Middle East cements its position in global cargo movement
Sonia Sali
In an interview with CargoTalk Middle East, Martin Bremen, Managing Director, DIMOS, discusses the evolving Middle East cargo landscape, highlighting growth across key trade corridors, shifting demand patterns, infrastructure expansion, and the region’s strengthening role in global logistics and supply chain connectivity.
After a period of shifting challenges and a wave of unprecedented events, the Middle East has further strengthened its position as a global logistics bridge by leveraging its strategic location between Asia, Europe and Africa. Continued investment in world-class airports, advanced cargo infrastructure and operational efficiency has enabled regional hubs to absorb growing cargo volumes while maintaining high service reliability, said Martin.
He added that there is particularly strong growth across the Gulf region, supported by expanding trade with Asia, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. E-commerce continues to generate substantial air cargo demand, while pharmaceutical shipments, perishables and high-value industrial goods remain key growth drivers.
New markets
African markets are becoming increasingly important as investment and trade links with the Middle East deepen. At the same time, government-backed diversification programmes across the GCC are stimulating manufacturing, logistics and export activities, creating additional cargo flows beyond traditional oil and gas sectors, he added.
Emerging trade corridors between the Middle East, Africa and Asia are opening significant opportunities for both cargo operators and logistics technology providers. As trade volumes expand, efficient cargo handling systems, automation and reliable maintenance services become increasingly important to support higher throughput and maintain operational performance.
Growth is increasingly being driven by a combination of e-commerce, pharmaceuticals and high-value industrial goods. These sectors demand speed, reliability and traceability, encouraging continued investment in automated cargo handling, digital monitoring and temperature-controlled logistics infrastructure.
At the same time, while major hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi continue to dominate regional cargo handling, the overall network is becoming increasingly diversified. Investments in secondary airports and specialised logistics facilities are allowing cargo operators to develop more flexible routing strategies and reduce dependency on a limited number of gateways. This diversification improves resilience, shortens transit times for regional markets and provides greater capacity to accommodate future growth. It also enables operators to better serve specialised cargo segments with dedicated infrastructure and customised handling capabilities, he said.
Network shift
To keep up with rising volume of shipments, companies are investing heavily in automation, digitalisation and predictive maintenance to maximise asset availability and throughput. Greater use of AI, data analytics and warehouse automation allows operators to optimise capacity, improve operational visibility and respond more quickly to fluctuating shipment volumes.
The UAE's long-term investment strategy in aviation and logistics will further strengthen its role as the region's primary logistics gateway. Continued expansion of airport capacity, smart logistics infrastructure and multimodal connectivity will attract additional international trade, encourage investment and support sustainable cargo growth across the wider Middle East.
Maintaining competitiveness will require continuous investment in infrastructure, automation and workforce development while ensuring operational flexibility. Diversified trade partnerships, advanced digital technologies and resilient maintenance strategies will enable Middle East cargo hubs to adapt quickly to changing global supply chains and customer requirements, added Martin.
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