Good morning, friends. The news cycle has slowed down as we inch closer to the weekend. ADQ’s Zero Two investment in an Asia-focused data centers platform tops today’s brisk read, followed by a flurry of earnings from several Gulf-based players. Let’s dive right in!
WATCH THIS SPACE-
#1- Kuwait Airways faces setbacks amid delivery delays: State-owned Kuwait Airways is struggling to meet its 2025 targets to expand operations and balance its financials amid aircraft delivery delays and geopolitical tensions, the airline’s chairman Abdulmohsen Alfagaan told Reuters on Monday. While the company had initially planned to expand its fleet to 33 jets by 2024, industry-wide supply chain disruptions have pushed most of the deliveries — leaving it with a 27-aircraft fleet as of 2025.
What’s next? The company currently has nine Airbus jets on its orderbook, with deliveries expected to wrap by 2027, Alfagaan told the newswire. Two of the jets are expected this year — one Airbus 321, expected by the end of August, and one A330-900 due by year-end, Kuna reports, citing Alfagaan.
Kuwait Airways has seen its operational revenues increase 6% q-o-q to USD 324 mn in 2Q 2025, according to a statement. The airline also posted a 9% q-o-q passenger increase to more than 1 mn passengers over the same period. The 2Q figures come despite the headwinds that hit several regional airlines due to disruptions caused by the Iran-Israel escalation.
#2- Egypt discusses airport privatization plans with Incheon Airport Corp.: Egypt met with executives from South Korea’s Incheon Airport Corporation to discuss the firm’s potential participation in the country’s airport public-private partnership (PPP) plan, according to a statement. Incheon expressed its willingness to support Egypt through consultancy and joint investment projects, but did not outrightly commit to any projects.
Egypt unveiled a list of 11 airports up for the PPP back in March, under an agreement with the International Finance Corporation. The agreement will see the pair kick off the airport management privatization program by offering Hurghada International Airport as a pilot project, with an upcoming tender currently in the works. Cairo International Airport is not on the list for the program’s first phase.
Piquing lots of interest: Unnamed Kuwaiti firms and French concessions and constructioncompany Vinci have both reportedly expressed interest this month. Earlier in December, Egypt’s Hassan Allam Holding and France’s Groupe Aéroports de Paris submitted a joint proposal to manage and operate Egyptian airports, and the China Communications Construction Company also expressed interest.
#3- DMCC drums up Indonesian business investments in first-ever Jakarta roadshow: Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) wrapped its first Made for Trade live roadshow in the Indonesian capital, which looks to drum up investments from Indonesian businesses across the renewable energy, agrifood, tech, and Islamic economy sectors, according to Dubai Media Office. The roadshow gathered over 150 local business leaders and government stakeholders.
Indonesia is positioned as a hub for sharia-compliant trade and halal goods, and DMCC can use its commodities platforms and Islamic finance infrastructure to help “facilitate the flow of Halal products, Islamic financial instruments, and sharia-compliant investment across the GCC, Southeast Asia, and beyond,” DMCC executive chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem said.
By the numbers: Home to over 25k firms, DMCC represents an estimated 20% of total Indonesian business presence in the UAE. Some 650 Southeast Asian companies — including over 30 from Indonesia — joined DMCC’s business district over the past year, a 13% growth y-o-y. Non-oil trade between the two countries nearly doubled to USD 5 bn in four years following the signing of the UAE–Indonesia economic partnership agreement.
#4- US comes out swinging against IMO emissions levy: The US is threatening members of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) with retaliation if they support its Net-Zero Framework ahead of an October vote, Reuters reports. “Our fellow IMO members should be on notice that we will look for their support against this action and not hesitate to retaliate or explore remedies for our citizens,” according to a US Cabinet statement.
REMEMBER- The IMO voted last April to adopt the framework, with the support of 64 member nations, including global heavyweights like China, Brazil, and EU members, whereas 16 countries voted against, including most of the Gulf countries. The US exited the April meetings in protest before the vote took place.
What now? The October vote will be essential to make the framework official, with a two-thirds majority — out of the IMO’s 176 members — required to pass.
About the Framework: The framework sets two escalating emissions targets requiring gradual cuts to ships’ GHG fuel intensity, as well as progressive levies against those who fail either of the targets. A stricter standard mandates a 17% cut by 2028 from 2008 levels, increasing to 21% by 2030 and 43% by 2035, whereas the softer target would see cuts by 4% by 2028 and 8% by 2030, increasing to 30% by 2035.
MARKET WATCH-
#1- Oil prices remained largely steady this morning amid market anticipation for the release of US stockpile data, as well as the upcoming US-Russia talks, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures were unchanged at USD 66.12 / bbl by 03.30 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) saw a slight drop of USD 0.06 to trade at USD 63.11/ bbl.
Meanwhile, the Brent-Dubai exchange of futures for swaps (EFS) has narrowed further amid US pressure on Indian imports of Russian oil, Bloomberg reports. Brent’s premium over Dubai crude fell to just USD 0.6 / bbl from USD 3.9 in late June, according to PVM Oil Associates data. The shift reflects growing expectations that Indian refiners will pivot away from Russian Urals crude in favor of medium-density grades from the Middle East under US pressure.
The US push, including tariffs threats, has already impacted October-loading cargoes. Indian state refiners pulled back from Russian oil and are now sourcing from Abu Dhabi, Libya, Nigeria, and the US. The shift also opened an arbitrage window for Atlantic Basin crudes — typically priced against Brent and WTI — to flow into Asia, reshaping regional trade flows, Bloomberg adds.
Could China balance this shift? Chinese refiners are favoring Russian crude over Middle Eastern grades, signaling a reshuffle in global flows, Bloomberg reports, citing London-based market intelligence firm Energy Aspects. Russia’s Urals remains “the most competitive” compared to similar grades from the Middle East, thanks to discounts and steady supply availability, the consultancy said.
ICYMI- Saudi Arabia is expected to export less crude oil to China in September, compared to August volumes that reached a more than two-year high. Aramco is projected to ship about 43 mn barrels to China next month — equivalent to 1.43 mn bbl / d, down from 1.65 mn bbl / d in August.
Russian imports already account for 17% of China’s overseas crude purchases, close to the 20% ceiling the consultancy sees for any single supplier.
#2- Baltic index snaps losing streak: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — dropped 1% to 2,017 points on Tuesday. The capesize decreased 1.7% to 3,261 points, while the panamax index dipped by 1.2% to 1,595 points. The smaller supramax index went up by 0.3% to 1,329 points.
DATA POINTS-
#1- The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi Exim) provided SAR 23.6 bn in credit facilities over the first half of the year, rising 44% y-o-y, it said on X. This total consisted of SAR 8.9 bn for export financing, up 26.2%, and SAR 14.7 bn in export credit ins., up 58.8%.
#2- Jordan’s Aqaba Port’s saw a 19% y-o-y rise in imported containers to 280k during the first seven months (January-July) of 2025, while exported shipments rose 11% y-o-y to 64k containers, Jordanian news agency Petra reports. The number of handled container ships also increased by 38% y-o-y to 345 ships over the same period.
PSAs-
#1- Maersk to apply surcharge on MENA-bound routes: Shipping giant Maersk has announced peak season surcharges for routes that head from Asian ports to the MENA region, according to a statement. The rates — USD 200 for 20ft and 40 ft containers — will be effective starting 22 August and apply to the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
#2- Hapag-Lloyd postpones LWS: Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd is postponing its USD 1k per TEU low water surcharge (LWS) on voyages to and from Brazil’s Manaus Port, due to Amazon water levels receding slower than anticipated, according to a statement. The surcharge will take effect on 1 September for cargo traveling to and from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and on 1 October for cargo to and from North and Latin America,
Get Enterprise daily
The roundup of news and trends that move your markets and shape corporate agendas delivered straight to your inbox.
***YOU’RE READING EnterpriseAM Logistics, the essential MENA publication for senior execs who care about the industry that connects producers and retailers to global markets. We’re out Monday through Thursday by 9:15am in Cairo and Riyadh and 11:15am in the UAE.
EnterpriseAM Logistics is available without charge thanks to the generous support of our friends at Hassan Allam Utilities, Transmar, and AK-Ships.
Were you forwarded this email? Tap or click here to get your own copy of Enterprise Logistics.
Want to send us a story idea, request coverage, ask for a correction, or otherwise get in touch? Reach out to us on logistics@enterprisemea.com.
DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE ***
CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
The UAE will host the Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Leaders’ Conference on Monday, 25 August until Friday, 29 August in Dubai. The conference will host global industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders to discuss how AI is changing procurement and supply chain efficiency, sustainability and risk management.
Oman will host Transport Middle East on Monday, 1 September until Wednesday, 3 September in Salalah. The conference will host 35 international speakers and over 50 exhibitors from the maritime sector to discuss global transportation and logistics.
Saudi Arabia will host the Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference on Wednesday, 3 and Thursday, 4 September in Jeddah. The event is set to gather over 60 speakers and more than 3k participants to discuss maritime decarbonization, digital transformation, regulatory frameworks, capacity building, and sustainable practices.
Algeria will host the Intra-African Trade Fair on Thursday, 4 September until Wednesday, 10 September in Algiers. The fair will host over 75 countries and 2k exhibitors across several sectors to explore investment prospects and exchange information on trade between B2B and B2G.
Oman will host the Comex Global Technology Show on Sunday, 7 September and run till Wednesday, 10 September in Muscat. The event will host over 360 participants and 133 tech startups to show achievements in eGovernment, fintech, smart cities, health tech, agritech and cybersecurity.
Saudi Arabia will host the Smart Ports & Logistics Transformation Summit on Monday, 15 September and Tuesday, 16 September in Jeddah. The summit will host over 40 global and local speakers, industry experts and policymakers to explore smart port solutions, port operations and logistics within Saudi Arabia.
Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.




