Souk Al Marfa
Souk Al Marfa is a waterfront wholesale market place in Dubai. The market is huge and it has a total waterfrontage of 1.9 kilometers. The market is set up in a beautiful area in Dubai’s latest landmark Deira Island.
Deira Island is in the shores of Arabian Gulf that has a safe geographical advantage.
Souk Al Marfa is an indoor market place. As we know, whole gulf region is having scorching heat during summer. But in Souk Al Marfa, climate is pleasant all times. It is fully air conditioned.
Souk Al Marfa Location
Location of Souk Al Marfa is at Dubai’s Deira region. Specifically, it is located at Deira Island, the artificial island made by Dubai recently. Deira island is made by Nakheel Developers.
Total area of Deira Islands
Deira Island has 15.3 square km of mixed-used waterfront city. The plan is to make Dubai’s trading hub as a world-class location for investors looking for living, tourism, retail, and leisure.
Size of Souk Al Marfa
The Souk Al Marfa has 1.9 kilometers of length and it has 400 plus show rooms and shops inside the market. It is fully air conditioned all times.
Type of Stores in Souk Al Marfa
The stores in Souk Al Marfa are categorized mainly in to three segments.
- Souk of Flavors
- The Souk of Spices
- Souk of Lights
The 400 plus stores are categorized in to the above categories.
Business of Souk Al Marfa
Souk Al Marfa has stores and contents of international as well as local origin. The market has everything that gives a clear picture of items it deals in the form of small kiosks and showrooms. It has carpets, spices, food, lights, electronics etc.
One of the specialized items in it is Thai Food and Handicrafts and clothing. Other than these, it has fast food outlets, groceries and supermarkets inside.
One of the attractions of the venue is its street food market. This gives a nostalgic feel of food that used to melt in your mouth back at home or your favorite street abroad.
The Waterfront Market – Souk Al Marfa
The market is only open with its first phase. It has a vast growth prospect that is coming up. This will turn into the largest market in the region once all the phases are complete. Another specialty is that it also a waterfront market. Its main feature is proximity to sea, port and dhows. Along with local trade, international business will also increase.
Owner of Souk Al Marfa
Souk Al Marfa is a joint venture between DP World and Nakheel Mall. DP World is one the largest port and logistics handling company in the world. Nakheel is the biggest retail and wholesale business facility provider in the region. The joint venture between these two companies will be a great company for sure. That is Souk Al Marfa
Nakheel And DP World Partnerships
Other than Souk Al Marfa, where DP World had joined hands with Nakheel in another business project. That is Dragon Mart. The physical location of it is at Dubai Hatta Road after Crossing of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. In the year 2020, they have started online market place with the name dragonmart.ae
Souk Al Marfa – Logistical Benefits
Souk Al Marfa is located at Deira Island that is near to Mina Rashid and Hamriya. Hamriya shares border with Dubai and Sharjah. It is at the northern part of Dubai. The Dubai International Airport also at northern Dubai. In short, it is geographically well placed in Deira Islands with proximity of Dubai and Northern emirates.
Benefits of business at Souk Al Marfa
Ownership of business: One of the biggest benefits of business here is 100 per cent Foreign Ownership. Usually, the UAE law of business is associated with a local sponsor. All mainland businesses required a local sponsor. Here it is not like that. No need of Local Sponsor.
Wealth Repatriation: Second benefit is that a business person can always take his wealth from business including capital to his preferred place at any time if they wish.
Strategical benefit: Logistics is at its best with this market. Lot of facilities that help smoot transition of goods, movement of people, storage, transportation, infrastructure etc. are another benefit
Fast Processing: Doing or starting a business here is easier than expected. It takes not much time with document processing. Also, DP World and Nakheel offers sufficient growth prospect for each trader.
Transportation to Al Marfa
Logistics transportation and visitor transportation has many options. Al Marfa Souk can be accessed by road and sea due to close connection with Al Hamriya and Mina Rashid. Both public and private transport can access the location.
Bus Number to Souk Al Marfa:
SM1 – The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority had started a new bus route and bus number to reach the new waterfront market in the UAE.
The bus number to the Souk is SM1. And the bus connects the place from one of the oldest stations – Dubai Gold Souk bus station in Deira. The bus uses Al Khaleej street reach both destinations. The frequency of bus is in every 60 minutes.
The bus service is a part of green protocol followed by the government by promoting public transport system. Public transport system carries mass in a single trip and reduce pollution and saves energy.
Ease of doing business at this market
The Souk Marfa is practical way of easy trading due to many reasons:
Pre-Defined and existing interconnected infrastructure system
Logistical advantage due to nearby harbor. Not only proximity of the harbor, availability of dhows near to 100 gives advantage of exporting and importing business with neighboring countries very often through the sea.
Presence of DP World as business partner
Starting and operation cost is comparatively less
No requirement of Local Sponsor.
It is a Free Zone where Souk is located. Free Zones offer 100% ownership of business and fully repatriable assets and fund. Adding work force also is easy as the system is designed to function the business smoothly.
Government fee are nominal
Single Point contact system for doing business locally and internationally:
For making documents to start the business, completing formalities, the comfortable marketing and promotion of business are centered at one point.
Banking facility at convenience. In order to promote businesses at the Souk, Banks are advised to make a lenient approach to business entities at the market. There will be no restrictions on currency movement.
Ample warehousing within the vicinity
Different Types of Clusters: Business people can select from areas where they want to do business; or where they can excel best. Clusters like Flavor, Spices, Electronics etc are there to choose from.
Development Plan of Souk
As per media reports released, the market is having 400 plus outlets are operating now in it. This is the report when opening happened on 18th August 2021. This is the first phase of its operation.
There will be more outlets coming up in next phases that will add up more than 1000 units to the current ones.
In Dubai Waterfront, the famous hotel Riu Dubai is there. One can reach the souk very easily from there.
Also, a new and very big Centara Mirage Beach resort is nearing its opening date at Dubai Water front. This too a nearby staying option while doing business at this waterfront market place.
Total Shops in the Souk
The capacity of Souk when it is fully operation is 2500 outlets of local and export businesses. It will consist of all three categories of Flavors, Spices and Lights
Exporting countries of Dubai
Dubai is world’s third largest exporting hub. In the middle east region, Dubai enjoys the status of major exporting hub for decades. Exports are mainly happening to the countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Yemen and African countries. India is also importing through Dubai. Investing in Marfa has the opportunity for having business with more than ten regions and multiple product categories etc. It will also help finding inflow of funds from other investors interested in your business. This will help increase your export business and quantity of exports.
Dhow usage for Shipment of The Souk
DP World had recently introduced a new application named NAU for dhow bookings. This application will help businesses in Souk for booking shipments through registered dhow operators.
The dhow operations are managed by DP World through its Mina Rashid and Mina Al Hamriya ports locations. These are in the vicinity of the market and this gives a better transportation facility of goods to and from the Souk.
Additionally, there are fewer paper documents now. DP World had digitalized almost all services related to port operations. This is also another advantage.
Opening Hours of Souk Al Marfa
Souk will work all seven days in the week, all 12 months during the year.
The Opening Hours of the market is 10 am to 10 pm on Sunday to Wednesday.
Thursday and Saturday, the opening hours are 10 am to 12 am
But on Fridays, market will open at 2 pm and open till 12 am
Contact Details of Souk Al Marfa
Email of Souk Marfa: info@soukalmarfa.ae
Telephone of Souk Marfa: 800 NAKHEEL
Physical Address of Marfa Souk: Deira Islands, Dubai
Social Media Contact of Souk Al Marfa:
Opening Date of Souk Al Marfa : 18th August 2021 (First Phase)
Main Attractions of the souk :
The Al Marfa market is famous for Thai Food, Street Food, Fast Food, Handicraft items and clothing.
Contact Person of the Souk:
Omar Khoory, Chief Assets & Hospitality Officer at Nakheel is the contact person for details of Souk Al Marfa