Foreword | Transport and Logistics

Welcome to this month’s Law Update.

Expo 2020 Dubai opened its doors to the world in October, and with organisers predicting 25 million visitors this global event represents a great opportunity not only for the UAE but the entire region.

For the regions business community the Expo represents a period of opportunity, it will bring together organisations of all sizes and Government entities from across the world. It is rare for one event to bring together a cross section of consumers and commerce, and this can only have a positive impact across the region.

This edition of Law Update focuses on the transport and logistics sector, and there is no doubt that getting the EXPO set up and ready in time will have been a transport and logistical mega operation. To provide some perspective, transport and logistics had to be organised to move crucial items, from German, Belgium, Mexico, and China, and then there is fulfilling the transport requirements of more than 190 participating countries. Getting the Expo ready cannot have been a simple transport and logistics feat. It is not just large events, the sector is at the centre of everything we do, from the mobility of goods and services we experience on a daily basis, to being an enabler for a variety of sectors to continue operating business as usual.

Transport and logistics forms an integral part of the business and consumer supply chain, and in this edition of Law Update we provide insights into some of the trending themes in the sector. Articles range from maritime and aviation to insurance industries, and there are real-life examples of cases we have worked on. For example in the article titled “Not a Ship Arrest, but a Cargo arrest”, our experts summarise a recent case where we acted successfully for a lawful cargo owner without that right of vessel arrest.

Outside the transport and logistics focus, we have a section filled with articles covering some of the most pertinent legal matters from across the region. There are articles covering digital banking, fintech, personal data protection and Saudi Vision 2030. You will also find articles on social commerce, talent agency agreements and Kuwait’s fintech regulation.

In addition to this, we continue to share with you real-life judgments that provide context to the legal landscape across the region.

I hope that you enjoy this issue, and should you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any of the lawyers that have contributed.