China-based AWOT picks Dubai to anchor Middle East, Africa and Europe expansion

Dubai: Dubai Airport Freezone welcomed AWOT Global Logistics Corporation's new regional headquarters Thursday, cementing the emirate's pull as a logistics powerhouse for one of the world's top 10 air freight companies.

AWOT, ranked ninth globally by Armstrong & Associates with 780,000 metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, operates 55 self-run sites across China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, plus over 300 agents in 100 countries. The Dubai-based targets expansion in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Strategic gateway

Headquartered in China with 1,500 employees, AWOT operates 1,800 charter flights from Asia to the US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and back. Partnerships span tech, industry, airlines and shipping for integrated air, sea, land and project logistics.

The freezone HQ, inaugurated by DAFZ Senior VP Arif Al Khouri and AWOT MENA GM Chris Yang, with executives David Lee, Kenny Li, Sophia Zeng and Kai Zhang, leverages Dubai's airport proximity to gain supply chain dominance.

“The opening of AWOT’s regional headquarters at Dubai Airport Freezone reflects the confidence that major global companies place in Dubai and reaffirms the emirate’s ability to provide an integrated business environment that supports expansion and sustainable growth," said Al Khouri. "This step aligns with our efforts to consolidate Dubai’s position as a global hub for supply chains and logistics services, contributing to the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy and position it among the world’s top three global cities.”

MENA expansion via digital backbone

From Dubai, AWOT coordinates freight, cross-border transport, and specialised services, tapping into DAFZ's ecosystem of customs, agents, and distributors. Cloud-based tracking and analytics drive efficiency for advanced models.

“The opening of our regional headquarters at Dubai Airport Freezone represents a pivotal milestone and a clear strategic commitment in AWOT’s regional and global expansion journey," said Yang. "By establishing our presence here, we are positioning ourselves closer to our customers, closer to opportunity, while reinforcing our long-term commitment. Dubai provides an ideal platform to lead and scale our integrated logistics solutions, thanks to its advanced logistics infrastructure, ease of doing business, and its strategic location connecting key global markets.”

DAFZ, under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, streamlines regulations and connects AWOT to partners, boosting Dubai's role as a trade gateway from Asia to world markets. The setup supports D33's goal of doubling the economy via smart supply chains.