The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) opened the Air Cargo Forum (ACF) 2025 in Abu Dhabi, with a packed plenary session for carriers, airports and logistics providers outlining current demand conditions and infrastructure plans in the region.
“It is great to see the global air cargo community coming together in a city that perfectly embodies connectivity, collaboration and innovation,” said Stanislas Brun, Etihad Airways’ Chief Cargo Officer. “Abu Dhabi is a city built on vision and partnership, and a bridge between East and West, where progress meets purpose.
“Our commitment to innovation continues by investing in digital transformation, including our intelligent technology solutions, providing real-time visibility, predictive visibility and productivity management to deliver a smarter customer experience.”
Speaking to the audience, outgoing TIACA President, Stephen Polmans, cited the addition of Abu Dhabi to his conference locations as a reflection of the strength of operations in the Middle East: “We have made the bold decision to make this an annual global gathering with two fixed locations, Miami and Abu Dhabi. The Middle East has long been an engine of growth for our industry, and will continue to be so.”
“Our ambition for this event is high. We want the Abu Dhabi Forum to grow and stand alongside the Miami edition as a key platform for collaboration, innovation and leadership in our industry.”
Infrastructure and capacity expansion
As attendees arrived in Abu Dhabi via Terminal A at Zayed International Airport, which opened two years ago, the growth and development of the airport was clear to everyone even before the conference began. Abu Dhabi Airports was keen to emphasize this progress, as it looks to capitalize on freight and passenger growth trends.
Carsten Norland, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “We are the key enabler of economic growth and diversification in Abu Dhabi, and play a central role in accelerating the emirate’s growth as a global connectivity point.” “We have just celebrated that we have carried more than 31 million passengers in the past 12 months.
“In 2024, we grew our shipping business by more than 21 percent, and we are now more than 700,000 tons,” he said.
The Middle East freight terminal, scheduled to open in late 2027, aims to expand handling capacity and support integrated logistics services. Norland explained, “This advanced station will extend over an area of approximately 90,000 square meters and is designed to handle up to 1.5 million tons of cargo.” “We are working to create an ecosystem where airports, airlines and commercial partners move as one to unlock all the new requirements we see.”
Collaboration and industry priorities
The sector’s long-term resilience depends on common planning approaches, harmonization of operational standards, and continuous changes in supply patterns and inventory strategy that require coordinated air freight, warehousing and distribution capabilities.
“Your presence here reflects strength, resilience and the ability to improve the spirit of carbon destiny,” said Gibran Al-Bariki, CEO of Velora. “Collaboration and knowledge sharing are more important than ever,” he said.
“It is great to see the global air cargo community coming together in a city that perfectly embodies connectivity, collaboration and innovation,” Bruhn concluded.
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