AVIATION-

#1- dnata’s autonomous vehicles land at DWC: UAE-based aviation service provider dnata has launched its fleet of autonomous vehicles at Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), according to a statement. The launch is part of an AED 6 mn initiative that aims to bolster ground-handling services.

Phasing it in: The project will start with “Level 3 autonomy,” which means the equipment will require slight human oversight, before it transitions to Level 4 autonomy — a higher level of automation characterized by full self-driving operations in certain environments — in early 2026. The aviation service provider currently operates six electric tractors at DWC — which aim to streamline operations by handling up to four baggage containers at 15 km/hour speed.

#2- SolitAir, Eight Wings boost aviation partnership: Dubai-based air cargo operator SolitAir has inked a strategic agreement with aerospace solutions provider Eight WingsAerospace to provide SolitAir with logistics and MRO solutions and asset management to support its expanding Boeing 737-900 freighters fleet, according to a statement. Eight Wings will deliver services that include technical procurement, repair and logistics management, and power-by-the-hour (PBH) operations management, enabling SolitAir to enhance its supply chain operations, improve aircraft availability, and streamline its cargo operations.

#3- Etihad Airways will launch flights to seven new destinations from next March, expanding its network in central Asia and the Caucus, according to a press release. The additions include Kazakhstan’s Almaty, Baku in Azerbaijan, Tashkent in Uzbekistan, as well as Bucharest, Tbilisi, and Yerevan. A route to Saudi Arabia’s Medina will also begin earlier in November of this year.

Etihad is on an expansion streak: Etihad recently scheduled the addition of three newseasonal routes to its network, with plans to fly to Kazan in Russia from December, Salalah in Oman from next May, and Krakow in Poland from June 2026.

TRUCKING-

Gulftainer subsidiary Momentum Logistics has added 17 Man TGX trucks to its fleet, bringing its fleet size to 270 trucks, according to a statement released last week. The vehicles were supplied by United Motors and Heavy Equipment, which remains the exclusive supplier of Man trucks in the UAE.

On Momentum Logistics: The trucking player’s operations — launched in 2008 — span transportation, freight forwarding, warehousing, logistics cities, and container services, according to its website.

ZONES-

Emirates Gas lands in Umm Al Quwain zone: Emirates Gas — a subsidiary of Emirates National Oil Company Group — has inked an MoU with the Umm Al Quwain Freetrade Zone Authority to be the sole provider of gas solutions to businesses within the zone, according to a press release. Emirates Gas will provide tailored gas solutions, including centralized gas systems, tank installations, and bulk and cylinder product supply.

On the zone: The zone is based in Ahmed Bin Rashid Port — managed by Hutchinson Ports — and Umm Al Thoub, according to its website. It is in close proximity to Dubai International Airport. Umm Al Quwain offers leasable land plots suited for warehousing, showrooms, and industrial activity, with a minimum of 2.5k sqm of leasable land per plot.

RAIL-

China to electrify Iranian railway: Iran has awarded a contract to the China State Railway Group to electrify nearly 1k km of railway from the country’s northeastern Sarakhs border to the western Razi border crossing near the Turkish border, Iranian outlet Mehr News reports. The contract includes adding a second track to increase rail freight transport to 15 mn metric tons per year. The move comes as China aims to increase its container cargo transit through Iran’s railways.

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