Agility Logistics will invest $100 million over three years to launch shipa.com, a digital platform to allow customers to manage their freight, e-commerce and urban deliveries online.

The Shipa platform has three service lines: Shipa Ecommerce, Shipa Delivery and Shipa Freight.

Shipa Ecommerce offers integrated freight, fulfilment, delivery and returns across the Arabian Gulf with additional reach into Europe and Africa planned for the near future.

Customers are cross-border retailers based in the US, Europe and Asia, as well as regional merchants based in the Middle East.

Shipa Delivery offers businesses and consumers same-day, next-day or cross-border delivery across the Arabian Gulf, and Agility says the platform is accessible by mobile or integrated with its business customers’ systems.

Shipa Freight offers small businesses instant freight quotes, and allows them to book, pay and track ocean and air shipments on any digital or mobile device.

Agility chairwoman, Henadi Al-Saleh says: “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. Shipa.com makes logistics convenient, jargon-free, trackable, accountable and accessible.”

She adds: “Logistics is the backbone of commerce. 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 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.”