dnata, the aviation services provider within the Dubai-based Emirates Group, handled more than 1m tonnes of cargo in Dubai between April 2024 and March 2025 – the highest volume ever processed by the company over a single 12-month period.
The figure also represents a 30% increase on the previous 12-month period.
dnata operates at both Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum - Dubai World Central (DWC) airports in the emirate, currently serving more than 120 airline customers and handling a broad range of cargo including perishables, pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, live animals, aircraft engines and vehicles as well as more general cargo loads.
It has a team of more than 2,000 people working at Dubai’s two airports to provide end-to-end cargo handling services.
Guillaume Crozier, dnata’s chief cargo officer, commented: “This achievement reflects the strength of our operations and the vital role dnata plays in enabling the smooth and efficient flow of goods through the emirate.
“Our success is built on the dedication of our people and the outstanding collaboration with our industry partners and authorities, including Dubai Airports, Dubai Customs and Dubai Police,” he said, adding: “We will continue to invest in our operations to contribute to Dubai’s success and growth as a major gateway for commerce, connectivity and innovation.”
Technology and sustainability
That investment to which Crozier alluded has facilitated amongst many things the roll-out of OneCargo, its digital cargo management system.
OneCargo automates key business and operational functions, including safety and quality monitoring, reporting and ULD management, with an integrated, cloud-based platform.
AI-driven tools and analytics provide enhanced visibility on sales and business performance, allowing customers to match real-time demand with available capacity. OneCargo also eliminates redundancies and the need for manual check sheets, dnata said.
Other developments have seen the integration of autonomous drones into dnata’s operations, which significantly reduce processing times and increase accuracy in shipment tracking.
Recently, it transitioned its entire non-electric ground support equipment (GSE) fleet in Dubai to run on biodiesel. dnata also actively works to repurpose and recycle materials,
including cargo pallets and nets, supporting broader efforts to drive circularity and reduce environmental impact across the industry.
It has also invested heavily in its cargo handling infrastructure both in and beyond Dubai. This week, during the currently underway IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Dubai, dnata is going to be highlighting three major logistics facility developments that form part of its programme of global infrastructure investment worth more than U$110m.
Infrastructural developments at logistics facilities in the Netherlands, the UAE and Iraq are all set to go into operation this year.
The Dubai-based investment will see dnata Logistics develop a new 57,000m² cargo centre at Dubai South. Due for completion by the end of 2025, the facility will be able to handle up to 400,000 tonnes of cargo a year.
The fully temperature-controlled warehouse will feature a combination of very narrow and wide aisle racking, along with truck loading and offloading areas to offer maximum operational efficiency.
dnata is the host partner of the IATA World Cargo Symposium in progress in Dubai this week.
dnata executives are to take part in numerous discussions at the WCS, sharing their views on innovation, digital infrastructure and how the industry can move towards greater operational and environmental efficiency.
Growth
Today, dnata provides ground handling and cargo services at over 90 airports across 16 countries.
Over the course of the 2023-24 financial year it handled a total of 2.9m tonnes of cargo, a 5% growth on the previous financial year.
