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fuel-efficient engines, which reduces
our carbon footprint. In the short term,
we have made considerable strides in
reducing plastic waste by eliminating 41
single-use plastic items by 2020, prevent-
ing 17 tonnes of waste from reaching
landfills. Following the introduction of our
enhanced economy experience, we've
achieved an 80% reduction in single-use
plastics, removing nearly 100 plastic items
from our aircraft," added Brun.

The booming data centre
market
Adding to the growth opportunities, the
from $369 million in 2020 to $1.7 billion data centre boom in the Middle East is cre-
by 2025, at a CAGR of 35.2%, according to ating a surge in air cargo demand. The re-
Markets and Markets. gion's strategic location and government
"Our focus on enhancing cool chain logis- incentives are attracting major data centre
tics enabled us to achieve a 37% increase in investments, projected to reach USD 8.38
PharmaLife shipments and a 10% increase billion by 2028, according to a report by
in FreshForward shipments in 2023. We Arizton Advisory & Intelligence.
inaugurated a new pharma hub, doubling Recent comments by OpenAI CEO Sam
our cool chain storage and handling Altman suggest that the Middle East is
capacity, enhancing our ability to manage being considered as a potential location
temperature-sensitive shipments. Establish- for a global network of AI chip fabrication
ing Pharma Corridor 2.0 and Fresh Corridor The UAE's proximity plants. This development could further
2.0 have increased our volumes and set new accelerate the data centre boom and
standards in transparency, traceability, and to significant global magnify the demand for efficient air cargo
trackability within the sector," stated Brun. markets allows services in the region.
Highlighting the efficient use of AI Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Ora-
at dnata facilities, Crozier added, “The Etihad Cargo to reach cle, and Equinix are setting up data centres
software of our partner, Gather AI, enables in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Ara-
our drones to map the environment, col- about one-third of the bia. These multi-billion dollar projects re-
lect inventory data, count cases, measure world's population quire massive shipments of IT equipment,
temperature, and read barcodes using cooling systems, and other infrastructure
only their cameras, without the need for within a four-hour components. Specialised air cargo services
any additional active infrastructure. With are emerging to meet this demand, ensur-
routine tasks automated with AI, human flight and two-thirds ing secure and expedited transportation of
resources can be allocated to more com- within an eight-hour critical hardware to minimise data centre
plex responsibilities, ultimately improving downtime, highlighting the strong synergy
overall workforce productivity.” flight, enabling us to between the growing data centre industry
Sustainability and transport cargo quickly and the air cargo sector in the Middle East.
As airlines and cargo carriers in the
environmental initiatives and efficiently. Middle East continue to invest in technol-
Amidst the growth and expansion, airlines ogy, adapt to changing market dynamics,
and cargo carriers in the Middle East are Stanislas Brun and foster industry collaborations, they
also taking proactive steps towards sus- Etihad Cargo are well-positioned to capitalise on the
tainable operations to reduce their envi- trends shaping the future of air cargo. By
ronmental footprint. The aviation industry Emirates SkyCargo has committed to addressing the challenges of competition,
aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions reducing its emissions intensity by 20% by geopolitical risks, and sustainability con-
by 2050, according to IATA. 2030, compared to 2018 levels. cerns, while offering specialised services
Carriers in the region are investing in "In line with Abu Dhabi Environment and innovative solutions, the Middle East
fuel-efficient aircraft, exploring alterna- Vision 2030 and IATA industry targets, our is poised to become a leading player in
tive fuel sources, implementing waste approach includes a mid-term strategy the global air cargo market, facilitating
management programmes, and adopting of renewing our fleet with aircraft that seamless trade and connecting busi-
green logistics practices. For example, feature lighter structures and more nesses worldwide. 

www.stattimes.com | MAY 2024 23