The World Cargo Symposium brought 1,864 delegates, sponsors and exhibitors together in Dubai, for a fruitful week of networking and pushing the cargo agenda forward.

While safety, sustainability and digitalization remain key priorities for the industry, the message was clear, we cannot do it alone, we need governments, investments and our partners to work with us on this journey.

The Opening Plenary made it evident that continued collaboration is necessary to achieve these goals, and we need to do it faster by working together and embracing digitalization with all our supply chain partners. We as an industry are fundamental to air cargo, as Brendan Sullivan exemplified, “In a world that is anything but predictable, air cargo continues to deliver. Each and every day we deliver so reliably that much of what we do to power the global economy and drive prosperity is taken for granted. And through every shock, that value is illuminated for all to see.”

The Digitalization Stream was once again the main attraction of day two. Systems integration to drive visibility is what is needed. Trust and transparency along the supply chain has become even more critical. Adoption of ONE Record as the preferred industry standard for a smooth and efficient data exchange was a common theme throughout the event.

The Sustainability Stream discussed waste reduction strategies in the air cargo industry and provided examples of how the adoption of circular economy principles can transform air cargo by minimizing waste and optimizing efficiencies.

Challenges to States, Regulators, Airlines and Service Providers in the application of procedures was discussed in the Safety and Security Stream. Compliance is our business, the recent challenges faced by airlines in relation with safety and security shows our resilience, but we must unite to combat the evolving security and compliance threats.

The spotlight sessions this year highlighted Data & Technology, Pharma and Operations. Certification and validation helped the industry to be better off from a safety and security perspective and the importance of planning data, innovation, and the right software can support sustainable resource forecasting.

And to finish off the WCS week, the E-Commerce Forum, ONE Record Training and the first ULD Forum addressed best practices, requirements and benefits.

WCS proved to be yet again a successful event that brought everyone from across the air cargo supply chain together to continue to drive our industry forward. "The most amazing thing about this industry is actually what the industry does for humanity. It isn't just freight, it's how the world moves." Paul Griffith CEO Dubai Airports

Thank you to Emirates SkyCargo and Dnata for hosting this year's World Cargo Symposium!

Highlight video from the 18th World Cargo Symposium