en.Wedoany.com Reported - Emirates SkyCargo carried more than 57,000 tonnes of export cargo from the UK in the 2025-26 fiscal year, with volumes up 11% year-on-year, driven by growing demand for British food, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace components. Data released by the company shows that cargo volumes continued their growth momentum between April and June this year, rising a further 7% compared to the same period last year. Shipments included Scottish shellfish, strawberries, aircraft parts, and life-saving medicines, connecting businesses from eight UK airports to markets across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Australasia via the Dubai hub.
Khawla Abdulla, Emirates SkyCargo's Vice President of Cargo Commercial for Europe, said the growth reflects continued rising demand for fast and reliable logistics, with the cargo network continuing to support industries such as life sciences, aerospace, perishables, and advanced manufacturing. The company currently operates more than 140 wide-body freighter flights per week from eight UK gateway airports — Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, and Stansted — connecting regional exporters to global markets via Dubai.
The UK aerospace industry is one of the key contributors to cargo growth. Between January and June 2026, Emirates SkyCargo transported more than 570 tonnes of aircraft parts and aerospace components from the UK to Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, with demand for its specialised aerospace and engineering product AOG (Aircraft on Ground) growing by more than 300% year-on-year. During the same period, the company also carried high-value technology infrastructure, including data centre equipment and server racks, with the majority of shipments originating from manufacturing hubs around Manchester and London.
Life sciences products are another major export category. In the first half of 2026, Emirates SkyCargo transported more than 1,600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and over 26 tonnes of clinical trial drugs from the UK. Newcastle continues to serve as one of the company's key regional gateways for pharmaceutical exports, supporting manufacturers in northeast England through temperature-controlled logistics.
Food exports also contributed significantly to the cargo carrier's volumes. In the first half of 2026, Emirates SkyCargo transported more than 1,500 tonnes of Scottish shellfish and over 1,200 tonnes of smoked salmon to international markets; during the same period, more than 1,000 tonnes of food were flown from the UK to the UAE, equivalent to approximately ten fully loaded Boeing 777 freighters. Products shipped to Dubai included 250 tonnes of strawberries and more than 150 tonnes of cheese. The company's Emirates Fresh service delivers fruit, vegetables, seafood, and meat from origin to destination under specialised handling conditions.
Beyond these categories, Emirates SkyCargo also carries UK-manufactured premium automobiles and valuable artworks destined for museums and private collections around the world. Its Emirates Courier Express cross-border delivery service is also helping UK businesses, including fashion retailers, reach customers in overseas markets. The company recently partnered with UK charity Dogs 4 Wildlife to transport two protection dogs from the UK to Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe, assisting local rangers in combating illegal poaching.
The latest cargo figures come as economic ties between the UAE and the UK continue to strengthen. In June, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce said the emirate attracted 562 new British companies to its main chamber in the first quarter of 2026. According to a UAE-UK Business Council announcement shared by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, bilateral trade between the two countries now exceeds US$30 billion annually, with more than 14,000 UK exporters doing business with the UAE. At the council briefing, Mansoor Abulhoul, the UAE Ambassador to the UK, said the UAE's commitment to open, rules-based trade has cemented its position as one of the world's most competitive business environments. He also noted that the UK and the UAE already share one of the strongest economic partnerships in the region, and that despite geopolitical challenges, the UAE's solid economic foundation enables it to deepen cooperation with partners such as the UK.
