Good morning, nice people. The news cycle is showing no signs of slowing down, leaving us with an issue full to the brim. Aramco’s potential big sell-down for its oil export logistics assets leads today’s packed issue, followed by IPO, investment, and projects updates from Saudi and the UAE. But first, a look into what could be one of the biggest M&As in the industry this year…

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- Macquarie bids high for Aussie logistics giant: Qube Holdings — Australia’s biggest import and export logistics player — has received a buyout bid from Macquarie Asset Management (Mam), the company said in a statement (pdf). The conditional and non-binding bid — Mam’s second attempt to buy the firm — proposes a buyout in banknotes consisting of AUD 5.20 per share, amounting to a 27.8% premium to Qube’s closing price last Friday.

The bid gives Qube an enterprise value of AUD 11.6 bn, which incorporates approximately AUD 2.3 bn in debt, according to Qube’s latest financial statements.

What’s next? Qube’s board has advanced the proposal into the next stage, granting Mam an exclusivity period to conduct due diligence before making a final offer. Subject to regulatory approval and due diligence, the parties have until 1 February 2025 to reach a binding agreement.

On Qube: Founded in 2011, Qube Holdings owns ports, intermodal terminals, and bulk handling facilities across Australia, offering bulk material handling, end-to-end logistics, port services, and more, according to its website. Its operations span over 200 locations across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

The story got some ink in the int’l press: Reuters | Bloomberg | CNBC

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Mubadala, Uber seek regulatory greenlight on Getir Food sale: Uber has agreed on key elements of a possible acquisition of Mubadala’s controlling stake in Turkish delivery firm Getir’s food-delivery arm, and has jointly filed for clearance with the Turkish Competition Authority, Reuters reports, citing two people familiar with the matter.

We knew this was coming: Earlier this month, Mubadala was in preliminary talks with Uber to possibly take over the Turkish firm. At the time, reports cited the value of the potential acquisition at as much as USD 1 bn. The Abu Dhabi fund took control of Getir’s assets earlier this year after the company’s pandemic-era surge and subsequent collapse in demand forced a restructuring and shutdown of its international operations, and led to a power struggle between Mubadala and Getir’s founders.

#2- Aldar’s NIP logistics park is almost here: Abu Dhabi real estate developer Aldar Properties broke ground on the second phase of its Grade A logistics park project at Jebel Ali’s National Industries Park (NIP), according to a press release. The 150k sqm center is set to be delivered in two phases, with the first phase already under construction for some time. The first phase includes a 67k sqm buildout, with delivery earmarked for 2Q 2026, and the remaining development penciled in for 1Q 2027 completion.

Rings a bell? Aldar Properties inked an agreement with DP World to develop a 144k sqm Grade A logistics park at NIP back in July 2024. The project was initially slated for construction in 4Q 2024 and was set to open for tenants in 4Q 2025.

REMEMBER- Aldar is going big on logistics assets: The project is part of Aldar’s AED 1 bn investment plan to boost its logistics portfolio across the UAE. The firm also acquired two industrial logistics assets from AD Ports Group for AED 570 mn earlier this month.

#3- The UAE signed a USD 50 bn investment framework with Canada, targeting sectors like AI, logistics, and mining, according to a statement. The announcement was made during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Abu Dhabi, which also saw the two sides ink an investment protection and promotion agreement and launch trade talks to boost bilateral trade to USD 7 bn within 10 years — up from USD 3.4 bn currently.

Next up: Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu will lead a business delegation to the UAE early next year to encourage Emirati investors to explore prospects in Canada through its Major Projects Office, including LNG, critical minerals, ports, data infrastructure, AI, and agriculture. Canadian pension funds — which manage USD 2 tn — will also travel to the UAE in 2026 to pursue long-term investments and partnerships, and Emirati sovereign wealth funds will visit Canada.

Canada pivots away from US: The Canadian government is aiming to double non-US exports over 10 years and bring in USD 1 tn in new investments within five years. The US is Canada’s largest trading partner, with over USD 909.1 bn traded last year, although trade talks over lowering US-imposed tariffs have stalled after US President Donald Trump took offense at an anti-levy advertisement. Canada isn’t rushing to restart talks as it pushes ahead with forging new trade alliances.

#4- Saudi delivered the second and final shipment of its pledged oil support to Syria, with a tanker carrying 1 mn barrels of crude docking at Baniyas port, Syria’s Energy Minister Mohammed Al Bashir said on X. The cargo — carried by the Reliable Warrior vessel —
completes the 1.65 mn-barrel grant, aimed at covering local fuel needs and supporting ongoing economic and development cooperation between the two countries.

ALSO FROM THE KINGDOM- CGS to open new cold chain production facility: Saudi cold chain systems manufacturer ConsolidatedGruenenfelder Saady Holding (CGS) plans to invest some SAR 150-170 mn to open a new facility in Al Kharj Al Haditha, CEO ‏Peter Färber told Asharq Business (watch, runtime: 11:49) yesterday. Shareholders have no plans to exit their stakes following the company’s upcoming listing of a 30% stake on Tadawul’s main market, Färber said.

ICYMI- The company priced its IPO at SAR 10 apiece after strong institutional demand, allowing the selling shareholders to raise about SAR 300 mn and valuing CGS at SAR 1 bn at listing.

DISRUPTION WATCH-

FAA warns airlines of dangers in Venezuelan airspace: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a security notice, advising airlines to “exercise caution” when flying over the Maiquetía region in Venezuela, citing a “worsening security situation”, according to a notice (pdf) published on Friday. The warning comes after weeks of reports of a looming military operation against the oil-rich South American country amid a build-up of US military assets in the Caribbean, with four US officials telling Reuters that the operation is expected within a few days.

The impact: Several airlines, including Brazil’s Gol, Colombia’s Avianca, Spain’s Iberia, and Tap Air Portugal, have moved to cancel their flights departing from Caracas on Saturday, according to Flightradar24. The FAA’s notice remains in force until 19 February 2026.

MARKET WATCH-

#1– Oil prices took a dip this morning as the prospect of a Russia-Ukraine peace pact weighed in, raising concerns of oversupply, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures were down USD 0.27 to USD 63.10 / bbl as of 05:00 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped by USD 0.23 to USD 58.61 / bbl. The drop comes after both benchmarks surged by 1.3% on Monday.

#2- Sky-high North American exports keep LNG shipping rates up: Record-breaking LNG exports from North America are tying up more tankers, resulting in a sustained surge in spot freight rates, Bloomberg reports, citing data from Spark Commodities. Spot freight rates for US-to-Europe LNG tankers have returned to their highest level since December 2023, rising by roughly 12% on Friday to nearly USD 130.8k a day.

ICYMI-Rising North American LNG exports drove up demand for tankers last week, pushing Atlantic freight rates for the super chilled fuel to a two-year peak at that time.

PSA-

Abu Dhabi to restrict heavy vehicles on key corridors from 1 December: Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Center (ITC) will enforce new restrictions on heavy-vehicle movement along Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Road (E11) and Al Raha Beach Road (E10) starting 1 December, with truck access on Al Rawdah Road (E30) in Musaffah banned during morning and evening peak hours, according to a press release. ITC has designated Al Fayah-Seih Shuaib Road (E75) and Al Haffar Road as alternative truck corridors. For Musaffah, trucks will be redirected during peak hours via the ICAD Bridge.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

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.

Morocco is hosting the Rail Industry Summit on Tuesday, 9 December until Wednesday, 10 December in El Jadida. The two-day event will gather 130 exhibitors, 250 companies, and over 900 participants from 15 countries. It will feature business meetings, high-level conferences, and workshops focused on new market trends and future strategies.

Saudi Arabia is hosting the Saudi Airport Exhibition on Tuesday, 16 December until Wednesday, 17 December in Riyadh. Upwards of 10k global attendees are expected to participate in the event from over 100 countries. The two-day event will focus on airport-related innovation, and will feature participation from Saudia, SolitAir, and Amadeus.

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

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