Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Informa Markets and the National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) signed an agreement to collaborate and support the upcoming Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East (SMLME) event, the flagship event of the UAE Maritime Week. Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the leading maritime and logistics event in the region is scheduled to take place on 16-18 May 2023, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

NAFL is a non-profit organisation established in 1992 to support and promote the freight and logistics industry in the UAE. The Association was formed primarily to bring together in one body all the major players in the nation’s freight forwarding, logistics, and shipping industry, as well as to represent and promote the interests of its members. Its main goal is to ensure the UAE's leading position and Dubai's pre-eminence in the international freight and transportation fields.

In line with its ambitions, and as a result of its long-standing experience in supporting the logistics sector in the country, NAFL aims to promote the newly introduced logistics element of SMLME through this partnership, and provide strategic support to enhance the event’s value to the local, regional, and global maritime industry. Additionally, as part of the agreement, the Association will facilitate the promotion of SMLME to its extensive network of industry professionals, while Informa Markets will provide NAFL with the status of "Supporting Organisation" for the event.

Building resilience in the logistics segment

Speaking about the partnership and its potential to enhance the impact of the event Nadia Abdul Aziz, President, National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) said: "We are well aware of the fact that the UAE is home to some of the busiest ports in the world, including Jebel Ali Port and Khalifa Port, which handle millions of TEUs cargo every year, making it a leading regional and global trade hub. The nation’s logistics market is a multi-billion-dollar industry, growing rapidly year-after-year. Which is why, we find it important to support the growth and progress of logistics organisations in the country through associations such as NAFL. Through our partnership with Informa Markets for SMLME, we look forward to providing our members with an opportunity to capitalise on the massive network of the event to engage with industry leaders, connect with peers, and discover new business opportunities."

Sudesh Chaturvedi, Secretary General, National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) emphasised: "The pandemic and recent geopolitical tensions had a significant impact on the logistics industry across the globe, leading to disruptions in supply chains and changes in consumer behaviour. However, the industry has shown resilience and adaptability in the face of these challenges, and events such as SMLME have enabled the sector to come together on a common platform, and devise the right kind of solutions to the most pressing concerns. Our participation in SMLME as its “Supporting Organisation” is a testament to our commitment to catalyse the progress of players in the logistics and shipping industry. We are confident that this partnership will help us reemphasise our goals and ambitions, reach a wider audience, and showcase the critical role that NAFL plays in driving the growth of the sector as a whole."

Emma Howell, Middle East Development Director, Informa Markets Maritime & Cruise portfolio stressed: "Ever since we announced logistics as a new element for our event, we were well aware of the fact that we would need an industry player like NAFL to support the success of this new vertical. With NAFL on board to support SMLME, we will be able to reach out to a much larger network of logistics companies, that has been built over the course of more than 30 years, understand the specific needs and concerns of each of these players, and accordingly, plan our sessions. This understanding itself will help us cement the position of our event as a think-tank for the sector, and offer greater value to its attendees.”

Chris Morley, Group Director, Seatrade Maritime added: "We are really looking forward to receiving the support of NAFL for SMLME, and believe that this collaboration will help us deliver a world-class event. With the Association promoting our event to their massive network of members, we will be expecting an ocean of attendees representing several logistics companies from across the UAE and the Middle East, ensuring the success of the event as a ‘the place to be’ for the region’s maritime and logistics industry.”