UAE scores high on emerging markets logistics index

The UAE is ranked No. 1 in the GCC and third globally in the annual 'Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index'.

It is also ranked first overall in terms of 'business fundamentals' and 'digital readiness', which is a new category.

The index of 50 countries is based on a survey of 756 supply chain industry professionals.

It ranks countries for overall competitiveness based on their logistics strengths, business climates and, for the first time, their digital readiness -- factors that make them attractive to logistics providers, freight forwarders, air and ocean carriers, distributors and investors.

Overall, Saudi Arabia (6) and Qatar (7) also ranked among the top 10 emerging markets in the 2022 Index, which was led by China (1) and India (2).

الإمارات في المركز الثالث عالمياً في في مؤشر أجيليتي اللوجستي السنوي للأسواق الناشئة 2022، وتتصدر فئتي
أفضل بيئات ممارسة الأعمال و الجهوزية الرقمية. https://t.co/bDjiwrqLG7 pic.twitter.com/05nrQNGIgZ

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 8, 2022

Most logistics industry executives see moderate-to-strong economic growth and little or no chance of recession in 2022, even without immediate relief from the snarled supply chains and high ocean and air freight rates triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Roughly two-thirds of the industry professionals surveyed for the index believe shippers will see cargo rates come down by the end of the year.

Eighty-per cent see port bottlenecks, air capacity shortages and trucking issues easing by year end.

"The industry’s optimism reflects the fact that emerging economies are getting more resilient and figuring out ways to weather supply chain disruption," said Agility's CEO Tarek Sultan.