Opening the World Cargo Symposium in Dubai, Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President at Emirates SkyCargo, has highlighted the industry’s focus on navigating various global trade headwinds.
Speaking to the assembled delegates, Abbas declared that: “We won’t speculate on the impact of tariffs on global trade just yet, but our collective focus as an industry needs to be on building systems that can withstand future shocks, whether geopolitical, economic or environmental.”
Looking to redefine the future of air cargo and contribute to the prosperity of the global economy, Emirates SkyCargo is looking to use the event to connect with colleagues and customers, while discussing how the carrier and industry wide can address some of the most pressing challenges.
“We see every challenge as an opportunity to innovate and lead by embracing cutting edge technology, building a culture of resilience, and, of course, expanding our network, fleet and product portfolio,” he continued.
Event focus
Labelling the next decade as “transformative” for the airfreight industry, Abbas pointed to the themes of this year’s symposium that will shape the sector to come: digitalisation, safety and security, and sustainability.
Having been on the industry’s radar for many years, digitalisation is a focus throughout the conference, as attendees look to harness emerging technology and digital tools, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to build a future of seamless, intelligent and adaptive logistics.
Commodity wise, the airfreight industry sees an increasing demand for e-commerce, along with more specialised and technical products, such as personalised healthcare or highly specialised medical devices, Transporting these goods safely, securely and efficiently, will also, naturally, remain a priority for every stakeholder across the supply chain.
The implementation of impactful and meaningful sustainable initiatives is also set to underpin operations to usher in this future. Partnerships and collaboration will be essential to this and that is expected to be a key priority throughout the event.
“Dubai offers unparalleled access to dynamic economies. Our city’s location enables carriers like us to seamlessly reach two thirds of the world’s population within an eight hour flight,” Abbas declared.
“Over 100 airlines operate here, providing an extensive web of air transport options for goods. We are building on an economic agenda that has laid the path for the city to become a top five multimodal global logistics hub, excelling in connectivity, services and operations. Dubai is where the future happens.”
