Analysis Manufacturing Abu Dhabi’s industrial ambitions begin to bear fruit Abu Dhabi has registered a 63 percent jump in the number of industrial licences issued during the first half of 2023 as the emirate makes progress on plans to double the size of the sector by 2031. In the first full year since the launch of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, nearly AED15.4 billion ($4.2 […] August 17, 2023
Transport Dubai company to invest $500m in Chinese EV maker UAE company NWTN has announced a deal to invest $500 million in the Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles including the Hengchi brand. The investment in China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group aims to accelerate NWTN’s development in the EV space as it establishes an assembly plant in UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Headquartered in Dubai, the eco-conscious […] August 16, 2023
Industry Shipbuilder ADSB trains sights on exports as profit rises Abu Dhabi Ship Building has reported net profit of AED21 million ($5.7 million) for the first half of 2023 – more than its profit figure for the whole of last year. The listed shipbuilder’s order book stands at more than AED8 billion, it said in a filing to Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange on Monday. CEO […] August 15, 2023
Opinion Energy Adnoc and Occidental team up to capture carbon dioxide The Gulf has ideal conditions for the vital new technology of direct air capture August 15, 2023
Renewable Energy Adnoc Drilling expects hybrid rigs to cut emissions Investment in hybrid power solutions could cut Adnoc Drilling’s CO2 emissions by as much as 20 percent. The largest national driller for oil in the Middle East is seeking to slash its carbon intensity by a quarter by 2030. The company is set to have more than 140 rigs in operation in the next 18 […] August 14, 2023
Energy Adnoc Drilling efficiency drive targets recruitment Recruitment plans by Adnoc Drilling are under review as the Abu Dhabi company strives to hit its efficiency targets. A subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and listed on the Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX), Adnoc Drilling reported a 13 percent increase in revenues for the first half of the year as profits reached […] August 14, 2023
Analysis Tourism UAE taps multi-billion dollar inclusive tourism market Amsaan Accessible Tours claims to be the first company in the Mena region specialising in creating unique tours for deaf people, tapping into the underserved and yet multi-billion dollar inclusive tourism market. The Dubai company uses technology to provide tours with all information in sign language. There are deaf guides for group tours, on-demand sign […] August 13, 2023
Opinion Aviation Etihad has designs on the US market The big UAE airlines look set to compete over US skies August 11, 2023
Oil & Gas Mubadala Energy cuts CO2 by 41% in low carbon drive The oil and gas unit of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company said it reduced its carbon emissions by 41 percent between 2021 and 2022, mainly by expanding its lower-carbon gas operations. Mubadala Energy – previously known as Mubadala Petroleum – which had a portfolio that was almost two-thirds natural gas as of 2021, […] August 10, 2023
Real Estate Abu Dhabi house prices 25% lower than 2014 Average house prices in Abu Dhabi are 25 percent cheaper than they were during the 2014 peak. One area that bucks the trend is Saadiyat Island, one of the most popular locations in the emirate. Known as the cultural island and home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museums, house hunters will need […] August 10, 2023
Video length: 04:13 Food & Drink Supermarkets embrace UAE’s brand of plant-based meat Switch Foods, the plant-based meat brand based in Abu Dhabi, is now available at 133 stores across the UAE as the Gulf’s appetite for alternative diets continues to grow. Consumers can now buy its products from retailers including Carrefour, Organic Food Café, Grandiose, Geant, Union Coop, Sharjah Coop, Al Maya, Abella and Spinneys. Online purchases […] August 8, 2023
Industry Yahsat in Airbus talks to build new satellites Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) is in talks with Airbus to start work on two new satellites as it looks to build on a 5 percent rise in net profit for the first half of 2023. Group CEO Ali Al Hashemi said the Abu Dhabi-listed company has signed an authorisation-to-proceed letter with the European […] August 8, 2023
Analysis Oil & Gas Adnoc gas deal fires up UAE-Azerbaijan ties Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is to acquire a 30 percent equity stake in the Absheron gas and condensate field off the coast of Azerbaijan, as part of a plan to grow its international gas business. The deal will allow the state-owned company to facilitate a route into global markets for gas in Europe […] August 8, 2023
Energy Masdar chief hails ‘defining moment’ in $3bn green fund The chairman of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, better known as Masdar, has described the completion of its debut green bond issuance as a “defining moment”. The $750 million 10-year senior unsecured notes are listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and form the first part of a programme to raise up to $3 billion. […] August 7, 2023
Agriculture High-tech greenhouse turns up heat on UAE sustainability Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ has teamed up with Netherlands-based Safe Haven Solutions to build a high-tech greenhouse in the UAE capital. The 10-hectare facility will be built in ADQ’s AgTech Park in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi. It will use advanced agriculture technology such as a cooling system inside the greenhouse to help […] August 7, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Business of Sport Baseball ready to strike home run in the Middle East When the opening pitch is thrown at Dubai International Stadium in November it will signal the official start of the first ever professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia. And the power broker behind the ambitious project hopes the 25,000-seater venue will be at least a quarter full to mark the inaugural […] August 6, 2023
Energy Adnoc Drilling reports 18% increase in profits Adnoc Drilling has announced an 18 percent increase in net profit for the first half of the year, buoyed by an increased fleet and service expansion. The company, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), saw revenues grow by 13 percent to $1.4 million year on year, with profits for the six-month period […] August 4, 2023
Banking and Finance Abu Dhabi’s IHC to focus on domestic acquisitions Abu Dhabi conglomerate International Holding Company (IHC) will refocus on domestic acquisitions as global economic challenges hamper its efforts to expand abroad. IHC rose from relative obscurity to become the UAE’s largest publicly traded company worth more than $235.98 billion. As it reported that its net profit fell slightly in the second quarter, it said […] August 4, 2023
Aviation Abu Dhabi airport reports 67% spike in passenger traffic State-owned Abu Dhabi International Airport has reported solid passenger and cargo growth in the first six months of 2023. The airport, the base of Etihad Airways, handled 10,258,653 passengers in the first half, an increase of 67 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Total flight movement reached 67,835 in the first six […] August 4, 2023
Tech Mubadala buys minority stake in US data centre firm Abu Dhabi sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has taken a minority stake in a US-based data centre company, as it ramps up its global investments in digital infrastructure. Texas-headquartered Aligned Data Centres (Aligned) has the majority of its operations in North America, but this year has expanded into Latin America by acquiring LatAm data centre […] August 3, 2023
Real Estate Abu Dhabi firms in talks for $12bn real estate and tourism giant Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to rival its neighbour Dubai as a global events destination have stepped up a notch with talks to create one of the largest real estate, hospitality, events and catering platforms in the region. Sovereign wealth fund ADQ and IHC Capital Holding have submitted an offer to wrap some of their shareholdings into real […] August 2, 2023
Real Estate Oyo expands to meet expat demand for Abu Dhabi flats Indian hospitality chain Oyo is adding 2,000 apartments to its offering in Abu Dhabi as demand grows for expat housing. The furnished units will be available for long-term rent and many will be located in business districts such as Khalifa City, Al Zeina, Al Raha, Al Reem Island, Al Reef and Al Mushrif. Other apartments […] August 2, 2023