Adnoc’s XRG inks JDA for Argentina’s LNG

Adnoc’s XRG inks JDA for Argentina’s LNG

Adnoc’s International investment arm XRG, Argentina’s YPF, and Italy’s Eni will start front-end engineering design and related work for an Argentina LNG project under a joint development agreement, according to a statement from Eni. The move steps up the non-binding agreement inked back in November to explore joining the venture.

The total financing needed for the project is pegged at USD 12.5 bn, according to Reuters ’ earlier reporting. The next milestone is lining up offtake and financing, clearing the path for a final investment decision.

The plan: The project is set to export gas from the Vaca Muerta formation, the world’s second-largest unconventional natural gas reserve, through a pipeline, and will involve the installation of liquefaction units. The initial phase of the project is expected to deliver 12 mn tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG production capacity through two 6 mtpa FLNG vessels.

Safran is pacing A320 supply by landing gear line in Morocco

French aerospace group Safran is doubling down on Morocco as a nearshore aviation manufacturing hub — earmarking EUR 280 mn for a new landing gear plant in Morocco that will feed the Airbus A320-family supply chain. Production at the plant is slated to commence in 2029.

Is Morocco turning into Airbus’s back office? Safran is planning a Casablanca assembly line for Leap-1A engines dedicated to Airbus jets, with an investment of EUR 200 mn. The 13k sqm facility will accommodate a scheduled ramp-up in Safran’s production, with capacity to handle 350 engines annually. It is also expected to launch by the end of 2027.

Casablanca cares for the A320 engines, too: The French aviation firm has inaugurated aLeap engine MRO facility in the Casablanca airport zone — pouring about EUR 120 mn in a 25k sqm facility designed to handle 150 engines per year. The CFM engine powers both the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 Max.

Hapag-Lloyd lands a terminal in Egypt’s Damietta port

Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd launched its new Damietta Alliance ContainerTerminals in Egypt on Saturday, marked by the inaugural port call of the 13k TEU vessel Essen Express. The new 93-hectare terminal — a joint venture between Hapag-Lloyd, Eurogate, and Contship Italia — will serve as a high-tech transshipment hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. The terminal is expected to reach full operations by late 2026.

More than just a terminal: The facility is a pillar of Gemini Cooperation’s regional strategy, which is set to shift logistics weight toward Damietta as a primary transit point for the Levant and the Black Sea. With 80% of its 3.3 mn TEU capacity dedicated to transshipment, the terminal aims to provide high-frequency connections for global trade lanes while using hybrid and electric equipment to meet new environmental standards.