Mohammad Jaber: Preparing for a Tech-Driven Future

By Simon West

How might AI, robotics and emerging technologies shape your company’s future in the breakbulk sector? Mohammad Jaber, CEO of Combi Lift Projects MEA, provides expert insight on what to look out for over the next two decades.

From Issue 1, 2025 of Breakbulk Magazine

(3-minute read)

Q: How might breakthroughs in AI and computing power change the way global logistics works over the next 20 years?

MJ: Advances in artificial intelligence and computing power will fundamentally transform global logistics. The industry will evolve from a largely reactive system into a predictive and increasingly autonomous model of control. In project logistics in particular, the most significant change will occur in decision-making. AI will enable highly complex scenarios to be analyzed in real time, taking into account weather conditions, geopolitical factors and risks, port congestion, emissions requirements, cost developments and asset availability.

Planning will increasingly move away from reliance on historical data and be replaced by dynamic, AI-driven optimization. Predictive analytics will help identify disruptions at an early stage and trigger countermeasures before delays or cost overruns occur. Digital twins of ports, terminals and entire project supply chains will make it possible to test different scenarios virtually before any physical transport begins.

In addition, AI will improve the utilization of fleets and equipment through predictive maintenance, intelligent asset management and automated compliance with regulatory and ESG requirements. Precision is particularly critical in a capital-intensive environment such as project logistics.

Nevertheless, human expertise will remain indispensable. The decisive success factor will be the combination of advanced technology, operational experience and regional know-how. At Combi Lift, we do not see AI as a replacement for people, but as a tool that enables our experts to make faster and better-informed decisions.

Q: What happens to project cargo if manufacturing shifts toward new materials, modular design and on-demand production such as 3D printing?

MJ: The shift towards new materials, modular construction and on-demand production will not displace project logistics but rather redefine it. Modularization means that fewer individual components are transported, while larger, pre-assembled units become more common. This increases the demands placed on heavy-lift expertise, precise handling and end-to-end project coordination.

New materials are often lighter, but at the same time more sensitive or technologically complex. This requires adapted transport and lifting concepts, as well as stricter quality and safety standards throughout the supply chain. Even if on-demand production and 3D printing shorten certain supply routes, major industrial, energy and infrastructure projects will continue to depend on the international transport of oversized modules and critical components.

What will change most notably are time windows and predictability. Shorter production cycles leave less margin for delay. Logistics providers must therefore be involved at a very early stage of project planning, working alongside engineers and manufacturers to ensure that transportability, lifting points and installation sequences are considered from the outset.

For Combi Lift, this development clearly strengthens our role as a project partner. Engineering expertise, early involvement and the ability to manage complex multimodal transports will become even more critical in a faster and less forgiving project environment.

Q: As automation accelerates, how can the industry balance efficiency gains with the human impact on jobs and skills?

MJ: Automation is fundamentally changing logistics, but it does not replace people. Rather, it shifts the requirements for skills and qualifications. The central challenge lies less in job losses than in the transformation of roles and competencies. While repetitive tasks are automated, demand is growing for professionals who can manage systems, interpret data and oversee complex operations.

Achieving a balanced relationship between efficiency and the human factor requires targeted investment in training and upskilling. Automation must not be viewed solely as a cost-reduction tool. In project logistics, experience, judgement and situational awareness remain critical, particularly when dealing with unique cargoes, challenging environments and high-risk operations.

At Combi Lift, we see technology as a means of supporting our people. Automation enhances safety, reduces hazardous manual tasks and creates capacity for higher-value activities in planning, engineering and client engagement. At the same time, we are making focused investments in digital skills, interdisciplinary thinking and operational excellence.

In the long term, the companies that succeed will be those that combine technological innovation with a clear people strategy. Sustainable efficiency can only be achieved where skilled and motivated teams understand technology and apply it effectively.

Q: How is Combi Lift Projects positioning itself for the future, particularly in terms of technology and innovation, and what concrete initiatives are already underway?

MJ: Combi Lift Projects is positioning itself decisively for the future by embedding technology and innovation firmly into its operational processes. Our approach is pragmatic: we invest in solutions that deliver measurable improvements in safety, efficiency, precision and reliability.

Specifically, we are implementing digital platforms that provide real-time transparency across projects, assets and regions. Predictive maintenance systems increase fleet availability, while advanced planning and simulation tools support complex lifting and transport concepts.

For us, innovation also means a new way of working with clients. We are increasingly involved at very early stages of projects and work closely with EPCs, manufacturers and project developers to optimize logistics concepts from the outset and minimize risk.

As part of the Harren Group, we additionally benefit from group-wide knowledge-sharing and best practices. Combined with continuous investment in our people, this enables us to scale innovation globally while adapting it to local market requirements. Our objective is to remain a reliable partner for the world’s most complex projects by combining engineering excellence, digital capability and deep regional understanding.

Mohammad Jaber is a founding member of Breakbulk Future Thinkers, a long-term initiative aimed at helping the project cargo community prepare for the opportunities and challenges most likely to occur between now and 2045.

Photo credit: Combi Lift Projects