Good morning, nice people. The news cycle is holding steady, leaving us with another packed issue led by debt and investment updates. In the UAE, AD Ports finalized an agreement with Nimex to invest up to AED 3.9 bn in a new LNG and LPG hub, and over in Turkey, the country’s flagship carrier secured USD 412 mn in funds from the Bank of China to back expansion. PLUS: PMI reports from Saudi, Kuwait, and Egypt. Let’s get the ball rolling.

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Adipec Maritime and Logistics Exhibition and Conference is on its third day and will run until Thursday, 6 November in Abu Dhabi. The event is part of the larger Adipec Exhibition and Conference, featuring 10 parallel conferences. The event brings together over 250k attendees, including high-level officials and executives from governments and the private sector, representing multiple industries like energy and logistics.

The Air Cargo Forum is on its second day and will run until Thursday, 6 November in Abu Dhabi. The forum — hosted by Etihad Cargo — will bring together air freight industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and stakeholders to discuss industry solutions, tech, strategies, and collaborative initiatives for global air logistics.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Construction begins on UAE’s first commercial SAF plant: MENA Biofuels, a subsidiary of Singapore-based energy trader Mercantile & Maritime Group, has begun construction of the UAE’s first commercial Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, Wam reports. The facility will be constructed in 2 phases; the first costing some USD 200 mn for 125 mn litres of SAF annually, while the second is estimated at USD 100 mn with 250 mn litres of annual capacity.

What else we know: The facility will convert used cooking oil and other waste-based feedstocks into certified SAF, covering 18% of national demand in the first phase and 36% in the second. Announced last year, the project’s investment ticket was then said to be in the territory of AED 2.2 bn (c. USD 600 mn).

What now? The company launched the first of two Engineering, Procurement, and Construction and Commissioning tenders covering the receiving, storage, and distribution facilities for feedstock, SAF, and by-products. The second tender will be launched in 1Q next year for the SAF refinery units and associated infrastructure.

#3- Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport is set for another major expansion project — with construction scheduled to start in two years, Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director Elena Sorlini told The National, without disclosing an official investment ticket for the project. The state-owned airport operator is working on a detailed master plan, in an effort to have the expansion ready by 2032, Sorlini said. The expansion aims to increase the capacity of the airport’s Terminal A to accommodate 65 mn passengers per year, up from its current cap of 45 mn.

What we know: The operator plans to roll out biometric data-based solutions next year to reduce queuing times and streamline the experience for transit passengers, which make up 60% of the airport’s total traffic. AI-based solutions will also be deployed to improve operational efficiency across the airport, including decision-making, prediction, and scheduling.

Background: Operations kicked off at Terminal A back in 2023, which raised the airport capacity to 45 mn passengers. The 742k sqm terminal expands the airport’s cargo and passenger capacity, with the ability to operate 79 aircrafts at the same time and 45 mn passengers a year. The costs for the development of the terminal were pegged at USD 3 bn.

IN OTHER AIRPORT EXPANSION NEWS- Kuwait makes headway on airport project: Construction on the third phase of the Kuwait International Airport has reached 88% completion, and plans to rebuild its eastern runway within 14 months, Arab Times reports, citing comments made by Ahmed Hussein, the director of planning and follow-up at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. This expansion is valued at KWD 180 mn and entails the construction of the third runway, a new air traffic control tower, and the redevelopment and construction of the eastern runway.

The specs: The airport’s third runway — spanning some 4.6 km in length — and new 70-meter-tall watchtower are set to boost operational capacity at the airport, Public Authority for Civil Aviation Engineer Saad Al Otaibi told Kuna last month. Terminal 2 — a centerpiece of the modernization and valued above USD 4.3 bn — will span 700k sqm and is being established by Turkey’s Limak İnşaat, Engineering News-Record reports. Once established, the terminal will accommodate 25 mn passengers per year and is expected to launch next year.

#4- Boeing sheds its digital businesses in over USD 10 bn payout: US-based tech-focused private equity firm Thoma Bravo has acquired Boeing’s software arm, Digital Aviation Solutions, for USD 10.5 bn, according to a statement. The move looks to boost Boeing’s capital structure and enable the manufacturing giant to refocus on its core business — which includes its retained digital services portfolio, the statement adds. The firm first announced plans to shed a handful of its digital assets back in April.

The breakdown: Under the full banknote transaction, Thoma Bravo absorbed Boeing’s assets falling within its Digital Aviation Solutions scope, including navigational charter Jeppesen, flight mapper and weather monitor ForeFlight, aircraft maintenance and lease management software AerData, as well as flight planner OzRunways.

MARKET WATCH-

#1- Oil prices fell slightly this morning on the back of financial markets headwinds and a stronger performance by the US dollar, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures decreased by USD 0.06 to USD 64.74 / bbl as of 04:08 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped by USD 0.10 to trade at USD 60.46 / bbl.

#2- Baltic index snaps declining streak: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — was up 0.7% to 1,958 points on Tuesday, driven by the large-size segment. The capesize increased by 2% to 2,947, while the panamax index eased 0.7% to 1,788. The smaller supramax index shed 0.7% to 1,311.

***YOU’RE READING EnterpriseAM Logistics, the essential MENA publication for senior execs who care about the industry that connects producers and retailers to global markets. We’re out Monday through Thursday by 9:15am in Cairo and Riyadh and 11:15am in the UAE.

EnterpriseAM Logistics is available without charge thanks to the generous support of our friends at Hassan Allam Utilities, Transmar, and AK-Ships.

Were you forwarded this email? Tap or click here to get your own copy of Enterprise Logistics.

Want to send us a story idea, request coverage, ask for a correction, or otherwise get in touch? Reach out to us on logistics@enterprisemea.com.

DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE ***

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Egypt will host the TransMea Expo on Sunday, 9 November until Tuesday, 11 November in Cairo. The expo will host regional and international players in the transport industry to explore tech, new smart solutions, and products for transport and logistics services.

The UAE will host the Dubai Airshow on Monday, 17 November until Friday, 21 November in Dubai. The event will host over 1.5k exhibitors and 148k industry experts from over 150 countries, to discuss air mobility, new MRO breakthroughs, sustainable aviation, startups, and new tech for aircraft simulations.

Saudi Arabia will host the ShipTek International Conference and Awards on Tuesday, 18 November in Al Khobar. The conference will host policymakers, organizations, suppliers, and experts on maritime, offshore, and oil and gas.

Egypt will host the International Procurement Supply Chain Conference on Saturday, 6 December in Cairo. The event will gather over 1k delegates, more than 400 organizations, and over 30 global speakers to discuss the future of trade through keynotes and panel discussions. The discussions will center on Egypt’s transformation in the logistics sector, the future of smart ports and supply chains, as well as digital ecosystems.

Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.

Tags: