TRADE-

Oman, Spain ink MoU over future LNG sale: Oman LNG has inked an MoU with Spain’s Naturgy to discuss a long-term LNG purchase agreement of up to 1 mn tons of the super chilled fuel per year starting 2030, the Oman News Agency reports. According to the MoU, Oman LNG will also consider purchasing LNG cargoes from the Spanish energy player to meet the European market demand.

There’s more: The parties seek to build an LNG carrier in partnership with Oman logistics giant Asyad Shipping, as well as study the possibility of tapping into European regasification terminals and associated gas pipelines to bolster LNG imports, the news outlet reported.

AUTONOMOUS LOGISTICS-

7X + Zelostech launch autonomous logistics vehicles JV: Dubai-based, logistics-focused investment firm 7X has launched AutoLogix Smarttech — a joint venture (JV) with Singapore-based autonomous vehicle specialist Zelostech, according to a press release. The JV aims to create an integrated logistics ecosystem leveraging Level 4 autonomous vehicles to transport goods between logistics hubs.

Phase one will see AutoLogix deploy driverless Level 4 vehicles to support the delivery operations of 7X’s logistics arm EMX. Expansion plans will target the GCC and wider Middle East region, with offerings including last-mile delivery, mobile smart locker networks, and air freight integration.

RAIL-

Russia is set to begin construction of the Rasht-Astara railway by the start of 2026, with related land acquisitions set to wrap up by late 2025, Iranian outlet Mehr News reports, citing Roads and Urban Development Ministry head Amin Tarfa. The Russian contractor has reportedly taken up control of 35% of the land required for the railway.

What railway? Russia pledged EUR 1.6 bn to build the railway, the construction of which will complete the 7.2k-km International North-South Transport Corridor, which is a network of ship, rail, and road routes connecting South Asia to Europe. Azerbaijan and Iran approved a cooperation plan to build and operate the Astara rail cargo terminal by the end of 2025. The corridor is expected to move around 15 mn tons of cargo per year once it is fully completed.

ROADS-

The UAE is working on a package of AED 170 bn in roads and transport projects aimed at easing traffic congestion, consisting of both expansions of major roads and construction of new ones, as well as new modes of public transport, by 2030, state news agency Wam quotes Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei as saying at the UAE annual government meetings. The plan includes:

  • Studying a fourth, 120km federal highway spanning 12 lanes;
  • adding three lanes to Etihad Road, increasing its capacity by 60%;
  • and expanding Emirates Road to 10 lanes under an AED 750 mn project.

ZONES-

Garment company H&L has become the first Korean company to invest in the Qantara West Industrial Zone, inking a contract with the Suez Canal Economic Zone to build a USD 12 mn factory for sportswear and other ready-made garments, according to a statement from the zone. The project will create 2k direct jobs

DATA POINT- Total investments in the Qantara West Industrial Zone have reached USD 1.2 bn, covering 45 different projects spanning 2.8 mn sqm, and creating 62.2 jobs.

AVIATION-

Menzies Aviation loses Kuwait airport concession: Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has informed Agility Logistics’ ground handling subsidiary Menzies Aviation that it will no longer be operating ground handling services at Kuwait International Airport after its current contract ends, according to a disclosure (pdf). This comes after Menzies had previously been notified by the DGCA that it had been selected for the technical and financial tender for the new 10-year concession, the disclosure said. The concession would have involved up to KWD 220 mn in foreign direct investment.

SHIPPING + MARITIME-

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) added Zhonggu Logistics’ new CRX shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, linking it to five key ports across the region and Asia, it said in a statement yesterday. The service — with a capacity of 1.5k TEUs — connects Jeddah to the ports of Ningbo and Nansha in China, Aden in Yemen, Sokhna in Egypt, and Aqaba in Jordan.

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