SHIPPING + MARITIME-

Moroccan ports to acquire tugboats from Med Marine:The Moroccan Office De La Marine Marchande et Des Ports has signed a contract with MedMarine to acquire six tugboats to be used for towing services at commercial ports, firefighting, and marine cleanup, according to a statement. The agreement should be implemented within two years and will cost some EUR 49.3 mn, EUR 41 mn of which is being provided through a loan from the French Development Agency.

AVIATION-

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air + IBM Consulting sign tech agreement: Riyadh Air has signed an agreement with IBM Consulting where the latter will serve as principal systems integrator for the airline’s technological and digital transformation, according to a press release. The two companies have already established a digital innovation strategy for the airline, and will work together on “integrating more than 50 airline industry solutions and core technology capabilities, including security, infrastructure, integration and data platforms, using a hybrid cloud approach,” the statement said.

ALSO FROM RIYADH AIR- The new airline will announce a “sizable” agreement to purchase narrowbody aircrafts in the coming weeks, CEO Tony Douglas told Reuters. The company has already secured the purchases of 72 Boeing 787 widebody jets, Douglas said.

REMEMBER- The new airline — announced in March of this year — plans to launch its first flight in 2025.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

Oman has kicked off work on a project to connect four villages in Shinas to its Batinah Expressway, Oman News Agency (ONA) reports. The project involves the construction of roads connecting the villages of Al Ghatl, Al Masdar, Al Humaidah, and Wadi Shuraim, as well as the construction of entrances and exits for Wahla Camp Bridge on the expressway, ONA adds. The roads should facilitate traffic flow between the villages Wilayat of Shinas and the rest of Oman as well as stimulate trade across the country.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

  • Egypt’s AlexandriaPort and China’s Port of Chengdu inked a cooperation agreement to explore port management strategies, and green and smart ports, on the sidelines of TransMEA 2023 in Cairo, Egypt. (Statement)
  • Egypt’s Transport Minister Kamel Al Wazir met with a Singaporean delegation to discuss, among other things, collaborating on a unified digital platform and automating East Port Said port. (Statement)
  • EasyJet airline is set to launch flights from Belfast International Airport in northern Ireland to Tunisia and Cyprus in 2024. (The Irish News)
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