Breakbulk Middle East, the region’s only dedicated event for the project cargo and breakbulk industry, has been postponed for 2021 and will return to the Dubai World Trade Centre next year, 01-02 February, 2022.
With continuing international lockdowns and global travel restrictions, it is not feasible to bring our customers together, many of whom come from countries outside the UAE. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our event patron, the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, for their continued support and participation, and our host port DP World, UAE Region, and as we plan a virtual event to deliver key strategic insights for the region that will take place over the 2021 event dates.
H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, The UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure said, “The breakbulk and project cargo sector represents a complex market, encompassing commodities as varied as steel and forest products, to heavy-lift shipments for wind turbines and equipment for construction work, and plays an essential role in the Middle East. The continuous initiatives of the government complemented by events like Breakbulk Middle East play a significant role in reinforcing the industry by uniting industry players and providing a platform to discuss the hardships faced. We are optimistic that the digital version of BBME 2021 will prove to be a hub for knowledge exchange and networking opportunities and an incubator for young talent, driving growth in the industry.”
Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region and CEO of Jafza said, “To ensure that the industry maintains its year-on-year growth, the contribution of Breakbulk Middle East over the years has been immense. It has given the industry a great push by encouraging vital discussions and tackling key topics. We are proud of our association with Breakbulk Middle East as the event plays an integral role in highlighting the importance of maritime trade and are eagerly looking forward to the digital version that also highlights the increasing importance of technology and digitalization in today’s world.”
Breakbulk Middle East sponsors will also be recognized in the digital special. “This has been a difficult time for all participants in the industry,” Ben Blamire, Event Director for Breakbulk Middle East said. “I applaud our customers, and our sponsors in particular, for their resiliency and leadership, and look forward to working together toward a strong 2021-22 business year.”
Breakbulk Middle East sponsors include DP World, UAE Region, Abu Dhabi Ports, Agility, MICCO Logistics, COSCO Shipping, Freightcare Logistics, ISS Global Forwarding and Al-Futtaim Logistics Company.
We will host Breakbulk Middle East Digital Special on Tuesday, 09 February and Wednesday, 10 February to bring our community together. We will feature the most important topics for the industry that address insight and strategy for new business planning in 2021 and beyond, including comments from the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.
Breakbulk’s Education Day for local students will also be conducted as part of the digital special, supported by our regional education partners: College of International Transport and Logistics at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport headquartered in Alexandria, the Academy’s branch in Sharjah, UAE, Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, Middlesex University Dubai and Jordan Academy for Maritime Studies. This will be open to students from our partner institutions. It will include educational industry sessions along with a chance to connect with Breakbulk exhibitors and shippers to prepare the next generation of project cargo and maritime professionals throughout the region This is an important commitment to the industry’s future labour force, one that we share with the government.
H.E Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdelghafar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport said, “Breakbulk Middle East is one of the key events dedicated to the project cargo sector. The event acts as a great hub to inform seasoned experts and aspiring professionals about the latest trends and the challenges the industry is facing. The fact that it brings students and experts under one roof makes the event extremely important. We are honoured to be associated with this mega-event that is striving to enlighten the younger generation, ensuring that the breakbulk and project cargo industry is in safe hands.”
A detailed schedule will be released in the coming two weeks. Of course, Breakbulk Middle East Digital Special will be free of charge, available to watch and engage live, and available on replay for those in other time zones.
