The recent Breakbulk Middle East 2025 conference and exhibition in Dubai brought together industry leaders, experts, and professionals to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the project cargo and logistics sector.
Saudi Arabia’s Giga Projects: A Game-Changer for Project Cargo
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious giga project program is transforming the project cargo landscape in the region. With over 140 projects announced in the past year, the kingdom is investing heavily in infrastructure development, energy transition, and logistics.
According to Hisham Al-Ansari, CEO of MSC Saudi, “Achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 requires large-scale, well-planned projects. However, infrastructure development, generally, lags behind cargo movement, which increases bottlenecks.”
Innovation and Collaboration Key to Success
The panel discussion highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration, and contingency planning in the project cargo sector. Rajith Aykkara, vice president at Bahri Line, emphasized the need for reliable transportation networks, optimized warehousing, and inventory management.
Sue Donoghue, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Saudi Arabia, stressed the importance of developing local supplier networks and collaborative platforms for suppliers, contractors, and logistics providers.
Energy Transition and Renewable Energy: A Growing Opportunity
The energy transition and renewable energy sectors are gaining momentum in the Middle East, with over 140 projects announced in the past year. Ryan McPherson, regional director at the Energy Industries Council (EIC), highlighted the growth of solar and wind energy projects in the region.
However, McPherson noted that the percentage of projects reaching financial investment decision (FID) remains low, highlighting the need for industry stakeholders to address this challenge.
SECOND: Mark Scott. CREDIT: Hyve
Technology and Innovation in Logistics
The conference also explored the role of technology and innovation in logistics, with a focus on digitalization, AI, and automation. Dharmendra Gangrade, head of Larsen & Toubro’s Logistics Management Center, shared the company’s experience in implementing an integrated logistics management system (ILMS) to streamline its logistics process.
Adolph Colaco, founder and CEO of e2log, emphasized the importance of digitalization and AI in logistics, highlighting the benefits of automation, predictive analytics, and generative AI.
Conclusion
Breakbulk Middle East 2025 provided a comprehensive platform for industry stakeholders to connect, learn, and do business. The conference highlighted the growing opportunities in project cargo and logistics, particularly in the energy transition and renewable energy sectors.
As the industry continues to evolve, innovation, collaboration, and contingency planning will be key to success. With the right mindset and commitment to digitalization and AI, industry stakeholders can unlock new opportunities and drive growth in the project cargo and logistics sector.
