Celebrating 10 Years of Breakbulk Middle East

By Leslie Meredith

As Breakbulk Middle East marks its 10th anniversary, we reflect on its rise as a project cargo powerhouse and look ahead to a new decade of connecting the region’s mega projects.

From Issue 1, 2026 of Breakbulk Magazine

When Breakbulk Middle East launched in 2015 in Abu Dhabi, the goal was simple: provide a dedicated meeting place for the region’s project cargo community, similar to the Breakbulk events we hosted in other parts of the world. The inaugural event attracted 2,000 attendees, a good start. We never imagined the phenomenal growth that was in store, especially in light of the dismal economic situation.

At the time, oil prices had reached lows of around US$26 a barrel for Brent crude, putting project budgets around the world under pressure. How bad was it? “I daresay the situation in the oil and gas sector is worse than what it was in 2008 when there was a global meltdown,” said Mandar Apte, Technip project manager, one of the original advocates for the event.

Project owners, EPCs and logistics providers were being forced to reassess their expenses, reduce risk and tighten timelines. As were governments in the GCC. It was this belt tightening that led to the diversification from burning hydrocarbons to adding renewables and nuclear to the region’s energy mix, an insight that would be shared by MEED at the upcoming event, and in turn, open a major opportunity for project cargo specialists.

What the region lacked was a dedicated forum where project cargo specialists across transport, logistics, ports, heavy-lift and engineering could meet to work through those challenges together. Breakbulk Middle East entered the market at a moment when collaboration mattered more than ever.

Early conference sessions reflected the concerns of the time, with speakers addressing fiscal restraint, risk mitigation and the need for closer collaboration as the region adjusted to what many described as a “new normal” for oil prices. Still, optimism prevailed. As long-time supporter Cyril Varguese of Fluor said in his first interview with Breakbulk’s Leslie Meredith, “There’s never a dull day in this industry.”

But by 2018, project prospects had improved, bringing a rosier outlook to the industry. “As an EPC contractor, we’re receiving many invitations to bid on projects from companies like ADNOC and Kuwait Oil Company. The oil price is now very stable. All this means more projects are on the track. We feel oil projects are very hot right now in the Middle East,” China Petroleum Engineering Co.’s Ding Wei said in an interview in Breakbulk Studios that year.

With the continued support of UAE Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime, which became the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Breakbulk earned its reputation as the industry connector. “It is a good chance for the decision-makers to meet with shippers, producers and suppliers all in one place,” H.E. Dr. Abdulla Salem Al Katheeri, director general of the UAE Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime, said following the 2018 opening ceremony. “The event will have positive benefits for everybody.”

In 2019, the event moved to Dubai where attendance increased by 83% to reach 3,408.

The profile of the event remained consistent even as it expanded. The same core sectors continued to anchor the exhibition and conference, but at a much larger scale. What changed was the level of investment. Over time, the show floor evolved from simple stands into a highly professional environment featuring double-decker exhibition spaces, large-scale LED displays and increasingly sophisticated technical demonstrations. The transformation reflected growing confidence in the region’s project outlook and in the value of the event itself.

By the early 2020s, conversations at Breakbulk Middle East had broadened to include energy transition technologies alongside conventional projects. Speakers discussed wind, solar, hydrogen, carbon capture and grid infrastructure, while acknowledging that oil and gas continued to dominate regional investment. The common thread remained execution: early engagement, engineering-led logistics planning and collaboration across multiple stakeholders.

Today, Breakbulk Middle East remains the only event in the region dedicated exclusively to the transport and logistics of project cargo. More than 10,500 professionals attended the 2025 edition, tripling in size post-pandemic. More than 120 countries are represented, elevating the event to the international level, reflecting the growth of this resource-rich and resilient region.

The market continues to evolve. Project portfolios are expanding amidst a sea of geopolitical turmoil, and collaboration across the supply chain is only becoming more critical. Ten editions on, the purpose of Breakbulk Middle East is unchanged: to provide a place where the industry can come together to plan what comes next. If you want to be a part of the future of project cargo, it starts at Breakbulk Middle East.

Read more about the event milestones, expert insight, world developments and the projects that shaped each year as Breakbulk Middle East grew from a start-up to a powerhouse for networking.