well as the usage of on-street parking at the ELCIA campus. We are now beginning to socialize this data with other sensor devices / applications development companies in ELCIA so that they can manufacture, test and deploy new types of sensors and applications in the Living Lab that has been set up in partnership with Cisco.”
Jane Booth, General Manager City and Organisational Development Adelaide City Council:
“Adelaide City Council is committed to increasing the number of people who come to live, work, study, do business, relax and enjoy our City. Our Smart City pilots will help us demonstrate the value of a sensor-connected infrastructure to deliver new and improved citizen experiences. We want to empower and engage our residents, to deliver new City experiences, to share and optimize our City data to support new business development and entrepreneurs and to attract new investment into the City.Becoming a smart, connected and networked city will deliver this ambition.”
Anil Menon, President, Smart+Connected Communities, Cisco:
“We have passed the incubation phase, now IoT/smart city solutions are ready to be scaled. Cities who scale first will be the winners in an increasingly competitive environment. As host to the 2015 IoTWF, Dubai is rapidly transforming into becoming one of the smartest digital cities in the world connecting the unconnected through the power of intelligent networks.”
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Big Ticket joins DP World ILT20 Season 4 as Official Partner
Big Ticket, the largest and longest-running guaranteed raffle draw in the Middle East (known for cash prizes, dream luxury cars, gold bars and coins) has joined the DP World International League T20 Season 4 as an Official Partner.
In recent years, Big Ticket has become more than just a raffle, it has gained the reputation of being a brand built around rewarding dreams and celebrating ambition, growing into one of the region’s largest and one of the most anticipated monthly draws in the UAE.
DP World ILT20 – the 34-match cricketing extravaganza – the biggest T20 tournament in the region featuring some of the most renowned global cricket stars is currently being played at the Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

DP World ILT20 Head of Partnerships Ishan Chopra: “We are delighted to welcome a UAE born raffle giant like Big Ticket as an Official Partner of the DP World ILT20. Their legacy of helping dreams come true aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering unforgettable, fan-first experiences across the league. This partnership strengthens our commitment to creating moments of excitement both on and off the field, and we look forward to elevating Season 4 together. With a household name like Big Ticket on board, we are confident of unlocking even more opportunities for fans to engage, celebrate and go All In for Cricket.”
Meanwhile, DP World ILT20 match tickets across all categories are available for the remaining tournament matches. Various spectator stand tickets start at AED 20 and hospitality packages start from AED 325. Fans can also book the new Sixes Lounge experience for AED 395, which includes unlimited food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased by visiting tickets.ilt20.ae or Virgin Megastores.
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The Maritime Standard Awards 2025 winners list showcases high levels of innovation and operational excellence across the maritime sector
The maritime sector’s leading awards event, The Maritime Standard (TMS) Awards 2025, has announced this year’s winners, honoring outstanding companies and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent. The Awards showcased achievement and innovation in 25 categories covering shipping, logistics, ship repair, offshore services, marine technology and related sectors, as well as a series of special awards for individual achievement. The prestigious event took place at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai on October 29th, attracting over 1000 senior executives, decision-makers and industry leaders, from the region, and across the globe.
Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the event recognised organisations and individuals for setting new standards in operational excellence and leadership in the sector amid significant shifts in the industry, including decarbonisation, digitalization, and a renewed emphasis on supply chain resilience. From clean-fuel projects and AI-powered port operations to international collaborations that boost trade efficiency, the 2025 Awards showcased the industry’s progress in turning goals into tangible outcomes.
The evening was hosted by Yalda Hakim, a renowned international correspondent and documentary filmmaker, whose engaging presence added distinction to the occasion. The keynote address was delivered by Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC Logistics and Services, who shared valuable insights on the evolving maritime landscape and the UAE’s leadership in advancing sustainable and innovative practices across the sector.
Clive Woodbridge, Editor of The Maritime Standard and Chairman of the Judging Panel, stated, “This year’s competition was exceptionally tough, and we received an unprecedented number of entries across all categories. Each finalist demonstrated remarkable achievements and operational standards over the past year, which underlines the significant advances that continue to be made in the regional maritime sector.”
A rigorous assessment process was conducted as part of the award selections, and this was supervised by an independent panel of distinguished judges that included some of the most prominent names in the maritime industry.
Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of The Maritime Standard, commented, “These Awards are not just about celebrating success, but also about encouraging excellence. This year’s event recognised innovative concepts, exciting new initiatives, and outstanding performance standards. As the region continues to expand its maritime infrastructure and digital port systems, with significant developments across the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, events like The Maritime Standard Awards play a key role in reinforcing its position as a global leader in shipping and maritime.”
Reaction from the individual winners on the night of October 29th was highly appreciative. Captain Mohamed Al Ali, Senior Vice President, Operations (Offshore Logistics), at ADNOC L&S, who received the Outstanding Achievement Award, added: “It was one of the greatest honours of my professional career to receive this Award. It really means a lot to me to have TMS recognise the years of dedication and hard work.”
Tony Dagher, the Founder and Managing Director of TMC Shipping Group was the recipient of the Young Person in Shipping and was similarly honoured. He said: “I have been fortunate to have had great support from many people during my journey in shipping, and to have a fantastic team around me now. This Award is as much for them as it is for me.
Over the past 12 years The Maritime Standard Awards has consolidated its standing as one of the most prominent annual gatherings within the global maritime calendar, gaining worldwide recognition for recognising excellence and promoting a more resilient and sustainable maritime future.

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Deep Dive Dubai Launches Sunken City Walk, a Cinematic Underwater Experience that Makes Adventure Just a Step Away
Deep Dive Dubai has unveiled its newest attraction for experience seekers with the launch of Sunken City Walk. The guided underwater activity invites guests to step into a cinematic cityscape filled with surreal details. From an underwater swing and motorbike to a café table that looks straight out of a movie scene, this is Dubai’s latest must-try attraction.

The hour-long journey begins with a full briefing and safety overview, followed by guests changing into wetsuits and equipment provided on-site. They then join trained instructors for a 20-minute guided underwater walk through the Sunken City—an accessible, certification-free experience that requires no swimming skills, making it ideal for guests aged 10 and above. Currently offered at an introductory price of AED 600, with an optional 30-second keepsake video for AED 200, the experience is currently available in four daily slots at 11 AM, 12 PM, 2pm, and 3pm.
Jarrod Jablonski, Director, Deep Dive Dubai, said that “With Sunken City Walk, we’re continuing to shape Dubai’s reputation as a city of unforgettable experiences. It’s a unique attraction that reflects Dubai’s spirit, where visitors can discover adventure in ways they never thought possible.”
The launch reflects a global trend that travellers are choosing experiences over possessions. Supporting this, Shamal’s Experience Economy Report stated that 75% of UAE residents are more willing to spend on experiences, with 80% allocating a dedicated monthly budget. The launch also aligns with Dubai’s commitment to strengthening its global tourism appeal. According to Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the city welcomed 9.88 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, a six percent increase year-on-year, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading lifestyle and tourism hubs. Sunken City Walk at Deep Dive Dubai adds a new way for visitors to experience the city’s spirit of reinvention, where adventure is always just a step away.
While Sunken City Walk offers a first taste of underwater adventure, guests can plunge into the incredible world of diving at Deep Dive Dubai, choosing from experiences such as scuba diving, freediving, and specialised diving courses.
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