The challenges of 21st century logistics are tightly interwoven. Facilitating trade with the growing Global South requires a massive expansion of logistics infrastructure, with some estimates projecting as much as double current global freight emissions – which already accounts for up to 11% of total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

At the same time, there is a mass move toward localizing supply chains in a bid to strengthen them. “Moving manufacturing closer to home markets is protecting the flow of freight and creating resilience,” says Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of Dubai-based logistics giant DP World

In Economist Impact’s Trade in Transition 2023 report – sponsored by DP World – 20% of business leaders said they were nearshoring supply chains, up from 10% the year before. 58% were doing so to decrease the risk of disruption.

With its real-time tracking system and logistics booking, DP World is already at the forefront of digitalizing logistics.

But now it’s betting big on the metaverse. While initial applications include marketing and training, eventually Desai sees the technology at the heart of its digitized operations. “I’m excited about the possibilities of all operations in a terminal being automated or performed remotely, with digital systems planning where to store what cargo, which appointments to give when picking up goods, and which ships to berth,” he says.

While much of this is expected to be automated – the company is already trialing autonomous vehicles at Jebel Ali – Desai also expects many operations to be controlled remotely by VR, including remote inspections and repair. "The possibilities are boundless,” he says.

Such virtual operation can erase geographical and accessibility barriers to talent – “people could perform tasks from their office, regardless of physical ability,” says Desai – helping to further inclusive recruitment. But it also serves as the mechanism for integrating data-driven efficiencies into physical operations, guiding workers step-by-step through continually optimized procedures – reducing the impact on our environment, and associated costs.