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Driverless, by the trainload
Alstom is adding to the Riyadh Metro fleet: French rail manufacturer Alstom has signed a EUR 460 mn (SAR 2 bn) contract with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City to supply more driverless trains for the Riyadh Metro and fold them into the existing network, according to a press release. The new trains will run on Line 3 (Orange), Line 4 (Yellow) and Line 6 (Purple). Alstom will also maintain them under its existing operations and maintenance contract on the three lines, and expects to book the order in 2Q of its 2026/27 financial year.
BACKGROUND- The order rides a wave of French state-backed money into Saudi projects after the Crown Prince’s Paris visit in August. Through its export-credit arm Bpifrance Assurance Export, Paris is setting up an initial USD 5 bn credit line with the Finance Ministry to finance and de-risk French contracts in the kingdom, plus a separate USD 5 bn package for the National Debt Management Center covering Riyadh Metro work, AlUla's Sharaan Hotel, and rolling stock for Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup.
License to build
Rolls-Royce Power Systems has licensed Saudi Engines Manufacturing Co. (Makeen) to locally manufacture and assemble its mtu Series 2000 marine engines, according to a company statement. The licensing agreement will see the partners establish local production capabilities for the engines, though it does not specify an investment value, production capacity, or manufacturing timeline. Makeen is a joint venture between Aramco, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and PIF-backed industrial investor Dussur.
Why it matters: This fits in with the Kingdom’s defense localization push. Rolls-Royce frames the license as covering marine and naval applications, and mtu rates the Series 2000 for fast patrol and police craft as well as high-speed ferries. Saudi puts about 25% of military procurement into domestic production against a 50% target for 2030, a goal Sipri’s Zubaida Karim told us last month will be difficult to reach given continued reliance on imported systems.
REMEMBER- The new license builds on a framework agreement signed in early 2024 that laid the groundwork for manufacturing, testing, selling, and servicing mtu engines and generator sets locally.
AI takes on the back office
PIF-backed Humain tapped EY to develop what is billed as Saudi Arabia’s first AI-native business process outsourcing (BPO) service, according to a statement. Humain will provide the AI infrastructure and agentic platform underpinning the service, while EY will help develop and commercialize it. The companies haven’t disclosed an investment value or launch date.
REMEMBER- Humain and EY teamed up last year to adapt EY’s enterprise tools into AI agents for Humain One, the Saudi company's platform for automating business functions such as HR, finance, and procurement. The expanded partnership will build on that platform to develop a commercial outsourcing service.
