What Unasco does

Unasco (Union National Air, Land, and Sea Shipping Co. LLC) is a Dubai-headquartered, privately held freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982 under a special decree from late HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The company is fully owned by Emarati businessmen and operates as a 100% UAE-registered entity, with reported headcount of 11-50 employees. It serves shippers, traders, importers, exporters, business travelers, and relocation clients across the UAE, GCC, and international destinations through a horizontal, transaction-fee-based B2B service model.

The company's core product architecture spans four operating divisions: Air Cargo (operating from Dubai International Airport Cargo Village with access to 140+ international airlines and 220+ destinations), Land Transportation (door-to-door within UAE, GCC, and internationally), Sea Cargo (import/export handling for both large and small-medium consignments), and Travel & Tours (business travel and exotic tourism). These divisions are unified by shared infrastructure — bonded warehouses at Al Barsha and the Dubai International Airport Cargo Village — and supported by service modules including Warehousing & Distribution, Customs Clearance, Door-to-Door Services, and Packing & Removals. Underlying technology is limited to electronic cargo documentation aligned with UAE e-government and smart government initiatives; no proprietary platforms, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue mechanics are exclusively transaction-fee based, with no publicly disclosed pricing beyond a referenced DMA Tariff PDF. The company markets through its website and direct outreach, reaches customers via a four-office UAE footprint (Al Barsha HQ, DXB Cargo Village branch, Abu Dhabi branch, Emirates Towers marketing office) and a global network of international agents. UNASCO holds ISO 9001:2008 certification and memberships in FIATA, NAFL, DLTG, TIACA, and the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Chambers of Commerce, providing industry-association legitimacy and regulatory compliance in its core markets.

Name

Unasco

Legal name

Union National Air, Land, and Sea Shipping Co. LLC

Website

https://unasco-uae.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unasco is a Dubai-headquartered, UAE-owned freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982, providing air, sea, and land cargo, warehousing, customs clearance, and travel services to shippers, traders, importers, and exporters across the UAE, GCC, and 220+ international destinations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), General Warehousing and Storage (493110), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

NVOCC Operations & Ocean Consolidation (TLACABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA), Container Stuffing/Unstuffing & Deconsolidation (CFS Services) (TLAHALAG)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Cargo shipping
• Logistics services
• Customs clearance
• Warehousing distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sea Freight: Sea cargo handling for imports and exports, serving large and small-medium consignments at competitive rates.
2. Air Freight: Air cargo services from Dubai International Airport Cargo Village, handling shipments to and from 220+ international destinations via 140+ international airlines.
3. Land Transportation: Door-to-door land transportation within UAE, GCC (Gulf Council Countries), and international destinations, handling large and small-medium consignments.
4. Warehousing and Distribution: Storage and distribution services at company facilities in Al Barsha and Dubai International Airport Cargo Village bonded warehouses.
5. Customs Clearance: Documentation and customs clearance services within UAE, GCC, and international land transport operations.
6. Business Travel and Tours: Travel agency and tour services for business travel and exotic tourism in Dubai and the UAE.
7. Packing and Removals: Packing and removal services for offices, residential properties, and exhibitions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Unasco is a UAE-based freight forwarding and logistics company that provides integrated air, sea, and land cargo services for shippers, traders, importers, and exporters. Its offerings include sea freight, air freight, overland transportation, bonded warehousing and distribution, customs clearance, door-to-door delivery, packing and removals, and business travel and tour services, delivered through its own UAE offices and a global network of international agents.

Product overview

UNASCO (Union National Air, Land, and Sea Shipping Co.) is a logistics and freight forwarding company offering integrated cargo and travel services. The company operates four distinct divisions: Air Cargo, Land Transportation, Sea Cargo, and Travel & Tours. These divisions are unified through a network of warehousing facilities, distribution centers, and customs clearance services, all supported by a global network of international agents. The core product architecture consists of three freight services (Air, Sea, Land) that share common infrastructure including bonded warehouses at Dubai International Airport and Al Barsha, customs clearance capabilities, and door-to-door service integration. Additional service modules include packing and removals, business travel, and exotic tours, creating a comprehensive suite of logistics and travel solutions under one organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sea Freight Sea cargo handling for imports and exports, serving both large and small-medium consignments at competitive rates, for shippers, traders, importers, and exporters.
• Air Freight Air cargo services operated from Dubai International Airport Cargo Village, handling shipments to and from 220+ international destinations via 140+ international airlines, for time-sensitive freight forwarding clients.
• Land Transportation Door-to-door land transportation within the UAE, GCC (Gulf Council Countries), and international destinations, handling large and small-medium consignments for shippers and trading companies.
• Warehousing and Distribution Storage and distribution services at company facilities in Al Barsha industrial area and bonded warehouses at Dubai International Airport Cargo Village, supporting cargo consolidation and distribution requirements.
• Customs Clearance Documentation and customs clearance services within UAE, GCC, and international land transport operations, with electronic processing aligned with UAE e-government and smart government initiatives.
• Door-to-Door Services Integrated door-to-door freight services combining multiple transport modes for seamless cargo delivery, including cross-trade capability outside the UAE for international companies.
• Business Travel and Exotic Tours Travel agency and tour services for business travel and exotic tourism in Dubai and the UAE, positioning Unasco as an ideal travel partner for corporate clients and visitors.
• Packing and Removals Professional packing and removal services for offices, residential properties, and exhibitions, supporting relocation needs across the UAE.

Quantifiable outcome

• Electronic documentation aligned with UAE e-government and smart government initiatives

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NAFL (National Association of Freight Forwarders and Logistics)coreOthersUNASCO is a member of NAFL, the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Logistics, indicating industry recognition and compliance with industry standards.
• FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders)coreOthersUNASCO is a member of FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders, providing international credibility and networking in the global freight industry.
• DLTG (Dubai Land Transport Group)coreOthersUNASCO is registered with DLTG, demonstrating compliance with Dubai land transport regulations and industry standards.
• Dubai Chamber of Commerce and IndustrycoreOthersUNASCO is registered with Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, providing official business credentials and regulatory compliance in Dubai.
• Abu Dhabi Chamber of CommercecoreOthersUNASCO is registered with Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, providing official business credentials and regulatory compliance in Abu Dhabi.
• TIACA (The International Air Cargo Association)coreOthersUNASCO is a member of TIACA, The International Air Cargo Association, demonstrating industry leadership in air cargo services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• DB Schenker: Global freight forwarder and logistics provider offering air, sea, land, and contract logistics with established Middle East operations. Competes with Unasco for enterprise freight forwarding contracts out of Dubai and serves similar shipper/trader/importer segments.
• Agility Logistics: Kuwait-headquartered global logistics company with significant Middle East presence, providing freight forwarding (air/sea/land), warehousing, and contract logistics. Comparable to Unasco in core freight forwarding and warehousing offerings, but operates at global scale with broader technology and infrastructure.
• DHL Global Forwarding: World's largest air and ocean freight forwarder with comprehensive Middle East operations including UAE-based forwarding, warehousing, and customs clearance. Direct overlap with all of Unasco's core service lines, though at materially greater scale and with proprietary digital platforms.
• Expeditors International: Global air and ocean freight forwarding company with strong presence in the Middle East serving similar shipper, trader, and importer segments. Competes with Unasco for enterprise forwarding business and offers comparable door-to-door multi-modal capabilities.
• Aramex: UAE-founded regional logistics powerhouse offering freight forwarding, last-mile delivery, warehousing, and customs clearance across the Middle East and globally. Highly comparable to Unasco on multi-modal freight forwarding and regional footprint, but vastly larger in scale, public listing, and technology investment.
• Kuehne + Nagel: Global freight forwarding and logistics major with strong UAE presence in air, sea, and overland freight forwarding plus contract logistics. Direct competitor for Unasco's enterprise shipper accounts out of Jebel Ali and DXB, with much greater scale and digital platform investment.

Regional players

• Freightworks (FWS): UAE/GCC-based freight forwarding and logistics company offering air, sea, and land freight plus customs clearance in the region. Most comparable to Unasco on regional multi-modal forwarding, scale, and target customer segments — likely a closer peer on size than the global majors.
• Transworld Group: Dubai-headquartered shipping and logistics group providing ocean freight, container shipping, freight forwarding, and logistics services with a strong GCC and South Asia focus. Comparable to Unasco in UAE-based freight forwarding and sea cargo operations out of Jebel Ali.
• Clarion Shipping: UAE-based freight forwarding and shipping company providing sea freight, air freight, customs clearance, and logistics solutions. Similar multi-modal service architecture and customer segments (shippers, traders, importers/exporters) as Unasco, with comparable UAE-centric operating model.

Direct peers

• GAC Group: Dubai-headquartered global logistics, freight forwarding, and shipping services provider with deep UAE roots and operations across sea, air, and land freight. Direct peer of Unasco in the UAE freight forwarding market with similar multi-modal services, customs handling, and Jebel Ali orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unasco