Aviation Nigeria says most funds repatriated to Dubai’s Emirates Emirates has got most of its funds out of Nigeria and has around $35 million that still needs to be released, aviation minister Hadi Sirika said. President Muhammadu Buhari in February directed the central bank to increase the amount of foreign currency allocated to Emirates after the airline suspended flights to and from Nigeria because it […] March 24, 2023
Aviation Saudi Arabia launches second new airline Saudi Arabia has announced its second new airline in a matter of weeks with the launch of Neom Airlines. The carrier will solely serve the $500 billion Neom city in the north west of the kingdom. The first flights for tourists, residents and commercial partners are scheduled to take off in the fourth quarter of […] March 23, 2023
Aviation Interim approval granted for Qantas-Emirates alliance Australia’s competition regulator has granted interim approval for Qantas Airways and Dubai’s Emirates to continue their passenger and cargo transport alliance. Qantas and Emirates’ existing deal, which was granted in 2018, is set to expire on March 31, 2023, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a statement. Under the current agreement, both airlines […] March 23, 2023
Retail Amazon bucks global tech slowdown with UAE expansion Amazon has strengthened its commitment to the UAE with the opening of a new fulfilment centre – in the same week the e-commerce giant announced 9,000 jobs are to go across its global network. This follows a previous announcement in January to cut 18,000 roles within the company. The latest redundancies will fall mostly in […] March 22, 2023
Transport Canadian startup Vports to build Ras Al Khaimah’s first vertiport Canada’s urban air mobility startup Vports is expanding its reach across the UAE as the country moves ahead to make advanced air mobility a reality. Vports signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Airport to build and operate the first vertiport in the emirate as an advanced air mobility (AAM) hub. […] March 22, 2023
Aviation Wizz Air plans UAE expansion and increase routes to Saudi European budget carrier Wizz Air is planning to grow its fleet to above 200 aircraft next year and 500 aircraft by 2030. Wizz Air president Robert Carey told a news briefing that the core growth in the coming years would still come from central and eastern Europe, adding that in the west “we are happy […] March 22, 2023
Tourism UAE embraces travel again as Ramadan airfares spike Airfares from the UAE to key expat locations have increased over the Ramadan period as a new report shows that residents in the Emirates have the biggest appetite for travel. A global survey of 18 countries by research firm YouGov, carried out in November last year, found that 58 percent of UAE respondents said travel […] March 21, 2023
Logistics Aramco and DHL plan logistics hub in Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco and logistics giant DHL Supply Chain have signed an agreement to develop a new procurement and logistics hub in Saudi Arabia to improve supply chain efficiency and sustainability. The hub will provide end-to-end integrated procurement and supply chain services to customers in the industrial, energy, chemical and petrochemical sectors, Aramco said in a statement. […] March 21, 2023
Transport Italian travel company to invest $75m in Saudi luxury train An Italian hospitality company is investing around €70 million ($75 million) to develop the first luxury train for “rail cruising” across Saudi Arabia. Arsenale Group has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia Railways to introduce the train on a 770-mile route from Riyadh to the northern city of Al Qurayat, close to the border with […] March 20, 2023
Logistics AD Ports to invest $200m to develop Safaga Port in Egypt Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group has signed a 30-year concession agreement worth $200 million to develop and operate Egypt’s Safaga port. In addition, two 15-year agreements, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and three head of terms (HoT) for ports in Egypt’s Red Sea region and the Mediterranean Sea were signed. These agreements allow for expanded […] March 19, 2023
Logistics Egypt secures more than $1bn to build and develop its ports Egypt has secured investments of over $1 billion from two global port operators as the country aims to strengthen its logistics network. Hutchison Ports will invest nearly $700 million in two major Egyptian ports, taking its total investment in the country to over $1.5 billion. The investment includes the development of a new container terminal […] March 17, 2023
Opinion Aviation Challenges faced by Riyadh Air as aviation’s bold, new disruptor Assessing the risks of launching a new, international airline in the current market March 16, 2023
Aviation Emirates in expansion drive as new Saudi rival orders 72 jets Dubai’s flag carrier Emirates is doubling down on plans to expand its route network and flight capacity as competition for air travel in the Middle East sharpens with the launch of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air. Emirates said in a statement on Tuesday it has boosted operations by 31 percent based on available seat kilometre (askm […] March 14, 2023
Logistics Agility and Hassan Allam link up to build logistics parks in Egypt Kuwaiti logistics specialist Agility has formed a joint venture with the development arm of Hassan Allam Holding to build and run warehouses in Egypt. The venture, Yanmu, is due to open its first logistics park in August with an initial investment of about $100 million, Agility said in a stock market filing. The development, a […] March 14, 2023
Logistics UAE issues first licence to test electric cargo planes The UAE has issued its first licence for electric cargo planes as it steps up efforts to support sustainable transport technology. The Emirati government’s Regulations Lab issued the licence to US shipping giant UPS, to test electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the UAE. The agency said in a statement that the licence […] March 14, 2023
Transport GCC metro push could bring a $700bn economic boost Investing an extra $220 billion into GCC metro systems could lead to $700 billion worth of benefits over 20 years, according to experts, as the region seeks transport solutions to meet demand from rising populations. Growing populations, ambitious economic growth goals, new expectations for commute times and plans to improve quality of life are all […] March 14, 2023
Aviation Riyadh Air set to spark price war among regional rivals Saudi Arabia’s new national airline is bound to intensify the rivalry between Gulf carriers, analysts have said, and price wars are likely. Riyadh Air, which is wholly owned by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, was launched on Sunday and will be run by aviation veteran Tony Douglas. The carrier’s first international flight will take off […] March 14, 2023
Aviation Boeing expected to sell nearly 80 787 planes to Saudi airlines Boeing Co. is expected to sell nearly 80 787 Dreamliner airplanes to two Saudi Arabian airlines, a source briefed on the matter said. An announcement of the plan reported earlier by the Wall Street Journal is expected as soon as Tuesday, and the list prices for 78 planes would total nearly $37 billion. Airlines typically […] March 14, 2023
Analysis Aviation UAE firms at forefront of fuelling sustainable aviation Emirates operated its first flight with one of its engines powered entirely with sustainable aviation fuel last month – a milestone for UAE firms as they seek to lead the industry towards decarbonisation. The flight, which took off from Dubai International Airport and flew for more than an hour, was a showpiece event for the […] March 13, 2023
Aviation Saudi’s national airline to connect Riyadh to 100 cities by 2030 Saudi Arabia is to launch a new national airline – Riyadh Air – which it is expected to create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and add $20 billion to the kingdom’s non-oil economy. The announcement was made late on Sunday by Crown Prince, prime minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and the chairman […] March 13, 2023
Transport Abu Dhabi sets up new company to develop transport systems Abu Dhabi will set up a new company to develop and operate transport systems in its rural and urban areas. Abu Dhabi Transport Company will develop rail systems and all other related services and operations. It will provide integrated transport services, including the rental of vehicles and buses, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency reported. […] March 12, 2023
Logistics Bahri links with Suez as Saudi and Egypt revamp trade alliance Saudi shipping giant Bahri has signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority to set up a joint venture to transport general and bulk cargo, chemicals and oil. Bahri, also known as The National Shipping Company, and the Authority, which manages and operates one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes, aim to establish […] March 9, 2023
