A total of 54,105 old and new commercial, industrial and professional companies were registered at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in the first half of this year, according to a senior official.

The figure includes 31,464 active companies. About 275 memberships were cancelled, said Abdul Aziz Al Mutawa'a, assistant director-general for membership affairs.

The monthly registration of new and renewed memberships rose by 13.5 per cent from 2000, he added. Memberships include companies licensed by Jebel Ali Free Zone and Dubai Internet City (DIC).

He also said that the registration of new companies and renewals rose from 17,528 in the first half of 2000 to 19,911 in the first half of this year.

Around 2,895 new companies, a monthly average of 482, were registered during the first half of the year, he said. Registrations of new commercial firms were the highest with 2,626, or 91 per cent.

Mutawa'a said companies that renewed their memberships included 15,924 commercial, 262 industrial, 236 professional, 232 tourism-related, 350 licensed by Jebel Ali Free Zone and eight in the Dubai Airport Free Zone.