Breakbulk Middle East to return to Dubai next year

• Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
• DP World, UAE Region to remain ‘Host Port’ of the event
• The decision comes after the last, fifth annual edition proved to produce yet another year of incremental growth, industry development, and economic advancement

Under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Breakbulk Middle East (BBME) has announced that it will return to Dubai for the third consecutive year. This time, BBME 2021 will take place from the 09-10 of February 2021. DP World, UAE Region, the leading trade enabler, will once again serve as the event’s Host Port. Breakbulk Middle East has now been organised for six consecutive years, achieving a consistent year-on-year growth.

The event’s 2020 edition witnessed attendance of Arab transport ministers and government officials from Syria, Sudan, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, 3,444 visitors, and 1,663 companies from 72 countries.

H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure said: “Rapid transformation and development has taken place over the course of the last year. In regard to the UAE, some of the country’s most notable changes include having successfully elevated our global and regional maritime standing, drafting a new maritime law to suit emerging needs of the industry, and securing a second consecutive term as a Category-B Member within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council. Breakbulk Middle East has shown great promise by growing yearly, especially in Dubai, and producing tremendous results. BBME’s ability to unite industry leaders, promote collaboration, and foster necessary solutions is of great benefit to the entire industrial supply chain. With that said, we look forward to witnessing how the sixth annual edition will elevate its service offering even further to provide added contributions to the UAE.”

H.E Eng. Ahmed Sharif Al Khouri, Director General of the Federal Transportation Authority for Land and Maritime emphasised that “the UAE’s firm commitment to fostering its shipping infrastructure and functionality involves addressing key points of focus which can be greater strengthened. The successful realisation of this concept involves all aspects of the shipping industry, including optimisation of cargo transport, implementing methods of lowering operational costs while still maintaining elite efficiency, and establishing programmes, which will properly nurture the next set of maritime professionals that our Emirate will rely on for future decades.The COVID-19 crisis has been impacting every aspect of life and work. The pandemic has also underpinned the need for businesses to be agile to remain competitive. The country has demonstrated in its fight against this pandemic resilience as well its emergency response readiness, and successful planning and action. Now with a gradual return to normalcy, the nation serves as a model for how public and private collaboration is crucial in addressing challenges.”

Port Prominence

Despite the current industry challenges, the UAE is continuing its efforts to increase the country’s competitive role in global trade and the international economy. The FTA has emphasised that the country will expand the development of local ports with a total investment of AED 157 billion over the coming years. Moreover, strong collaboration between Breakbulk Middle East and DP World, UAE Region has proved to be advantageous for enhancement of the country’s competitiveness.

Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, UAE Region said: “The UAE has been among the fastest economies in the MENA region to resume commercial activities previously halted to curb the spread of COVID-19. Precautionary measures and safety protocols have been formulated for ensuring business continuity. As port development in the region reaches new heights, capitalising on opportunities is what a successful future will remain dependent upon. We are focusing on supporting businesses with multimodal connectivity through the Jebel Ali hub that offers access to a market of over 3.5 billion consumers.”

He added, “Our breakbulk industry is one of our most promising sectors and we hope to take advantage of this. Moreover, companies who remain competitive in the current market and prioritise innovation are the ones that will excel and enable greater productivity. Breakbulk Middle East has established itself as a proven platform for opening up such opportunities and encouraging values that produce results. This has been a major factor why we consistently support the event and are thrilled to once again collaborate with the aim of creating a brighter future for both the regional and global breakbulk stakeholders.”

DP World, UAE Region operates Jebel Ali Port, the largest in the Middle East and the flagship facility of DP World. As the region's largest and most sophisticated gateway, Jebel Ali Port's high degree of specialisation and purpose-built facilities handle all types of breakbulk, project cargo, Ro-Ro and other General Cargo. DP World is the Premier Global Trade Partner of Expo 2020 and the Jebel Ali Port handles all cargo bound for the Expo project. Jebel Ali Port's breakbulk, project and heavy lift capabilities are spread over 27 berths with a depth of 15 meters and 1.4 million sq m of storage area.

Preparing Prosperity Despite Challenges

Ben Blamire, Event Director of Breakbulk Middle East said: “Industries worldwide, including the evens sector, have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Almost overnight the events landscape changed and we, like so many others, have faced the harsh reality of rescheduling or postponing several international events on our calendar. We have been challenged to assess our business model and recalibrate our portfolio. However, with every challenge comes opportunity and we’ve kept moving forward, leveraging new initiatives to maintain our successful status especially in the MENA region.”

Blamire continued: “The active participation, engagement and collaboration between many of industry experts is what has helped the Breakbulk Middle East maintain its position as the fastest growing event in our global portfolio. Moreover, the numbers speak for themselves and the contributions that have been made towards forwarding the sector and enhancing the economic development of the region are highly apparent. As these quantitative results become increasingly visible over the coming months, we are excited to begin gearing up for another edition of the event which will help further solidify the standing of the UAE and extended Middle East.”

Breakbulk Masters, Breakbulk Education Day, Breakbulk AR, and Women in Breakbulk Breakfast were among the many new initiatives which Breakbulk Middle East rolled out at 2020 edition of the event. With these innovative service offerings having been highly received, more initiatives are being meticulously planned to improve the sixth edition.

Leslie Meredith, Marketing Director of Breakbulk Events & Media concluded, “Today’s climate requires constant progression across all industries. The UAE is iconic in this sense, as its success has been built upon consistent innovation. With Dubai being one of the most elite business hubs in the world, and a leading nation in maritime growth and international trade, the city has become an optimal location for Breakbulk Middle East to take place. As always, we look forward to leveraging the city’s strategic location, and reputable profile of the country to unite an even higher number of project cargo professionals. Moreover, we are eager to administer additional innovative implementations that encourage increased collaboration and standardize a forward-thinking culture for the benefit of the regional and international industrial supply chain.”

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