The offer's price terms remain unpublished. Eligible members of Dubai's Export Support Programme can access preferential DHL shipping rates through a partnership with Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, or DET. The arrangement also includes tailored logistics support and help with supply-chain planning.
On 13 October 2026, DET and DHL held a practical workshop for 50 exporters. It focused on raising manufacturers' export readiness and helping them reach international markets. DHL specialists covered international logistics and shipment preparation. They also discussed supply-chain planning.
Manufacturers face operational and financial hurdles when they sell across borders. DHL specialists discussed how to prepare shipments and plan logistics as businesses expand beyond the UAE. Gulf Business has also reported on the DET-DHL partnership and its support for manufacturers seeking overseas growth.
DET and DHL announced the partnership at Make it in the Emirates 2026 in May. Qualified programme members can get preferential shipping rates. The offer includes customised logistics solutions, along with broader supply-chain support. The available information does not give discount levels or eligible destinations and routes. It also leaves out minimum shipment volumes and the rates' duration. The number of companies that have used the offer is unknown, so its financial impact cannot yet be quantified.
The Export Support Programme covers more than transport discounts. It includes logistics and supply-chain management, as well as export-finance assistance. Members can also access export-credit insurance. The DHL deal sits within this wider public export-support framework.
Dubai's business environment provides another piece of context. A separate flexible-office market report found occupancy rates in the city reached up to 85%. For manufacturers building international operations, logistics expertise can complement the infrastructure and business services available in Dubai.
Mohammed Al Marzouqi, acting assistant vice-president for Industry and Export Development at Dubai Economic Development Corporation, said the aim was to turn manufacturers' competitive strengths into sustainable growth. He said the workshop gave programme members direct access to international expertise in logistics and supply chains. That support, he said, would help them prepare to enter new markets and contribute to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
DHL Express UAE general manager Mahmoud Haj Hussein described the collaboration as a pairing of the company's cross-border trade network with practical help for local businesses seeking customers abroad. Victoria Lebedeva, head of sales and marketing at DHL Global Forwarding UAE, pointed to total landed costs and shipping times as pressures on manufacturers' margins. She said DHL could combine air and sea freight around each company's priorities. Road freight can also be part of the mix, she said, helping businesses build supply chains for longer-term international ambitions.
The initiative supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 target of doubling manufacturing's value added by 2033. The programme also offers supply-chain services and export finance. Credit insurance is another part of the package, which is intended to address barriers exporters face beyond freight pricing.
The cooperation is part of broader engagement between Dubai authorities and DHL. On 6 January 2026, Dubai Customs discussed future logistics operations with the company, along with strategic cooperation, in a Dubai Customs announcement.
