MIDDLE EAST PLAYERS SCORE AT ACE 2023

No sooner had the first of the more than 75,000 visitors from over 120 countries streamed into transport logistic 2023, staged from 9 to 12 May after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, than many made their way to halls B1 and B2 to enjoy air cargo Europe. Four trade fair days, full halls, exhibitors and visitors from all over the world and a dynamic industry still on the rise – from May 9 to 12, 2023, transport logistic and the integrated air cargo Europe were once again the centre point of the air logistics industry.

Some 2,300 exhibitors from 67 countries at the event included many from the Middle East region. Among the group were some of the most important and well-known names in air cargo, air freight forwarding and ground handling.

The share of international visitors rose to over 50%, the highest ever and the number of visitors from the Middle East helped to boost this total.

Martin Drew, SVP global sales and cargo, Etihad Airways, said: “transport logistics and air cargo Europe delivered on their promise to be the largest scale events in this year’s air cargo calendar. It was a pleasure to spend time with our partners and customers, reconnecting in one place, strengthening existing partnerships and forging new relationships that will benefit not only our operations but the wider air cargo community.”

Among the Middle Eastern operators who were in Munich were Turkish Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, Bahrain Airport, Celebi Cargo, dnata, Egyptianair Cargo, Etihad Cargo, Good Logistics, MNG Airline, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Sharjah Airport, ULS Airlines Cargo and Saudia Cargo who was present on the Sky Team Cargo stand.

Confidence on a high note

The Middle Eastern players travelled the hundreds of kilometres to Munich to set out stalls that closely reflected their confidence in the airfreight industry’s prospects in the near future. An industry insider from the region quipped that as there had been no physical trade shows since 2020 each operator had a substantial war-chest they could spend on their stands. Indeed, it was clear that certain players had spent tens of thousands of dollars on their stands.

Oman Air participated with a dedicated booth, where it showcased its innovative solutions and upcoming plans, including its first freighter that is expected during Q4 2023.

“The air cargo industry is experiencing a remarkable surge and Oman is well-positioned to capitalise on this trend with its strategic location and its focus on logistics as a cornerstone of economic diversification. Our efforts to transform Oman into a global logistics hub have yielded impressive results, and we continue to achieve record growth, a testament to our unwavering commitment to keeping pace with emerging technologies and meeting the ever-increasing demand for air cargo services,” said Jaffar Al Lawati, vice president –commercial cargo at Oman Air.

With total exhibition space of 127,000 sq m, the ten halls and the the outdoor area were completely booked out. Of the 2,320 exhibitors, 1,390 came from abroad—a record share of 60%. The top ten exhibitor countries after Germany included one from the Middle East. They were Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, France, Austria, China, Turkey, Spain, Poland and Great Britain.

Regional air cargo hub plans

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), showcased the airport’s facilities and services at air cargo Europe 2023. The BAC’s delegation, led by chief development and technical officer Abdulla Janahi, highlighted BIA’s competitive advantages as a regional air cargo hub. These advantages include the offerings of the upcoming Cargo Express Village. Janahi said: “We are pleased with the outcome of our participation in air cargo Europe 2023 and are confident that the event will help us achieve our goal of building BIA’s reputation as a leading air cargo hub in the region. The launch of the new Cargo Express Village will increase Bahrain International Airport’s capacity to 1.6 million tonnes. Phase one of the project will be completed by the end of 2023, putting us in an even stronger position to forge new connections with key players and meet the evolving demands of the air cargo sector.” He added: “Designed to support Bahrain’s vision of becoming one of the world’s leading air cargo hubs by 2030, the facility will streamline cargo operations at BIA. With dedicated zones for specific types of operations, it will offer a wider range of facilities and services, making it easier and faster for companies to reach their customers across the region and beyond. The Cargo Express Village will also allow us to keep pace with rising local and regional demand for e-commerce and express cargo services.”