Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We’re at the tail end of the week — and on the cusp of a new month, to boot, bringing us another pleasantly balanced news day in the logistics world.
THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- Iraq’s Transport Ministry unveiled yesterday the country’s first-ever 40 km double-track railway line, running from the southern outskirts of Baghdad to the Musayyib district.
^^ We have everything on this story and more in the news well, below.
PSA #1- Oman’s Transport, Communications and Information Technology Ministry will be carrying out maintenance at Al Margi bridge on the Rostaq Abri road in Wadi Bani Ghafer, according to a notice for motorists.
PSA #2- Mohammed bin Khalifa Street in Abu Dhabi will be shut down from today until Friday 8 September 2023, Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Center said.
Aleppo airport resumes operations following Israeli strike: Air traffic at Syria’s Aleppo International Airport returned to normal on Tuesday nightafter the airport had halted operations following an Israeli air strike on Monday, Syria’s Transport Ministry said in a statement. The strike caused damage to the airport but no casualties were reported, Syria’s official SANA news agency said. Syria’s airports and air bases have recently been subject to intensified strikes from Israel to disrupt Iranian arms deliveries to its allies, including Hezbollah, Reuters reports.
Israel-bound plane makes emergency landing in KSA: A plane carrying Israeli passengers returning home from the Seychelles made an unplanned landing in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday due to an electrical malfunction, the Associated Press reports. Israel praised the incident as a sign of goodwill as the US works to mediate the establishment of formal ties between the two nations, which currently have no formal diplomatic relations. The passengers spent the night in Jeddah before returning to Israel on a different plane, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. In 2022, Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on Israeli planes using the Arab country’s air space.
MARKET WATCH-
Qatar’s LNG dilemma: Qatar is struggling to sell its new LNG production capacity of 48 mn metric tons (mt) per year, as buyers are demanding more flexible contract terms, S&P Global cites analysts as saying. Qatar is keen to secure long-term LNG contracts from its North Field expansion by the end of 2023, but it has only been able to secure contracts for 11.9 mn mt per year, S&P writes. Qatar may decide to offer terms that are more lenient than its current 25-year-plus, destination-fixed contracts, as it faces competition not only from the US, but also Oman and Abu Dhabi.
While several European countries courted Qatar last year for future LNG supplies, only Germany locked in a contract with QatarEnergy. The reluctance from buyers may stem from their desire for shorter FOB contracts to have flexibility for cargo diversion, head of the Middle East gas team for Facts Global Energy in Singapore Siamak Adibi told S&P. FOB contracts also allow buyers to resell these volumes, lowering the risk of excess volumes.
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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
The Construction Week Leaders in Construction KSA Summit will be held this Saturday, 2 September at the Crowne Plaza in Riyadh, KSA. The one-day event will see industry leaders discussing the current trajectory of the kingdom’s gigaprojects where construction leaders will provide future growth.
Global smart logistics platform Shipsy will showcase its AI-driven innovations at Seamless Saudi Arabia 2023 next Monday and Tuesday, 4-5 September, according to a press release. The company will highlight how it helps supply chain stakeholders leverage AI for business growth, cost reduction, and improved customer experiences. The company will use this opportunity to present its Logistics Intelligent Assistant, an AI-powered tool that employs predictive analytics for proactive incident management and efficient delivery operations.
The Sustainable Transportation and Legacy for Generations Conference and Exhibition, sponsored by Qatar Airways Group, Mwani Qatar, and QNB,organized by Qatar's Transport Ministry, will take place on 17-18 September at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the Gulf Times reports. The event will cover transportation sector trends, strategies for eco-friendly transit systems, and Qatar's role in global aviation. The conference will include six panel discussions featuring over 20 speakers from various transportation entities.
The Global Trade and Supply Chain Summit is taking place on 19-20 September at the Address Dubai Marina Hotel, UAE. The event, hosted by Economist Impact, will bring together some 500+ business and supply chain leaders, high level government representatives, and policymakers to discuss the implications of trade policy, business logistics, supply chain diversification from China, sustainability, product traceability, digital trade, customs compliance and evolution, supply chain resilience, and trade in emerging regions, among other topics.
The Saudi Maritime Congress will take place at Dhahran Expo in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on 20-21 September. The event will bring together regional and international professionals from the maritime, shipping, and logistics sectors to meet, network, and do business with some 120 leading maritime exhibitors.
The Duqm Economic Forum , hosted by Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones & Freezones (OPAZ), will take place on 16-17 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Duqm, Oman. The two-day event will showcase green investment avenues offered by the Special Economic Zone at Duqm(Sezad). The event will bring together business leaders, policymakers, industrialists, trade specialists, logistics professionals, and experts to discuss and present case studies, assess future trends, and exchange knowledge, insights, expertise, and discuss upcoming investments, according to the event brochure (pdf).
The Construction Week Leaders in Construction UAE Summit is taking place on 20 September at the Grosvenor House in Dubai, UAE. The one-day event aims to bring together industry experts to contribute their insights on the latest technologies and trends in the construction sector. The conference will explore how to adapt to technology, localizing the industry, and how to finance projects to spur economic growth.
Registration for the Digital Prosperity Awards , which was launched by the Organization for Digital Cooperation, ends on 30 September. The competition is set to honor global contributions that empower governments, businesses, and communities to collaborate and accelerate digital economic advancement.
Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.


