Emirates SkyCargo and Emirates Post Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an e-commerce end-to-end global logistics platform.

The partnership is said by the companies to be a first-of-its-kind between an airline cargo carrier and a national postal operator, and it will focus on serving markets in the Middle East, Africa and West Asia.

The companies said the partnership would rely on the strength of Dubai as a global hub for logistics and would encourage e-commerce businesses to set up operations in the city. “Nearly two thirds of the total global population can be reached within an eight-hour flight from Dubai and this forms an attractive proposition for e-commerce players aiming to deliver goods to customers within the shortest possible time. With its sophisticated transport links, transit hubs and supply chain infrastructure, Dubai is also well positioned to handle global flows and volumes of e-commerce cargo,” the companies said.

The MoU was signed at the Dubai Airshow by Emirates’ divisional senior vice president, cargo Nabil Sultan and Emirates Post Group’s group CEO Abdulla M. Alashram.

“We are very excited to be embarking on this pioneering partnership with Emirates Post Group to create a comprehensive global platform for e-commerce, a vertical which has been steadily increasing in importance over the years including most recently during the pandemic when more and more consumers shopped online from around the world,” said Sultan.

“This partnership is part of our broader e-commerce strategy to provide support as a distribution partner to small- and medium-sized e-commerce players and other businesses, based both within and outside the UAE, who may not have the required infrastructure required to scale their business and reach a global audience. With our global network spanning six continents and our hub in Dubai capable of handling large volumes of e-commerce cargo, our widebody capacity and our frequency of flights, Emirates SkyCargo is well placed to move e-commerce goods rapidly across the world. Through this partnership, we will now also be able to draw upon the logistical and last-mile delivery expertise of EPG’s Emirates Post to create a global platform for e-commerce centred out of Dubai.”

Alashram commented: “With the fastest growing segment of postal and express distribution being in e-commerce, Emirates Post Group continues to keep up with the global trends in e-commerce and is keen to explore innovative solutions through this strategic partnership. We are delighted of the possibilities and opportunities that Emirates Post Group and Emirates SkyCargo can create together as global e-commerce continues to evolve as an industry. Our collaboration with Emirates airline reflects our commitment to continuously expand and enhance Emirates Post’s reach in postal and express services.”