SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL-

MENA Biofuels + Saybolt to launch first SAF testing facility in Fujairah: MENA Biofuels, a subsidiary of Dubai-based Mercantile & Maritime Group, partnered with Netherlands-based Saybolt International to develop the UAE’s first independent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) testing and certification lab in Fujairah, state news agency Wam reports.

The details: The facility, located in Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, will enable precise evaluation of SAF properties, traceability of feedstock origins, and verification of lifecycle emissions.

ICYMI- MENA Biofuels started construction on the UAE’s first commercial SAF plant — also in Fujairah Oil Industry Zone — last month, which is set to produce 250 mn liters of SAF annually once the two phases are completed. The UAE is looking to produce 700 mn liters of the fuel per year by 2031. Masdar and Tadweer are also developing a commercial-scale waste-to-SAF project in Abu Dhabi, while Lootah Biofuels recently began supplying SAF in the UAE, produced from cooking oil and waste-derived fats.

SHIPPING + MARITIME-

#1- Fincantieri inks Gulf tie-up with Asry in Bahrain: Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Bahrain’s Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry) signed an industrial cooperation agreement to explore collaborations on ship building and repair, according to a press release. The MoU — signed on the sidelines of the 46th GCC summit last week — will see the pair assess joint design and construction of offshore vessels and the possibility of tapping into the larger Gulf exports market. The pair will also explore rolling out maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

#2- A new Caspian Sea shipping service linking Iran and Russia is set to launch in 2Q 2026, opening the first commercial maritime corridor between Russia’s Ulyanovsk province and Iran’s Astara port, the state-owned Iranian outlet Mehr News Agency reports. The route will initially prioritize moving grains and vegetable oils, with other types of goods such as petrochemicals, plastic, tea, and citrus fruits to be covered in the future.

REGULATION WATCH-

Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Freezones rolled out an updated valuation framework and launched a digital review platform, according to a statement. The revised framework standardizes accounting and valuation practices for mergers, demergers, and legal restructurings and introduces unified controls for prior financial valuations. Meanwhile, the new electronic platform will allow investors to submit and track financial review requests online through a unified interface with real-time updates and notifications to reduce turnaround times and improve communication with investors.

EQUIPMENT-

Asyad completes a 25-ton airlift for OQRPI: Omani logistics provider Asyad Group has successfully transported 25 tons of heavy equipment from Italy to Oman for OQ Refineries and Petrochemical Industries (OQRPI), according to a press release released last week. The execution of this mission required the utilization of a Boeing 747 cargo charter — which delivered the essential equipment through Asyad’s logistics team to OQRPI’s warehouse facility in Sohar.

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