RESEARCH by SEMrush, a digital marketing solution, has uncovered a sharp contrast in online search queries over the past three years in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait regarding the mode of cargo transport sought, along with the related products and destinations for these shipments.
Ninety-four per cent of cargo searches in the UAE were related to air cargo, versus online search volumes of four per cent for sea freight and land at two per cent. The top four countries most mentioned in UAE cargo search queries were India, Saudi Arabia, UK and France, Logistics Middle East reported.
Saudi Arabia's online searches for cargo put land services in the lead with 62 per cent, followed by air at 25 per cent and sea at 13 per cent. Most demand for domestic cargo services came from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
The most sought-after product related to cargo searches were car related, closely followed by those seeking the fastest and cheapest cargo services to Egypt and from the US and UAE.
Meanwhile, the pattern in Kuwait revealed that air cargo was the most sought after at 50 per cent of searches, with land cargo coming a close second with 40 per cent and sea cargo at 10 per cent. Cars also featured prominently in cargo searches in Kuwait.
'The fact that the UAE has positioned itself as the region's cargo gateway is a strong pull factor that attracts the majority of searches in the country specifically looking for air cargo,' said SEMrush manager Adam Zeidan.
'That is not the case in other GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council countries] markets, where a large number of citizens and expatriates seek lower cost land cargo services to transport household possessions domestically or regionally. A key factor, especially when it comes to Saudi Arabia, is the size of the country.'
Air cargo facilities have been expanding rapidly at both Abu Dhabi and Dubai international airports with 3.6 million tons of air cargo handled by the UAE in 2017, according to reports from both emirates' Chambers of Commerce.
Experts estimate in Saudi Arabia there are 750,000 light and heavy commercial vehicles in operation, the vast majority of which are used to carry goods not passengers.
WORLD SHIPPING
Ninety-four per cent of cargo searches in the UAE were related to air cargo, versus online search volumes of four per cent for sea freight and land at two per cent. The top four countries most mentioned in UAE cargo search queries were India, Saudi Arabia, UK and France, Logistics Middle East reported.
Saudi Arabia's online searches for cargo put land services in the lead with 62 per cent, followed by air at 25 per cent and sea at 13 per cent. Most demand for domestic cargo services came from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
The most sought-after product related to cargo searches were car related, closely followed by those seeking the fastest and cheapest cargo services to Egypt and from the US and UAE.
Meanwhile, the pattern in Kuwait revealed that air cargo was the most sought after at 50 per cent of searches, with land cargo coming a close second with 40 per cent and sea cargo at 10 per cent. Cars also featured prominently in cargo searches in Kuwait.
'The fact that the UAE has positioned itself as the region's cargo gateway is a strong pull factor that attracts the majority of searches in the country specifically looking for air cargo,' said SEMrush manager Adam Zeidan.
'That is not the case in other GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council countries] markets, where a large number of citizens and expatriates seek lower cost land cargo services to transport household possessions domestically or regionally. A key factor, especially when it comes to Saudi Arabia, is the size of the country.'
Air cargo facilities have been expanding rapidly at both Abu Dhabi and Dubai international airports with 3.6 million tons of air cargo handled by the UAE in 2017, according to reports from both emirates' Chambers of Commerce.
Experts estimate in Saudi Arabia there are 750,000 light and heavy commercial vehicles in operation, the vast majority of which are used to carry goods not passengers.
WORLD SHIPPING