NeoNautica + UAE partner to launch Blue Pass platform, Falcon + Archer partner on UAE flying car network, ONE opens Dubai HQ

TECH-

UAE to launch Blue Pass platform for maritime sector: The Energy and Infrastructure Ministry has inked an agreement with technology and digital services company NeoNautica to develop and operate the UAE Blue Pass platform, which provides facilities for the maritime sector, Wam reports.

What will the platform do? The platform aims to connect maritime professionals, enhance cooperation between stakeholders in the maritime sector, promote communication and transparency, and expand coverage to include all modes of transportation, boosting the UAE’s position as a leading logistics player, Wam writes.

AVIATION-

Falcon + Archer partner on UAE eVTOL vertiport network: UAE aviation service operator Falcon Aviation is partnering with US-based, Mubadala-Capital backed aircraft maker Archer Aviation to develop a vertiport network in key locations across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to a press release. Under this partnership, the two firms aim to jointly develop a network which, using Archer’s Midnight flying car, will allow for flights between the two cities as early as 2025. The pair will develop state-of-the-art vertiport infrastructure at Atlantis' Falcon Heliport, Dubai’s Palm, and the Abu Dhabi corniche’s Marina Mall heliport. Falcon Aviation inked an MoU last year to operate Archer’s Midnight flying cars, according to the statement.

Part of Archer and Falcon’s air taxi network? The Abu Dhabi Investment Office signed an agreement with Archer last October to explore the possibility of establishing an air taxi network in the Emirates by 2026. The company, alongside Falcon Aviation and Gal-Ammroc, will collaborate with Abu Dhabi to launch their eVTOL-based air taxi services in the country, and Archer said it would partner with Emirati aircraft makers and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers in Abu Dhabi to spearhead the domestic production of eVTOLs in the country under Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster.

SHIPPING + MARITIME-

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has opened its West Asia Regional Headquarters in Dubai, according to a press release. The new HQ, which has been moved from Singapore, will act as the primary center for operations in the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, and East Africa, overseeing key tasks including commercial operations, customer service, and digitization. The new office will also host a specialized team that will foster regional trade alliances and tap into new business ventures in the region. The move is in line with ONE’s growth strategy for the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa, which are becoming increasingly important for both its inter-regional and deep sea network customers.

ZONES-

Iran + ECO to set up logistics village: Iran and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states will ink an MoU for the construction of a logistics village in the Maku Freezone, Tasnim reported. Neither a timeframe for the project nor its value have been revealed. The logistics zone will be the first Iranian knowledge-based economy town, the news agency writes. It will be built on some 1.8k hectares, and will be connected to the International East-West Transport Corridor, according to Tasnim.

Who are the ECO members? ECO comprises Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, according to the organization’s website.

IN OTHER IRAN NEWS- Iran + Turkey have also signed an MoU to open a joint freetrade zone soon, Maku Freezone Organization head Hossein Garousi told IRNA. A new railway connecting Iran and Turkey, from Marand and Cheshmeh Soraya to Igdir and Kars, could significantly increase trade exchange between the two countries, Garousi said, according to IRNA.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING THIS MORNING-

• Etihad Cargo is launching a new customer relations tool: The UAE’s Etihad Cargo, in partnership with aviation data optimization company Rotate, is launching Sales Cockpit, a digital sales optimization tool that will enhance customer relations across its global stations. (Statement)
• Spain wants Moroccan truckers: Spain’s transport sector is looking to attract some 26k Moroccan truck drivers, with salaries ranging from EUR 1.6k to EUR 2k a month, to address an unprecedented labor shortage. (Morocco World News)