E-commerce platforms and AI startups are under a sharper spotlight as automation deepens its role in online retail, with one fast-growing software firm facing governance questions even as a major commerce platform discloses a steep rise in AI-assisted transactions. The twin developments underline both the speed of adoption and the growing expectations around transparency and leadership as artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to core operations. Shopify has […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai GivTrade has rolled out a major regional brand campaign in collaboration with Spain’s top professional league, LaLiga, designed to amplify its visibility across the Middle East and North Africa during key league fixtures featuring marquee clubs such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. The marketing drive places GivTrade prominently on broadcast screens and digital channels during match coverage, giving the trading […]
Mubadala Investment Company has sold its minority holding in Arcadia Consumer Healthcare, completing its exit from the United States-based consumer health and wellness platform alongside the company’s acquisition by funds managed by Bansk Group. The transaction marks a change in ownership for Arcadia and reflects shifting investment strategies across the global consumer health sector, where private equity interest has intensified amid consolidation and portfolio reshaping. Arcadia, headquartered […]
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 January 2026 – Dachser, a global logistics provider with over 90 years of experience, recently hosted a customer event in Bangkok, Thailand, bringing together customers and industry stakeholders to discuss the 2026 air and sea freight market outlook and the role of Supply Chain Optimization in navigating a challenging global trade environment.
Philipp Ramsbacher, Team Leader Supply Chain Optimization at Dachser, says today’s supply chains are too complex to rely on assumptions or past patterns. Data-driven simulation, rather than guesswork, helps create transparency, align expectations, and design logistics networks.
The event highlighted key developments shaping international trade flows, including geopolitical tensions, evolving sourcing strategies, capacity dynamics, and cost developments across air and sea freight markets. The discussions also underscored the growing importance of structured Supply Chain Optimization as companies adapt their logistics networks to changing market conditions.
“After several years of volatility, the air freight market is gradually moving toward a more balanced environment,” said Daniel Chua, Head of Air Freight, Air & Sea Logistics Asia Pacific at Dachser. “While demand fundamentals remain positive, careful capacity planning and realistic forecasting will be increasingly important as the market continues to normalize.”
In air freight, Dachser expects demand in 2026 to grow at a single-digit rate, supported by moderate capacity expansion and a normalization of rate patterns. While stable yields are anticipated, growth will continue to be driven by e-commerce, electronics – particularly AI-related components – and pharmaceuticals, alongside a structural shift of trade lanes toward Southeast Asia.
In sea freight, Dachser forecasts global demand growth to slow below three percent in 2026, despite continued strength in intra-Asia trade and Asia-Europe volumes. While fleet growth remains significant, supply and demand are relatively balanced, supported by blank sailings and vessel scrapping. Freight rates are expected to stabilize into early 2026, although uncertainty remains due to high operating costs and ongoing geopolitical developments.
“Even as rates soften, the market remains far from predictable,” said Eunice Yu, Head of Ocean Freight, Air & Sea Logistics Asia Pacific at Dachser. “Flexibility, diversified routing options, and realistic lead-time planning are essential for building resilient supply chains in the year ahead.”
Beyond outlooks: enabling resilience through Supply Chain Optimization
Beyond market analysis, Dachser sees that supply chains increasingly depend on structured, data-driven planning by taking a Supply Chain Optimization approach, which supports customers in analyzing, modeling, and redesigning logistics networks based on real operational data.
Philipp Ramsbacher, Team Leader of Supply Chain Optimization at Dachser says, “By applying Supply Chain Optimization with data-driven simulation, Dachser enables customers to evaluate scenarios, align stakeholders, and develop optimized and implementable supply chain solutions. These solutions help design logistics networks that are robust, efficient, and sustainable.”
Projects showcased during the event demonstrated measurable improvements, including cost savings, reduced CO₂ emissions, and enhanced delivery performance, underscoring the value of a structured Supply Chain Optimization approach.
With integrated air, sea, and contract logistics solutions and its strong presence across Asia Pacific as well as a well-established European road logistics backbone, Dachser continues to support customers navigate changing market conditions while strengthening long-term supply chain performance.
Hashtag: #Dachser
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Dachser
Dachser, a family-owned company headquartered in Kempten, Germany, provides transport logistics, warehousing, and customized services in two business fields: Dachser Air & Sea Logistics and Dachser Road Logistics. The latter consists of two business lines: Dachser European Logistics and Dachser Food Logistics. Comprehensive contract logistics services and industry-specific solutions round out the company’s range. A seamless shipping network—both in Europe and overseas—and fully integrated IT systems ensure intelligent logistics solutions worldwide.
Thanks to some 37,300 employees at 433 locations all over the globe, Dachser generated consolidated net revenue of approximately EUR 8 billion in 2024. The same year, the logistics provider handled a total of 83.2 million shipments with a tonnage of 44.1 million metric tons. Country organizations represent Dachser in 43 countries. For more information about Dachser, please visit dachser.com
In the DACHSER magazine, you will regularly find up-to-date reports, articles, and interviews on topics that concern us today and tomorrow: magazine.dachser.com
Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority has brought into force a sweeping set of legal changes that widen access to property ownership for foreign companies and expatriate residents, marking a significant shift in how the Kingdom regulates and opens its real estate market. The new framework, effective from January 22, integrates these provisions into the national real estate legislative system, making all rules immediately enforceable under a […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Ras Abu Fontas Power, the company behind one of Qatar’s key power and water infrastructure projects, has secured a financing agreement worth about $990 million with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, strengthening the long-term funding base for the Facility E power and desalination project south of Doha. The JBIC funding represents part of a larger co-financing package totalling approximately $2.97 billion, assembled […]
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Digital Twin Consortium has published a set of interoperable digital twin frameworks aimed at reshaping how multimodal transport networks are planned, operated and scaled, marking a shift away from fragmented pilots toward coordinated system-wide deployment. The guidance, released as part of the consortium’s evolving technical reference architecture, sets out common models, interfaces and data-sharing principles designed to allow digital twins across roads, rail, ports and aviation to […]
Ras Al Khaimah has enacted a new law establishing a comprehensive legal and technical framework for the testing, deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles, positioning the northern emirate among the jurisdictions in the region seeking to regulate emerging transport technologies with an emphasis on safety, security and data protection. The legislation, approved by the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, lays out the conditions under which autonomous vehicles […]
Bamboo shoots, long treated as a niche ingredient outside parts of East and Southeast Asia, are gaining fresh scientific attention after a comprehensive academic review highlighted their potential as a functional food with broad health benefits. The analysis, described by scholars as the first of its kind to focus exclusively on bamboo as a food source, suggests that the young shoots of the fast-growing plant may play […]
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has become the first Emirati brand to secure a spot among the world’s 100 most valuable brands, highlighting its expanding global footprint and brand strength. The Brand Finance annual league table shows ADNOC’s brand value climbed 11 per cent year-on-year to US$21.13 billion for 2026, marking growth of more than 350 per cent since 2017 and placing it ahead of a number […]
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UNESCO has approved an emergency assistance package worth about US$740,000 to help safeguard cultural heritage sites in Vietnam threatened by climate stress, environmental degradation and development pressures, according to officials briefed on the decision. The funding is designed to support urgent conservation work, technical assessments and community-led protection measures at vulnerable locations across the country.
The package, cleared under UNESCO’s emergency assistance mechanisms, will prioritise sites exposed to flooding, erosion and extreme weather, challenges that have intensified along Vietnam’s long coastline and river systems. Heritage specialists involved in the programme said the initiative aims to stabilise damaged structures, document at-risk artefacts and strengthen local capacity to respond to future threats, rather than focus solely on restoration.
Vietnam is home to eight UNESCO-recognised World Heritage properties, including Ha Long Bay, the Complex of Hué Monuments, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary. Many of these sites combine natural and built heritage, making them particularly sensitive to environmental change and tourism pressures. Officials familiar with the emergency package said the funding will be channelled to areas where immediate intervention can prevent irreversible loss.
UNESCO representatives said the programme reflects a broader shift towards preventative heritage protection, integrating scientific monitoring with traditional conservation practices. Technical teams are expected to work alongside Vietnamese authorities to conduct rapid risk assessments, improve drainage and structural support where needed, and deploy digital documentation tools to create detailed records of vulnerable assets.
Climate-related risks have become a growing concern for heritage managers in Southeast Asia. Rising sea levels threaten coastal archaeological remains, while heavier rainfall has increased the frequency of landslides and subsidence in historic towns. In Vietnam’s central regions, typhoons have repeatedly damaged ancient structures, prompting calls for faster international support mechanisms.
Cultural officials in Hanoi have welcomed the assistance, noting that emergency funding complements longer-term conservation programmes already under way. Vietnam has invested heavily in heritage tourism over the past decade, positioning historic sites as key economic drivers for local communities. However, the pace of visitor growth has also strained infrastructure and conservation budgets, particularly at smaller or less prominent locations.
Experts involved in the UNESCO initiative said community engagement would be central to the programme’s success. Local residents, custodians and artisans are expected to take part in risk-mitigation planning and training, ensuring that emergency measures align with traditional knowledge and livelihoods. This approach is intended to reduce dependence on external interventions while strengthening stewardship at the grassroots level.
The emergency package also includes provisions for knowledge-sharing with other countries facing similar challenges. UNESCO officials said lessons from Vietnam’s experience will inform future responses in the region, where heritage sites increasingly sit at the intersection of climate vulnerability and rapid economic development.
International heritage bodies have emphasised that emergency assistance is not a substitute for sustained conservation funding. While the US$740,000 allocation is modest compared with the scale of risks, specialists said it can play a critical role in stabilising sites and buying time for more comprehensive interventions. The funds are expected to be disbursed in phases, with progress reviews guiding subsequent activities.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The United Arab Emirates’ hospitality sector has posted a substantial rise in hotel revenues in 2025, with total takings reaching around AED 44.4 billion for the period from January to November, marking an 8.8 per cent uplift compared with the same span a year earlier, driven by stronger average daily rates and robust demand across key markets. This performance underscores the UAE’s ongoing […]
India’s largest information technology services firms together reported a net reduction of close to 3,000 employees in the third quarter of the 2025–26 financial year, underscoring a structural shift in hiring as companies rebalance workforces around artificial intelligence, cloud platforms and higher-value digital engineering.
Quarterly disclosures showed that headcount at several bellwether firms edged lower despite stable deal pipelines. The combined net decline, modest by historical standards, contrasted sharply with the aggressive campus hiring and broad-based workforce expansion that defined the sector for more than a decade. Executives and analysts pointed to a “barbell” pattern in demand, with strong hiring at the high end for niche digital and AI skills and limited intake, or attrition-led pruning, in legacy application maintenance and commoditised services.
At Tata Consultancy Services, the country’s largest IT services exporter by revenue, total employee strength slipped during the quarter as voluntary attrition stayed elevated in certain service lines and fresh hiring remained selective. Infosys also reported a marginal fall in headcount, reflecting a focus on utilisation, internal redeployment and productivity improvements rather than large-scale lateral recruitment. Wipro and HCLTech posted similar trends, with management teams emphasising skill transformation over volume growth.
The net reduction came even as revenue growth stabilised sequentially for most firms, helped by cost optimisation deals, vendor consolidation and demand for cloud migration. Industry executives said the hiring slowdown was not a signal of weakening fundamentals but a recalibration after years of overcapacity built during the post-pandemic surge in digital spending.
What is different this cycle, analysts argue, is the depth of the technology shift reshaping delivery models. Generative AI tools, low-code platforms and automation frameworks are beginning to decouple revenue growth from headcount expansion. Routine coding, testing and support tasks are increasingly automated, reducing the need for large teams, while boosting productivity per employee.
This dynamic has produced the barbell model now widely discussed in boardrooms. On one end, firms are competing fiercely for specialists in data engineering, AI model deployment, cybersecurity, semiconductor design services and advanced cloud architecture. On the other, demand for entry-level roles tied to traditional application development and infrastructure support has softened, leading to fewer campus offers and limited backfilling of exits.
Management commentary during earnings calls reinforced this shift. Several chief executives highlighted large internal reskilling programmes, with tens of thousands of employees undergoing training in AI, machine learning and cloud-native technologies. The emphasis has moved from hiring for scale to building depth in targeted capabilities that command higher billing rates and longer-term client commitments.
Client behaviour has also played a role. Enterprises in North America and Europe, which account for the bulk of export revenues, continue to scrutinise technology budgets amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Discretionary projects have faced delays, while spending has been redirected toward efficiency-led initiatives where automation is central. This has compressed demand for traditional staff-augmentation models that once absorbed large numbers of engineers.
Despite the headline job losses, the sector remains a major employer, with total headcount across the top firms still running into the millions. Analysts caution against interpreting the quarterly decline as a broad-based contraction. Instead, they see a transition phase in which workforce pyramids are being reshaped to align with evolving client needs and delivery economics.
Wage dynamics reflect the same adjustment. Salary hikes have been measured, variable pay has been linked more closely to utilisation and skill relevance, and onsite deployments have been rationalised. At the same time, niche talent continues to command premiums, widening pay dispersion within firms.
Vertiv has unveiled an artificial intelligence-based predictive maintenance service designed to help data centre operators manage the growing operational strain created by high-density computing and AI-driven workloads. The service, branded Vertiv Next Predict, is positioned as a response to the rising complexity of power and cooling infrastructure as operators race to support advanced computing environments. The company said the new platform uses machine learning models, real-time sensor […]
Bitcoin slipped below a widely watched technical floor this week, extending a pullback that traders say reflects broader unease over global macro conditions even as large holders quietly add to positions. The move saw the largest cryptocurrency trade under a descending support line associated with a bearish flag formation, a pattern often read as a continuation signal after a sharp run-up. Market participants pointed to a mix […]
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Dubai’s First-Time Home Buyer programme has delivered a sharp lift to residential ownership, with more than 2,000 residents buying their first home within six months and generating over Dhs3.25bn in property transactions, according to figures released by the Dubai Land Department. The take-up underscores the initiative’s early traction and signals a policy-driven broadening of access to ownership across the emirate’s diverse resident base. Launched in July 2025, […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai has approved a Dh12.8bn expansion of Dubai Silicon Oasis, signalling a renewed push to scale the emirate’s knowledge economy and deepen its appeal to global technology, research and advanced manufacturing firms. The programme was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and positions the zone for a new phase […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has moved to reinforce its ambitions as a regional hub for medical tourism by convening a specialised forum examining the legal and regulatory foundations that underpin the sector, with a focus on aligning local legislation with international best practice while safeguarding patient rights and encouraging sustainable investment. Hosted virtually by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the forum brought together legal […]
Jewellery manufacturers, designers and traders from across three continents are set to converge in Sharjah as the Jewels of Emirates Show 2026 opens on 28 January at the Expo Centre Sharjah, positioning the emirate as a key meeting point for the regional and global jewellery trade at the start of the year. Organisers say the four-day exhibition will feature about 180 exhibitors representing the Middle East, Asia […]
Matein Khalid Marriott (MAR) is the world’s preeminent hospitality business with 1.7 million hotel rooms located in 9800 properties in 140 countries. Sadly, its shares were a Cinderella last year, underperforming the S&P 500 index with only a 14% return due to the decline in inbound foreign travel to the US triggered by Trump’s tariff threats, immigration crackdown and restrictive visa rules. Hopefully, Marriott will prove a […]