Good morning, folks. We have a packed issue this morning as we kick off the week, with M&A, investment, and ports updates from across the region. But first, an update on global aviation disruption after a cyberattack hit a high-profile industry software provider…

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- Cyberattack disrupts European airports: Flights to and from Europe were disrupted over the weekend after a cyberattack targeted a check-in software shared by European airports. Major European hubs like London’s Heathrow Airport, Brussels Airport, and Berlin Airport were the hardest hit, with hundreds of flights impacted over the weekend. reporting 29 arrivals and departures cancelled. The software, Muse, is provided by aerospace solutions provider Collins Aerospace.

Regional airlines felt some heat, too: Etihad Airways reported unusually long check-in times at certain airports following the cyberattack, Gulf News reported on Saturday, citing a statement from the carrier. Emirates reported that its operations were not significantly hindered, but advised passengers to check in online.

The attack sheds light on rising cyberattacks on the transportation and logistics sectors — both repeatedly ranked among the top 10 targeted industries — due to heavy reliance on digital platforms. Shared third-party platforms are often an attractive target, head of enterprise at cybersecurity firm Check Point Charlotte Wilson told Euro News. “When one vendor is compromised, the ripple effect can be immediate and far-reaching, causing widespread disruption across borders,” she added.

REMEMBER- Cargo air freight was also likely impacted, given that some 50% of airlines’ freight is handled through the belly capacity of regular passenger flights.

The story received a lot of attention in the int’l press: Reuters | Associated Press | Bloomberg | Financial Times | New York Times | CNBC | NBC | Politico | BBC | The Guardian | Euro News

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

The third iteration of the Syria Recovery and Investment Forum will kick off on Wednesday, 24 September in Abu Dhabi, the UAE. The forum will host leaders in business, regional investors, policymakers, and advisory experts to develop practical solutions for Syria’s road to recovery and economic revival.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Chinese tech company Tencent is gearing up to launch its first Middle East cloud region in Riyadh by the end of the year, as part of the USD 150 mn investment announced during Leap 2025, senior executives told Arab News on the sidelines of the Tencent Global Digital Ecosystem Summit 2025 in Shenzhen. The company is working to secure approvals to serve both government and private clients.

Tencent is currently building server rooms in the Kingdom, tailored to “serve local industries in Saudi Arabia, the wider Middle East, and beyond,” director of AI Global Commercialization Eric Li told Arab News. Products like electronic identity checks and tourism-oriented Palm AI could be adopted in various sectors, including finance, telecom, and tourism, Li added.

Localization is key: “We are building local teams and working with system integrators to ensure our solutions are fully aligned with Saudi business and regulatory environments,” senior executive vice president Dowson Tong said.

#2- Iran is looking to expedite agreed-on mega logistics projects with Azerbaijan, Tehran Times reports. The projects comprise a joint industrial park within Iran’s Bileh-Savar FreeTrade-Industrial Zone, a logistics center, and an Ardabil-Baku railway link that would facilitate exporting agricultural products to Russia.

The framework: Both countries will contribute an equal amount of land for the industrial park, with Iran responsible for infrastructure and providing the necessary utilities.

Iran views logistical links with Azerbaijan to carry both geopolitical and economic importance, amid efforts to sidestep its territories in future intermodal logistics corridor projects linking Asia and Europe. The country has been especially wary of the US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan peace framework, which gave the US control of the Zangezur Corridor’s development — a stretch of 32 km that can provide a direct link between Europe and the regions of Central Asia and South Caucasus, bypassing both Russia and Iran as transit hubs.

#3- Turkey nears 250-jet Boeing order confirmation: Turkish Airlines’ order for as many as 250 Boeing commercial aircraft is expected to be announced during a Trump-Erdoğan meeting this week, Bloomberg reported last week, citing unnamed sources. The order — in the works since last year — was previously reported to comprise up to 175 narrowbody jets (737 Max) and some 75 widebody aircraft (787 Dreamliner). A final decision is yet to be made, a spokesperson for the flag carrier, Yahya Ustun, said.

IN CONTEXT- Aircraft orders are emerging as a bargaining chip — or perhaps a showing of goodwill — in trade talks with the US, with several global and regional players moving on big Boeing orders as part of national strategies to appease the US. Bangladesh was reportedly mulling over a 25-jet order from Boeing, while Indonesia previously signed up to acquire 50 Boeing jets in a bid to lower impending tariffs. This followed Qatar Airways’ 160-jet order and Vietnam’s USD 560 mn loan to back a major Boeing order earlier this year.

Eyes on the big target: The new order will bring the Turkish flag-carrier closer to its proclaimedtarget to expand its fleet from 492 jets to 813 by 2033, Turkish outlet Hurriyet Daily reported last March, citing chairman Ahmet Bolat. Earlier in 2023, the company recruited Airbus for a major order for 150 A321s and 70 A350 widebody aircraft.

#4- Al Nasiriyah Airport’s almost here: Iraq’s Al Nasiriyah International Airport is slated to be operational by the end of 2025, with nearly 95% of the airport’s outer structures completed, according to a statement released on Thursday. The project — which spans 16 mn sqm and features a 3.4k-meter runway — has reached 85% progress overall with the installation of key equipment and construction of its four main roads.

We’ve been waiting: Iraq had inked contracts with Chinese firm CSCEC to build Al Nasiriyah International Airport and Turkish firm Kiklop Design Hertz Insaat to supervise the project’s implementation back in July 2024. The airport was over 76% complete earlierthisyear.

MARKET WATCH-

#1– Oil prices rose this morning on the back of geopolitical tensions in Europe and our region, but concerns of rising supply and stifled demand softened the impact, Reuters reports. Brent crude for October contracts increased by USD 0.34 to reach USD 67.07 / bbl by 03:17 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also surged by USD 0.34 to trade at USD 63.02 / bbl.

FORECAST- Oil is set to make up only 5% of the MENA region’s power mix by 2035 — a drop from the current 20%, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report (pdf). Electricity demand will jump by 50% over the same period — to be covered by renewables and natural gas — with the main driving factors including cooling, desalination, rapid population growth and urbanization, industrialization, along with new sectors such as transport electrification and data centers.

Natgas to dominate the mix: The region is on track to add some 110 GW of gas capacity over the next decade, adding to the 350 GW installed by 2024, the report says. Gas-fired generation in the region more than tripled over the past two decades, with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE accounting for two-thirds of total consumption.

#2- Baltic index keeps inches down: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — fell to 2,203 points on Friday, but rose by 3.6% for the week. The capesize climbed 0.8% to 3,437 points, its highest since 29 July, while the panamax index shed 1.9% to 1,845 points. The smaller supramax index fell 3 points to 1,489 points.

#3- The Drewry World Container Index fell by 6% to USD 1,913 per 40-ft container on Thursday, according to the latest index readings. The drop comes on the back of market turbulence driven by the ongoing flurry of US tariffs since April. The container forecaster projects the supply-demand balance to fall in 2H 2025, causing spot rates to fall further.

DATA POINTS-

#1- Saudi Arabia’s non-oil trade balance surplus with other GCC countries more than doubled in 2Q 2025, widening 119% y-o-y (+SAR 6.5 bn) to reach SAR 11.96 bn, according to preliminary data from the country’s General Authority for Statistics. The UAE topped the list of non-oil trade partners with SAR 40.4 bn, followed by Oman (SAR 5.3 bn), Bahrain (SAR 4.7 bn), Kuwait (SAR 2.4 bn), and Qatar (SAR 1.6 bn).

#2- Syria’s Latakia Port has seen an increase in handled cargo, reaching over 1.5 mn tons so far in 2025, with over 290 vessels docking, according to a statement seen by the Syrian News Agency. This is on the back of restored infrastructure, including cranes and improved port operations.

PSA-

Maersk cancels China-GCC voyage: Shipping giant Maersk has cancelled the 15 October voyage of its Kostas K vessel — which carries cargo on the FM1 service route from Far East Asia to the Arabian Gulf — ahead of China’s Golden Week holidays, it said in a statement on Thursday. The journey was supposed to start at China’s Ningbo and conclude at the UAE’s Jebel Ali on 9 November.

***YOU’RE READING EnterpriseAM Logistics, the essential MENA publication for senior execs who care about the industry that connects producers and retailers to global markets. We’re out Monday through Thursday by 9:15am in Cairo and Riyadh and 11:15am in the UAE.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Turkey will host the Global Freight Summit on Sunday, 28 September until Wednesday, 1 October in Istanbul. The summit will host over 330 attendees and more than 250 firms for policy and knowledge and strategies exchange between forwarding partners.

The UAE will host the African, Middle East, and Islamic Finance Aviation 100 Awards on Monday, 29 September until Wednesday, 1 October in Dubai. The event aims to highlight and reward the most remarkable transactions closed by airlines and aviation manufacturing and leasing firms.

The UAE will host the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference on Tuesday, 30 September until Thursday, 2 October in Abu Dhabi. The event will be hosted by Etihad Rail and is set to welcome over 200 global speakers and upwards of 20k industry attendees to share innovative solutions and develop partnerships.

Saudi Arabia will host the Saudi Maritime and Logistics Congress on Wednesday, 1 October and Thursday, 2 October in Dammam. It will host over 200 registered exhibitors and some 15k attendees from over 90 countries to discuss AI-powered fleet optimization, shifts in global trade, and intelligence-driven infrastructure.

The UK will host the Marine Environment Protection Committee Extraordinary Session from Tuesday, 14 October until Friday, 17 October at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) HQ in London. The session is set to see the intergovernmental body formally adopt its Net-Zero Framework — rolling out new fuel standards for ships and a global pricing mechanism for emissions.

Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.

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