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Rhenus opens Dubai Humanitarian hub office

Rhenus has opened an emergency aid and relief logistics office within the Dubai Humanitarian hub to manage air, ocean and road freight aid operations. The office was inaugurated on 14 October and follows the launch of Rhenus' humanitarian logistics offering in the UAE earlier this year. Dubai Humanitarian describes itself as the only non-profit, independent, humanitarian free zone authority. It hosts a community of around 80 members comprised of UN organisations, non-profits and non-governmental organisations, in addition to commercial companies. Since the start of this year, Rhenus has established activities within Dubai Humanitarian, developed regional and cross-border transport solutions, secured its Dubai Humanitarian free zone license and expanded its network of humanitarian partners. From Dubai Humanitarian, the Rhenus aid & relief team will manage air, ocean and road freight for essential relief supplies, including medical products, pharmaceuticals, food aid, shelter materials and emergency response equipment. "Dubai Humanitarian brings together many of the organisations that play a vital role in humanitarian response. Being part of this community allows us to work more closely with our partners and better support their logistics requirements when and where they are needed," said Hassan Alzeer, managing director, Rhenus Middle East. Giuseppe Saba, chief executive and board member of Dubai Humanitarian, added: "In humanitarian preparedness and response, proximity is more than a logistical advantage as it can be an operational necessity. "Rhenus Logistics' presence within Dubai Humanitarian reinforces the value of our ecosystem where humanitarian actors and logistics partners work side by side, strengthening coordination, efficiency and the capacity to respond when it matters most." Sayid Kunhipurayil, logistics development manager, aid & relief, Rhenus Middle East, further stated: "Humanitarian shipments often move under intense time pressure and through complex operating environments. "Our role is to bring structure, reliability and practical logistics expertise to those moments, helping organisations plan the right route, secure capacity and move essential supplies as efficiently as possible."

How AI will transform freight forwarding beyond the hype

AI is everywhere in logistics right now, but what does it actually mean for freight forwarding? In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone speaks to Erik Muttersbach, founder of Zauber and former Forto technology executive, about where AI and agentic AI really stand today, what is already happening in forwarding, and what could change over the next three to five years. Erik shares what he is learning from real-world deployments with customers, tackles some of the biggest misconceptions around AI, and explains why adoption and change management may be just as important as the technology itself. They also discuss the buy-versus-build question, the patterns Erik has seen across a decade of technology adoption in forwarding, and how companies can separate genuine AI capability from the hype. Looking ahead, what will AI actually change across the forwarding value chain - and which parts of the industry will prove hardest to transform? Watch the episode on YouTube and subscribe so you never miss an update!

Silk Way West continues digital service roll out

Baku-hubbed cargo airline Silk Way West has continued to expand its digital service through the placement of its capacity on the CargoAi platform. The partnership will see Silk Way West offer capacity, real-time rates, and eBooking services across key markets in the US, Europe and Asia through CargoAi's CargoMart third-party booking portal. The integration enables bookings for general cargo, lithium batteries, and dangerous goods through CargoMART, and direct connections to Transport Management Systems via CargoCONNECT. The development will provide "greater visibility, automation, and reach across multiple booking environments throughout the airline's service network", the carrier said. Silk Way West said the partnership is the next step in its digital transformation and reflects the airline's broader strategy to make its cargo capacity and services "increasingly accessible through the digital environments used by freight forwarders worldwide". "Expanding our digital distribution in retail is an important part of how we continue to evolve our customer experience," said Wolfgang Meier, president of Silk Way West Airlines. "Through our partnership with CargoAi, freight forwarders now have another way to access our capacity, rates, and services through the digital channels they use every day. By making our offering more visible and easier to book, we are creating a more efficient customer journey while continuing to strengthen the digital capabilities of our global network." Matthieu Petot, founder and chief executive of CargoAi, added: "By combining Silk Way West Airlines' dedicated widebody freighter capacity and global network with CargoAi's digital ecosystem, we are making capacity and pricing more easily accessible to freight forwarders across multiple booking environments. "This expanded integration creates more opportunities for forwarders to connect with Silk Way West Airlines while supporting the airline's continued digital growth." As well as investing in its digital presence, the airline has also made several moves regarding its fleet of freighters in the last couple of years. At the start of the year, a brand new Boeing 777 was delivered to Baku directly from the Boeing factory in Seattle. It is the fourth of six of the model ordered by Silk Way West. The remaining two aircraft are due to be delivered next year. Meanwhile, in late 2025, Silk Way West has exercised options for two A350F freighters, completing its planned four-aircraft order as part of its fleet renewal programme.