Lots of Egypt news

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What we're tracking today

TODAY: SCZone is in New Delhi for a roadshow + Iran to inaugurate Razi terminal within days

Good morning, friends. We have a packed issue for you this morning, with plenty of updates from Egypt — and a whole lot of aviation and trade news.

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- Egypt inaugurated its multipurpose maritime terminal Tahya Misr at Alexandria’s port on Thursday, as part of a state-led drive to turn Egypt into a regional trade hub. Meanwhile, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) could launch the Boeing 777 passenger-to-freight (P2F) conversion facility in Abu Dhabi International Airport by 2H 2023.

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) CEO Walid Gamal El Din led a delegation to New Delhi in its third stop on an Asian roadshow, in a bid to attract Indian investments to ports and industrial zones in Egypt, namely Sokhna and Port Said, according to an SCZone statement. The focus of the roadshow is on diversifying investments in energy, infrastructure, petrochemicals, heavy industries, and green fuel, as well as enhancing cooperation in the logistics sector. The delegation includes industrial developers and representatives from Orascom Industrial Parks, El Sewedy Industrial Development, and East Port Said Development.

WATCH THIS SPACE #1-Iran’s Razi terminal on the Turkish border will be inaugurated within the next few days, according to Iran’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RTMO), Mehr News Agency reports. The new three-story terminal, which can operate around the clock, will facilitate the transport of cargo trucks and passengers between Iran and Turkey and will cut three hours of processing time to 15 minutes, according to RTMO data, the agency reports.

The terminal aims to boost bilateral trade to help the two countries reach a USD 30 bn target in annual exchange. Construction of the border terminal began in 2019, with USD 25 mn spent on the project so far, according to the news agency.

WATCH THIS SPACE #2- More interest in Iraq’s Development Road Project:Companies from countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the GCC are interested in participating in Iraq’s USD 17 bn Development Road Project, said Nasser Al Asadi, a transport advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). Iraq will kickstart bilateral talks with each of the interested parties in those countries to determine the nature of their partnership and the priority areas of investment, Al Asadi said.

Syria could also be involved: The country has stressed its previous suggestion to open up a path linking the Grand Faw Port to Syrian ports, allowing exports to travel from Faysh Khabur on the border between Syria and Iraq to Turkey, according to INA.

REMEMBER- China, Hungary, and Lebanon are some of the countries that have expressed their interest in participating in the project. Al Asadi added that Iraq has approved a feasibility study for the project conducted by an Italian company, INAreports.

DATA POINT #1-Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) has seen a 24% y-o-y increase in Chinese companies inside the freezone so far this year, according to a statement. The announcement follows a roadshow that took place in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chongqing, during which DMCC inked an MoU with the Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (LGSAC) to cooperate on trade, logistics, commerce, and innovation. “With over 770 Chinese companies in our freezone, a figure which is growing all the time, China is one of the most strategically important markets for DMCC,” said DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

DATA POINT #2-US planemaker Boeing expects the aviation industry globally to add c. 42.5k jets valued at about USD 8 tn through 2042, Boeing VP of marketing Darren Hulst told Bloomberg. Boeing’s predictions take into consideration climate change altering travel globally and a rising advocacy against the industry’s emissions. Hulst says airlines would still find ways to raise productivity of their fleets by moving to large jets with denser seating patterns and the global fleet stands to nearly double through 2042 at an annual rate of 3.5%, up from a previous forecast of 2.6%.

The World Bank estimates that a shipping carbon tax could raise revenues of up to USD 40-60 bn a year between 2025 and 2050,it said in a recent report (pdf). A carbon levy in shipping could take the shape of a feebate or an emissions trading scheme, the international lender said. These proceeds can be diverted to accelerating decarbonization in global shipping, improving port facilities in the developing world, and aiding poorer countries’ transition towards clean energy. A cleverly designed tax can serve the dual goals of giving impetus to the decarbonization agenda while also smoothing the energy transition of the world’s most vulnerable economies, the World Bank indicated.

The US, France, and Denmark are also on board for a carbon tax in shipping, Splash reports. Their calls join urgent appeals from the group of Pacific nations for a carbon levy on shipping starting at USD 100 per tonne.

MARKET WATCH- “Growth in world oil demand is set to slow during the 2022-28 forecast period as the energy transition advances,” according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 2023 medium-term outlook report (pdf) on global trends in oil demand and supply. However, absolute consumption is still expected to increase to 105.7 mn barrels per day (bbl / d) by 2028, an increase of 5.9 mn bbl / d from 2022 levels. World oil trade is experiencing an “unprecedented sea change” that is unlikely to be reversed in the near future, due to international bans on Russian oil products, according to the Baltic Exchange.

By the numbers: The report estimates that 2.5 mn bbl / d of Russian crude have been withdrawn from Europe and G7 countries. The disruptions have led to the redirection of oil flows and the search for alternative suppliers. European refiners have turned to other suppliers, such as the US and the Middle East, while Russian volumes have been redirected to other regions including, Turkey, East of Suez, Latin America, and Africa.

World bunker fuel consumption is expected to reach 4.5k mn bbl / d by 2028, an increase of 300k bbl / d. Robust trade growth will be offset by tightening efficiency standards. Depending on how quickly older and less efficient vessels are replaced, the report anticipates that the average gain in fuel efficiency for global shipping could reach approximately 10% over the six-year period.

Saudi oil tankers carrying a record volume of crude oil have been spotted off the Red Sea coast: Oil tankers carrying over 20 mn barrels of Saudi crude oil have reportedly anchored off the Red Sea coast of Egypt, marking the highest volume of stationary oil observed since the covid pandemic in 2Q 2020, according to a Vortexa note seen by Asharq Business. This increase could possibly be attributed to an increase in demand for the Saudi crude oil in Europe, Vortexa’s lead crude oil analyst Jay Maroo wrote in the note.

Kuwait’s Al Zour refinery has issued a term tender for fuel oil sales for July to December loading as it continues to ramp up its third crude distillation unit (CDU), Reuters reports. Al Zour is expected to become a major global low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) exporter once operations are fully ramped up. The refinery’s term tender — which closes on 19 June — offered LSFO with a maximum sulfur content of 0.5% for 2H 2023, sources said. The first cargo, around 100k metric tons, is expected to load between 15 and 19 July. The total volume for the entire contract ranges from 80k to 720k metric tons. The refinery’s third CDU is set to boost operations starting July.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Coupa Inspire’s Supply Chain Summit kicks off today and is running till Wednesday in ExCel Exhibition Centre, in London.The three day summit will bring together supply chain leaders and practitioners, to share insights on how to build resilient and agile supply chains, as well as the role of procurement and finance in improving business resilience, and growth.

The two-day Jordan-Iraq Economic Forum, organized by the Iraqi Business Council in Jordan will begin tomorrow in Amman. The forum — held under the slogan of “Building Bridges of Joint Prosperity” — will provide a platform for the countries to reap their common interests and establish joint partnerships, with a focus on enhancing commercial, industrial, and investment relations between the countries. The forum will focus on industry, finance, communications, information technology, contracting, energy, and mining and will also feature an exhibition to showcase products and help boost trade between the two countries.

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

Egypt launches new high capacity port terminal at Alexandria Port

Egypt has kicked off operations at a new multipurpose maritime terminal at Alexandria’s port on Thursday, according to a cabinet statement. The facility — dubbed Tahya Misr — can process 12 to 15 mn tons of goods a year and comes as part of a state-led drive to turn Egypt into a regional trade hub. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi attended the inauguration, where he highlighted that port developments are also taking place at Abu Qir and Gargoub ports.

The details: Spread across half-a-mn square meters, the Tahya Misr facility is divided into three trading yards for the handling of containers, cargo, and cars. The port has the capacity for some 2 mn tons of general cargo, 1.5 mn containers and 100k cars, according to the statement. Tahya Misr will be operated by French shipping giant CMA CGM which is looking to broaden its operations in Egypt by expanding to logistical centers and port terminals near Alexandria, company CEO Rodolphe Saadé said, according to a presidential press release.

What the terminal will bring to the table: The terminal is expected to boost Alexandria Port’s annual revenues by USD 50 mn a year, and will help shorten waiting times for ships docking at the port, create potential investments, and establish 4.5k direct and indirect jobs, according to Dar Al Handasah, which handled the design and project management for the terminal’s construction. The terminal will also play a big role in Egypt’s modern transport sector, through its link to the upcoming USD 4.45 bn high-speed electric rail line, which will link the Red Sea Port of Ain Sokhna to Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh. The terminal will also supply the upcoming dry port in the 6th of October Industrial City as well as the logistics center associated with the Alexandria Port.

Egypt’s ports to process transit trade from Jordan and Iraq: Egypt also recently signed a cooperation protocol for a transit trade scheme dubbed the Arab Trade Line to facilitate transit trade from Jordan and Iraq, and potentially GCC countries, Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said during the inauguration event (watch, runtime: 3:14). The scheme will see exports from the GCC, Jordan, and Iraq shipped to the Jordanian port of Aqaba via land. From there they will be loaded onto ferries owned by the three governments’ joint venture,Arab Bridge Maritime, and hauled to Taba and Nuweiba before being transported through a recently completed tunnel system to Port Said. At Port Said, the cargoes will be loaded onto ships — via an agreement with CMA CGM — bound for markets in Europe.

IN OTHER NEWS FROM EGYPT-

MSC awarded tender for Egypt’s Tenth of Ramadan dry port: A consortium led by Italy’s Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) snagged the bid to establish and operate the 250-feddan Tenth of Ramadan dry port, Transport Minister Kamal El Wazir said Thursday, without giving further details. The dry dock aims to serve the industrial area in Badr, Ain Sokhna, East Port Said, the new capital and the Tenth of Ramadan.

BACKGROUND- Four consortiums submitted their final bids and proposals at the end of April to build and operate the EGP 3.5 bn dry port and logistical hub.

Abu Dhabi will get a new passenger-to-freighter conversion conversion facility by July

Abu Dhabi International Airport could see the launch of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Boeing 777 passenger-to-freight (P2F) conversion facility by 2H 2023, Aviation International Online (AIN) quotes IAI Aviation Group VP and General Manager Shmuel Kuzi as saying. Conversion work at the site should kick off around “June or the beginning of July,” Kuzi said on the sidelines of Paris Air Show 2023..

The details: The company is set to establish “two conversion lines accommodating multiple aircraft conversions per year” at Abu Dhabi airport, according to the initial framework agreement. The facility will reportedly have the capacity to convert 100 Boeing aircraft, AIN writes, without clarifying the period of time over which these conversions will take place.

The center, for which agreements were signed in 2021, is slated to be the largest and most advanced in the Middle East, as per IAI statements cited by Reuters at the time of the agreement.The arrangement looks to benefit from a spike in demand for freight aircraft and is a “greener, more profitable highly innovative solution,” Etihad Engineering’s statement said.

Tens of orders for converted aircraft are already in the pipeline,Kuzi added. Emirates ordered four converted 777s in 2021 that will likely be converted at the new Abu Dhabi facility, according to AIN.

More conversion lines + more aircraft types coming? The number of conversion lines could be increased to three or more,depending on the readiness of facilities at Abu Dhabi airport, Kuzi told AIN. Expansions could also see other aircraft types being converted. “In about two years from now, we will start on the [Airbus] A330,” Kuzi is quoted as saying, while adding that they expect to receive approval to convert the A330 from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel by 3Q 2023. “We are already working on the narrowbodies and will begin working on the widebodies which will likely lead to us opening more facilities,” he added, without clarifying which manufacturers those jets belong to.

DP World pours GBP 12 mn into 8 straddle carriers for its London Gateway

DP World’s investing in the world’s first all-electric fleet of straddle:DP World has invested GBP 12 mn in eight new straddle carriers for its new berth at its London Gateway logistics hub, according to a press release.The investment comes after three years of developing and piloting the electric straddle carrier in partnership with cargo handling solution provider Kalmar. The straddle will go into service next summer upon completion of DP World’s GBP 350 mn fourth berth, according to the statement.

The details: The straddles will move containers handled by quay cranes, and then service onward forms of transport through road or rail, reducing carbon emissions by some 54% compared with non-electric models, the statement said. Each high energy battery straddle can operate up to four hours without needing to be recharged, and can be fully recharged in 45 minutes, DP World UK COO Andrew Bowen said.

The fourth berth at London Gateway is expected to be among the most sustainable ever built, with all-electric equipment. The company’s Southampton logistics hub has also switched to hydrotreated vegetable oil and has eliminated fossil diesel from its operations in order to cut carbon emissions from its fleet by 90%, according to the release.

Egypt applies to join BRICS alliance + negotiates credit line with India, as it looks to boost non-USD trade

Egypt has submitted an application to join the BRICS alliance, Russian ambassador to EgyptGeorgy Borisenko told Russian news agency TASS. The alliance is currently focused on shifting trade to alternative currencies, whether it be national currencies or a new common currency. “Egypt is very much interested in that,” he said.

BRICS members are also considering the creation of a common currency. Egypt and Russia have been working together to reduce the use of the USDs in their bilateral trade in favor of the RUB. “New payment mechanisms are being created for trade transactions,” Borisenko stated.

Egypt is not the only country interested: Nearly 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Argentina, the UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, and Indonesia, have recently expressed interest in joining the BRICS alliance, according to Bloomberg.

ICYMI- Earlier this year, Egypt became a member of the BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB), a USD 100 bn multilateral lender that invests in infrastructure projects in member countries.

Barter + non-USD trade also on the negotiation table with India: Egypt could start bartering goods such as fertilizer and natural gas with India under a wider set of trade arrangements expected to be announced when Indian PM Narendra Modi visits Egypt later this month, Reuters reports, citing sources it says are familiar with the matter.

Talks of a credit line continue: The proposal is part of a wider deal that could see New Delhi extend a credit line worth “several bn USD” to help Egypt pay for imports. “The agreement would allow Egypt to make purchases in INR and bartering is being considered as a means to settle this debt through the sale of Egyptian products that might be of use for India,” one of the newswire’s sources reportedly said. Reports of the credit line surfaced earlier this month when Bloomberg quoted Egyptian Supply Minister Ali El Moselhy as saying that India would provide the country with a loan of unspecified value. The minister later told Reuters that “nothing of the sort has been implemented.”

Wheat not part of the plan? While Egypt has expressed interest in using the facility to import wheat — among other supplies — from India, the country’s wheat export ban makes this an unlikely trade, an Indian official told Reuters. India — the world’s second largest wheat producer — banned wheat exports in May 2022 to help rein in local prices.

It’s all still up in the air: “It’s a negotiation. Which companies will be involved and in which commodities? All of that is still in discussion,” El Moselhy told Reuters. “There are a lot of discussions but up until now the model is not defined.”

A lifeline amid an FX crunch: The agreement would allow Egypt to pay for imports from India without needing hard currency. The prolonged FX shortage triggered by the war in Ukraine and tighter US monetary policy has made it harder for the government to pay for imports. The supply minister and traders told Reuters last month that the crisis had forced state grains supplier GASC to delay opening letters of credit to pay for wheat imports.

Saudi Arabia + Iran discuss maritime security and trade + Qatar and Korea discuss boosting trade. PLUS: Tunisia, Malta discuss transport, trade + UAE, Brazil discuss aviation, logistics and transport cooperation

Saudi + Iranian foreign ministers discuss security + trade in Tehran: Irani Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, met in Tehran to discuss regional security and maintaining “positive” relations, Saudi news agency SPA reports. The ministers discussed topics ranging from offshore security in the region to “sustainable trade, economic cooperation and joint investment,” Bloomberg quotes Amirabdollahian as saying on state TV. The Saudi minister expressed the need for enhanced maritime security in the Gulf region, according to SPA.

Al Saud also expressed the Kingdom’s intention to reopen its embassy in Tehran in the near future, following Iran’s recent reopening of its embassy and consulate general in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, according to Bloomberg. The meeting signifies a thaw in diplomatic relations between the two countries, brokered by China in March. Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in 2016 after protests erupted over the execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric at Saudi’s diplomatic posts in Tehran.

Qatar eyes Korean investments: Qatar called for South Korean investments during an investment forum hosted by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatari embassy in Seoul last Wednesday, The Korea Herald reports. Qatar requested investments from South Korean companies amid growing economic cooperation between the two countries, promising incentives including full foreign ownership of listed companies and heavy tax cuts. “We are confident that the private sectors of Qatar and South Korea can play an important role in strengthening trade exchanges between the two countries,” Nasser Al Haidar, a member of the registration committee at the Qatari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

Tunisia + Malta to boost cooperation: Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Bouden and Maltese President Malta Geroge Vella discussed enhancing cooperation in transport and trade, among other sectors. (Zawya)
The UAE’s International Cooperation Minister Reem Al Hashimy visited Brazil to discuss strategic cooperation between the two countries, including in aviation, transport, and logistics. (WAM)

Global sanctions are prompting an increase in murky trade + Russia’s financing Iranian infrastructure projects to secure alternative trade routes

More widespread sanctions are driving a jump in “murky trade,”Bloombergreported. The number of sanctioned individuals and entities topped 60k in April, up 25.4% y-o-y, according to Refinitiv data cited by Bloomberg. More than one in four countries are subject to some form of United Nations or Western sanctions and 29% of global GDP output takes place in countries facing sanctions, according to Center for Economic and Policy Research data cited by Bloomberg. The rise of sanctions is leading to more sanctioned countries trading with each other, with more “one-off, ad-hoc arrangements” expected in the interim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security said.

Russia is bankrolling Iranian infrastructure projects in a bid to secure alternative trade routes: Russia is funding Iran’s infrastructure for the North-South Corridor, a railway route connecting Russia to the Indian Ocean through Iran, as it looks to secure alternative trade routes after being cut off from its traditional Western ones due to sanctions, Nikita Smagin writes for Carnegie. Iran, which lacks the funds to finance the corridor, will need Russian funds in order to complete the project, though uncertain returns on investment, strained relations between Iran and Azerbaijan (which the corridor must pass through), and competition from other transport routes all pose risks to the project’s completion.

Maersk adds Sohar Port to its shipping line linking India, UAE + Dubai deploys motorbikes for delivery. PLUS: News from Adani Group, SCZone, FedEx, Magrabi, Damietta Port Authority, Qatari and KSA customs, Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad train, Iraqi Republic Railways and the Saudi Transport Authority

SHIPPING LINES-

Logistics giant AP Moller-Maersk intends to add Sohar Port to its Shaheen Express shipping service,connecting it with Jebel Ali in the UAE and Mundra and Pipavav in India, to strengthen the India-UAE-Oman corridor, according to a statement. The new service will see improvements in transit times for several inbound corridors, including Port Said and Sokhna Port in Egypt, Port Qasim in Pakistan, Kolkata Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port in India, and a number of European ports, according to the statement. The Shaheen Express line will help strengthen trade between India and the UAE, which has been surging since the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was launched in May, the statement said. The shipping line will include two vessels with a capacity of 2.8k TEUs.

LAST MILE-

The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) has deployed a fleet of 600 motorbikes for delivery services via smart platforms and apps for commercial enterprises in the private sector, according to a statement by Dubai’s Road Transport Authority. The DTC intends to increase the number of motorbikes to 990 by the end of the year, according to the statement. The delivery service aims to “provide new growth prospects for commercial businesses,” DTC CEO Mansoor Al Falasi said in the statement.

INVESTMENT-

Russia to divide its SCZone industrial zone, pending approval: Russia is waiting on approval from Egyptian MPs to divide its industrial area at the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) into two parts — one near Port Said at the north end of the Canal and one to the south at Ain Sokhna — TASS reports citing Russian Ambassador to Cairo Georgy Borisenko. Construction on the zone can begin once MPs give their sign-off, Borisenko said.

SUEZ CANAL-

Adani Group discusses Suez Canal projects: Suez Canal Economic Zone Chairman Walid Gamal El Din discussed cooperation projects in ports, renewable energy, logistics, and infrastructure withSudipta Bhattacharya, CEO of Indian conglomerate Adani Group, according to an SCZone statement shared with the press. Adani Group founder Gautam Adani met with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi earlier this year to discuss potential investment in our infrastructure.

E-COMMERCE-

FedEx and global supply chain solutions provider Floship have partnered to provide fulfillment and logistics services to e-commerce retailers worldwide, according to a press release. The partnership will create an end-to-end digitalized fulfillment and last-mile delivery returns solution, as well as inventory management, to enhance operational efficiency to customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific, the statement said. The partnership will be funded by investments from FedEx’s early stage investor arm FedEx Innovation Lab, although no investment amount has been disclosed.

The partnership will provide growing e-commerce brands and retailers with a “one-stop, all-inclusive two-way supply chain,” Floship CEO Joshua Tsui commented in the statement. The partnership will enable FedEx’s ecommerce customers to streamline their fulfillment operations through access to Floship’s network of warehouse and logistics platforms, while Floship’s customers will be able to leverage FedEx’s global network and transportation to optimize their operations.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

Retail group Magrabi has inked an agreement with technology company SAP to use its data service SAP Datasphere, to optimize its supply chain. (Zawya)
The Damietta Port Authority has signed a contract for the construction and supply of four new tugboats with a towing capacity of 70 tons. (Statement)
A Qatari delegation visited Saudi Arabia to explore enhancing customs relations and exchange expertise last week. (Al Sharq)
Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan held a meeting on the Istanbul-Tehran-IslamabadCargo Trainproject, where they discussed the digitization of procedures between countries along the corridor. (Mehr News Agency)
Iraqi Republic Railwayshas inked a contract with the State Company for the Implementation of Transport Projects to renovate a 12 km railway line linking the Daura oil refinery to Iraqi ports. (Statement)
The Saudi Transport Authority has greenlit 15 licensing and technical guides for rail transport activities to boost transport quality and safety. (Statement)

Is an end to West Coast port disruptions near? PLUS: Walmart establishes largest US fulfillment center + Electric truck maker lay

US West Coast dockworkers could receive a 32% pay increase through 2028 along with a one time “hero bonus” out of a total USD 70 mn earmarked for those who worked through covid-19, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed sources. Under the tentative agreement, dockworkers would receive a raise of USD 4.62 per hour and an additional USD 2 an hour each subsequent year. The agreement follows more than a year of negotiations that have made importers reluctant to ship to West Coast ports and led to fears of a wider scale of impact on US-Asia trade flows as labor strikes disrupted port operations, WSJ writes.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

Walmart has launched a 2.2 mn-square-foot fulfillment center in McCordsville, Indiana — the largest in the US — that should enable the retailer to fulfill orders moreefficiently. (Statement)
American electric truck maker Nikola will lay off270 of its employees — or about 23% of its workforce — including 150 from its European operations, to reduce its annual spending by USD 50 mn and focus on its North American operations. (Reuters | TechCrunch)

Calendar

JUNE

June: Suez Canal Economic Zone holds a roadshow in Delhi.

19-21 June (Monday-Wednesday): Coupa Inspire, ExCel, London, UK.

20-21 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): Jordan-Iraq Economic Forum, Amman, Jordan.

20-23 June (Tuesday-Friday): Conference on the Marine Transportation System Innovative Science and Technologies Toward Greater Sustainability, Washington DC, US.

21-23 June (Friday-Sunday): Eurasia Rail, Istanbul Expo Center, Istanbul.

29 June- 2 July (Thursday- Sunday): The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), Changsha, China.

JULY

1 July (Saturday): A new greenfield liquid bulk terminal in Khalifa Port Abu Dhabi will kick off operations.

1 July (Saturday): New UAE Federal Tax Authority VAT Ecommerce rules take effect.

16-17 July (Thursday-Friday): The Levitate Conference and Exhibition, St. Regis Amman Hotel.

24-25 July (Monday-Tuesday): ICSG Istanbul, Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre, Istanbul.

AUGUST

Oman will award Ras Al Hadd Airport consultancy contract.

SEPTEMBER

4-8 September (Monday-Friday): Logistics and Transport Management, Dubai.

5 September (Tuesday): The Leaders in Logistics KSA Summit, Riyadh.

6-7 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Sustainability LIVE London, Business Design Centre, London.

11-14 September (Monday-Thursday): The Libyan Moroccan Forum for Trade and Business, Tangiers, Morocco.

20-22 September (Wednesday-Friday): Transport Evolution Africa Forum and Expo, Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex (Durban ICC), South Africa.

20-23 September (Wednesday-Saturday): MTB Workboats, Hyatt Regency Dubai, Dubai.

25-27 September(Monday-Wednesday): Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Middle East & Africa, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, UAE.

26-28 September (Tuesday-Thursday): ProcureCon, Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower, Spain.

OCTOBER

3-5 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Smarter Mobility Africa Summit, South Africa.

24-25 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Future Fuels Europe, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

26-29 October (Thursday-Sunday): International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine, Conrad, Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

30 Oct- 2 Nov (Monday-Thursday): IAPH World Ports Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

30-31 October (Monday-Tuesday): Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit, London, UK.

NOVEMBER

1 November (Wednesday): Smart Maritime Network Dubai Conference, Conrad Dubai, UAE.

9-15 November (Thursday-Wednesday): Intra-AfricanTrade Fair, Cairo, Egypt.

14-15 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Supply Chain & Logistics Arabia, Narcissus, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

14-17 November (Tuesday-Friday): IATA Slot Conference, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE.

15 November (Wednesday): Leaders in Logistics UAE Summit, Dubai.

21-23 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Intermobility Expo 2023, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE.

23 November (Thursday): Global Supply Chain and Logistics Summit, Grand Millennium Hotel Business Bay, Dubai, UAE.

30 November-3 December (Saturday-Tuesday): Handling Expo, Egypt International Exhibition Center, Cairo, Egypt.

DECEMBER

10-11 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Invest in Logistics, St.Regis Almasa Hotel, New Administrative Capital, Egypt.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2H2023:Construction of Neom’s first hydrogen fueling station will kick off.

2H2023: Expansion of Baghdad International Airport to begin.

3Q 2023: Design and supervision contract for Oman’s proposed Musandam Airport to be awarded.

2024

1Q 2024: Construction of phase 3 of Agility’s logistic park in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to be completed.

FEBRUARY 2024

12-13 February (Monday-Tuesday): Breakbulk Middle East conference, Dubai Trade Centre.

12-15 February (Monday-Thursday): African Air Expo, Cape Town.

28 February-1 March (Wednesday-Friday): MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024, Dubai.

MARCH 2024

5-6 March (Tuesday-Wednesday): MRO Middle East, Dubai Trade Center, Dubai, UAE.

12-14 March (Tuesday- Thursday): IATA World Cargo Symposium, Hong Kong International Airport.

MAY 2024

2-3 May (Thursday-Friday): Geneva Dry, Geneva, Switzerland, Hotel President Wilson.

DECEMBER 2024

10-12 December (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Business Aviation, DWC, Dubai, UAE.

2025

Mid-2025: Iraq will complete phase one of the construction of the Grand Faw Port.

DHL and Aramco’s logistics and procurement hub in Saudi Arabia will commence operations.

2027

4Q 2027: Oman’s Musandam Airport construction to be completed.

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