BREAKBULK MIDDLE EAST 2025
A recap of the most prominent breakbulk & project cargo event in the gulf region
In early February 2025, the Swire Projects team attended Breakbulk Middle East. More than 7,500 professionals and 200 exhibitors from the breakbulk, heavy lift, and project cargo industry gathered for this two-day event. The seventh edition took place at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE. Our team included Namir Khanbabi (General Manager), Matthias Kremser (Head of Chartering), Siti Nurbaya Juhari (Chartering Manager), and Alireza Azghandi (Senior Chartering Manager).
In this picture, from left to right Siti Nurbaya Juhari, Namir Khanbabi, Alireza Azghandi and Matthias Kremser
The event attracts key players from the breakbulk, project cargo, and heavy lift industries, including shippers, freight forwarders, and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) companies. As a heavy lift operator active in the oil & gas and renewable energy markets, it is the perfect event to be present at to connect with all these different companies in this booming region.
Booming region for heavy lift, project and breakbulk cargo
Siti reflects about the event: “This event has gotten significantly bigger this year, so we were able to meet more regional and global freight forwarders, local agents, and even other shipowners. The Middle East and the Gulf Region is a major hub for oil & gas and is growing. At Swire Projects, we ship a variety of complex project cargoes so being able to meet a diverse group of stakeholders under one roof is great.”
Matthias added: “The event had a good attendance and high-quality market participants. The Middle East is growing in importance to the industry. The strong attendance at the event reflected a common confidence in the local markets to offer opportunities in the coming years. Additionally, the Middle East serves as a connector between Asian and European markets.”
Familiar in the Middle East with large and complex shipments
Additionally, Namir also sees that Swire Projects is getting more active in this region: “Swire Projects has proven to be a reliable partner for complex project cargo and heavy lift shipments. We are developing our collaboration in the region with big forwarders and brokers and have seen some notable shipments in the Middle East markets recently. For example, last year we shipped 24 offshore cable reels from Jubail, Saudi Arabia to Newcastle in the UK. In addition, we recently delivered around 20,000cbm of dredging equipment from Payra, Bangladesh to Jebel Ali, UAE. Meeting our customers in Dubai and sharing these projects with them emphasises that we are getting more and more traction in the Gulf region.”
Solutions to the heavy lift, project and breakbulk cargo industry
Matthias adds, “By participating in discussions, we could showcase our fleet, technical expertise, and bespoke solutions for diverse industries in the regions such as oil & gas, renewable energy, power generation, and construction.”
Breakbulk Middle East 2026 plans
“The experience at Breakbulk Middle East was very positive, and we should be present again in 2026. We are striving to become more visible at this event, allowing us to connect with key industry players and potential clients in the heavy lift and project cargo sectors. By increasing our visibility at such events, we can further establish our presence, showcase our expertise, and build stronger relationships. Me and my colleagues can’t wait to say ‘Marhaba’ next year at Breakbulk Middle East 2026”, Matthias concludes.
On behalf of the entire Swire Projects team, we would like to thank the Breakbulk Middle East crew for their excellent organisation. Do you want to learn more about how Swire Projects can support you with breakbulk, heavy lift, and project cargo to and from the Middle East? Get in touch with us at chartering@swireprojects.com - we're happy to help!
