Logistics DP World starts work on expanding Canada port terminal Dubai ports operator DP World has started construction on the Duke Point Terminal expansion in western Canada, enhancing Vancouver Island’s connectivity and trade with international markets. Once completed, the terminal’s berth length will nearly double from 182m to 325m, while cargo handling capacity will expand to 280,000 twenty-foot equivalent units annually, the state-owned company said in […] April 8, 2025
Aviation Fuel price down but airlines fear fewer passengers While the lowest oil prices in four years may translate into lower jet fuel costs for airlines, slower economic growth in Europe and Asia could dampen international travel demand for Gulf carriers, analysts say. At Dubai’s Emirates, for example, jet fuel represented the company’s largest single cost in its fiscal year to March 31, 2024 […] April 8, 2025
Aviation PIF-backed AviLease agrees Turkish Airlines rentals Saudi Arabia’s Aircraft Leasing Company (AviLease) has signed long-term leases with state-owned Turkish Airlines for Airbus A320neo aircraft. Two of the aircraft have already been delivered, with the remaining six scheduled for delivery throughout 2025, the airline said in a statement. Riyadh-based AviLease’s CEO Edward O’Byrne, said these aircraft will support Turkish Airlines’ growth plans and […] April 8, 2025
Opinion Aviation US policy rattles Middle East aviation industry Tariffs and weak demand leave Middle Eastern carriers wary of market shifts April 7, 2025
Logistics AD Ports moves ahead with Angolan port upgrade State-controlled Abu Dhabi ports operator AD Ports Group is to upgrade Angola’s largest port as it expands its reach in Africa, the company said in a statement. The company has appointed UAE-based Mar Construction Civil & Obras Publicas to design and build the port’s infrastructure, the statement said. Additionally, the company has engaged Lebanon-based Dar Al […] April 7, 2025
Aviation Saudi Arabia clears Riyadh Air for takeoff Saudi Arabia’s aviation watchdog has granted official permission to Riyadh Air to commence flights to and from airports across the kingdom. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) chairman Saleh Al-Jasser handed the air operator certificate to Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas, state-run SPA news agency reported. The certificate follows the Public Investment Fund-backed airline’s completion […] April 7, 2025
Aviation Mid-East passenger demand keeps rising but cargo slows Middle Eastern carriers have reported a yearly increase in passenger demand in February, albeit slightly down on the previous month because of factors including trade tensions, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata). The latest monthly figures from Iata showed a 3 percent year-on-year increase in demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, in February, […] April 1, 2025
Aviation Low-cost carrier Flynas to offload 30% on Saudi bourse Saudi low-cost carrier Flynas has received the market regulator’s approval to offload nearly a third of its shares on the local stock exchange in the latest of a series of bourse flotations. The airline, partly owned by billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, will sell 51.3 million shares or 30 percent of its stock in an initial public […] April 1, 2025
Transport China’s Baidu to launch robotaxis in UAE Chinese tech company Baidu, which is listed on the US Nasdaq stock exchange, is planning to launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in the UAE by the end of 2025, according to a statement. Apollo Go, a Baidu unit, has signed an agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to start autonomous driving testing and […] March 31, 2025
Infrastructure Turkey to tender rail project under Development Road plan Turkey plans to float a tender for a new rail project that is part of the Development Road Project, a new freight link planned between Asia and Europe, according to a news report. The tender will be issued in the coming months, Daily Sabah newspaper reported, citing transport and infrastructure minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. Ankara is […] March 31, 2025
Aviation Qatari bank buys stake in Edinburgh Airport A sharia-compliant Qatari investment bank has acquired a minority stake in Edinburgh Airport through an infrastructure-focused investment fund. “This investment aligns with the bank’s strategic focus on resilient asset classes and marks the bank’s entry into the global infrastructure investment market,” Lesha Bank said in a press release. Edinburgh Airport, Scotland’s busiest and the sixth […] March 27, 2025
Transport Tesla to launch in Saudi Arabia next month Tesla is due to launch in Saudi Arabia on April 10, with a special event at the Bujairi Terrace in Riyadh to show off its products, including its autonomous driving Cybercab and Optimus, its humanoid robot. Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company is currently facing slowing sales and rising competition from cheaper Chinese rivals in key […] March 26, 2025
Logistics ADX-listed Agility targets $130m dividend payout Logistics company Agility Global has proposed a final dividend of $65 million for 2024, taking the total payout to $130 million, reflecting a healthy growth in earnings last year. The company paid a $65 million dividend in December 2024, with a further $65 million set to be approved at the upcoming general assembly for approval, […] March 26, 2025
Aviation Egypt partners with IFC for airport privatisation Egypt’s civil aviation ministry has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to introduce public private partnerships (PPP) at 11 airports, in a bit to improve infrastructure, connectivity and passenger services. As a pilot project, the IFC, a member of the World Bank, will act as the lead PPP transaction adviser for Hurghada International Airport, […] March 25, 2025
Aviation Narrow-body aircraft to push growth of Middle East fleets Gulf Arab airlines and other Middle East carriers will expand their fleets at almost double the rate of the global average over the next ten years, industry experts say. They will also increase the share of narrow-body planes over twin-aisle aircraft. Globally, fleet size is expected grow by 2.8 percent per year over the next […] March 23, 2025
Logistics Danish logistics partner rues Neom delays Denmark’s DSV A/S, one of the world’s largest freight and logistics companies, said that expected profit from a $10 billion joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s state-backed Neom will be slower in coming than previously forecast due to delays in the so-called giga-project. Neom is a $500 billion futuristic desert city project on Saudi Arabia’s northern […] March 21, 2025
Aviation Qatar airport expansion boosts capacity to 65 million Qatar’s Hamad International Airport’s annual passenger capacity has reached 65 million passengers, following an expansion plan started in 2018. The terminal area has expanded by 14 percent to cover 845,000sqm, adding 17 new boarding gates to reach 62, the Government Communications Office said in a statement. The new concourses (D and E) will boost flight […] March 21, 2025
Opinion Transport How the Porsche 911 became a darling of UAE car nuts How did Porsche draw the biggest two-day single-make car show audience in UAE automotive history? March 20, 2025
Opinion Logistics Trust is paramount as Gulf states deepen African investment Legal disputes and infrastructure challenges could test long-term relations March 19, 2025
Logistics $1bn investment to advance Saudi Arabia’s logistics ambitions Saudi-listed Sal Logistics Services and master developer Sela have agreed to develop a logistics zone north of Riyadh. SAL Logistics Zone in Falcon City will cover more than 1.5 million square metres and will be developed at a cost of SAR4 billion ($1 billion), the companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday. The logistics […] March 18, 2025
Aviation India-UAE airfares could drop if capacity expands Airfares between India and the UAE are expected to become cheaper if air travel capacity doubles over the next five years. A 20 percent drop in ticket prices could save Indian consumers $1 billion, CNBC-TV18, an Indian financial news channel, reported, citing UAE ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali. He said the UAE has proposed a […] March 18, 2025
Manufacturing US maker of ‘flying ferries’ builds on UAE backing A US developer of electric passenger sea planes backed by UAE defence company Edge Group expects to secure more orders for its prototype from the UAE and Egypt before the end of May. Rhode Island-based Regent has developed an all-electric sea plane prototype, which the company calls a seaglider, capable of carrying 12 people at […] March 18, 2025
