Good morning, ladies and gents. We’re ending the week with a brisk read this morning, with news emerging from Saudi’s new logistics city and updates trickling in from Egypt on export-bound projects and plans. Let’s dive right in.
WATCH THIS SPACE-
#1- Egypt’s AOI eyes solar panel exports to Gulf in new facility plans: The Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) is in discussions with Omani investors to establish a solar panel factory that could see most of its exports go to the GCC area, Al Mal reported on Tuesday, citing government officials. The proposed USD 100 mn facility will have a production capacity of 300 MW and is planned to be built on AOI-owned land, though the final location has not yet been disclosed.
To be exported on a condition: Most of the production will be allocated for export to Gulf countries, providing foreign currency needed to import raw materials for local production, with a portion reserved for the local market to support domestic renewable energy projects, Al-Mal reported.
On a roll: AOI inked an agreement with Sweden’s Sunshine Pro last month to establish a joint solar panel manufacturing project with a USD 200-300 mn investment, planned to kick off operations in July this year, and set to reach full capacity of 1 GW of solar panels annually by July 2026.
#2- Iraq-Egypt agreements likely incoming today: The Egyptian-Iraqi Joint High Committee is expected to sign several cooperation agreements in the oil, housing, taxes, customs, and transportation sectors at a meeting that concludes today in Baghdad, Asharq Business reports, citing four government sources. Egypt is also in talks to purchase Iraqi diesel with easy facilities to secure the Egyptian electricity companies’ needs in the summer in a bid to prevent a return of last year’s power outages, a source said.
Egypt has its eyes on Iraqi markets: Egypt's exports to Iraq saw a y-o-y increase of 12% for the first 10M of 2024 and is targeting a 41% increase in trade volume this year, Asharq reported, citing a government official.
#3- Saudi is getting a new drone delivery operator: US-based delivery drone developer Matternet received regulatory approval from the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation to operate its flagship M2 drone in Saudi Arabia, according to a press release.
About Matternet: The US-based company specializes in designing, building, and operating autonomous drone delivery networks, with delivery operations in the healthcare and commerce sectors in the US and Europe, according to its website. The company is also eyeing entering developing markets, boasting the drone delivery system potential for areas with under-developed road infrastructure.
#4- US + UK vessels cautiously sail back to the Red Sea: Six ships linked to the US and UK have transited the Red Sea unscathed since 19 January after a vow by Yemen’s Houthis that they will halt attacks on non-Israeli-linked shipping vessels, Bloomberg reports. “The peace agreement progresses and vessels and infrastructure remain untargeted, improved stability is expected,” but risks in the maritime corridor are still “elevated,” the Joint Maritime Information Center noted.
All eyes on the ceasefire: The secure passage of the UK and US ships could give more shipping firms confidence to return to the Red Sea, but all eyes are on the progression of the ceasefire in Gaza.
REMEMBER- Some industry players — including Egypt’s Suez and Red Sea Navigation Chamber head Abdel Qader Gaballa and DP World’s deputy chief executive Yuvraj Narayan — expect that more shipping lines could return within two to three weeks, but shipping giants like Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Adnoc indicated they would continue to stay away from the Red Sea for the near term despite the Gaza ceasefire and Houthi agreement.
MARKET WATCH-
#1- Oil prices saw minor changes as the market continued to wait for clarity on possible US tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures were down USD 0.07 to USD 76.51 a barrel by GMT 04.11, while the more active US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures went up by USD 0.02 to USD 72.64 a barrel.
#2- Baltic index continues to plummet: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — fell 20 points to 726 on Wednesday, its lowest reading since February 2023. The capesize index dropped 55 points to 876, while the smaller supramax index dipped 7 points to 612 — its lowest since June 2020. The panamax index rose by 3 points to 751.
DATA POINT-
#1- The GCC’s total trade volume is projected to reach USD 2.3 tn by 2033, growing at an average annual rate of 5.5%, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) estimates, according to a press release. Meanwhile, the bloc’s non-oil trade is expected to expand at 3.5% annually, backed by strong economic diversification efforts, the US consulting firm added.
China + Japan main forces behind GCC trade growth: BCG puts China as the biggest trading partner at an estimated USD 88 bn, a 5.7% CAGR, right above Japan at an estimated USD 46 bn (9.4% CAGR). The GCC is also well-positioned to capitalize on the rising influence of the Global South as trade between developing nations is projected to grow by USD 673 bn by 2033, the group said.
#2- Cargo operations at the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK) in the UAE increased nearly 97% y-o-y in 2024, with 6.7k tons of cargo handled, Wam reports, citing Salem Al Qasimi, head of the Civil Aviation Department in Ras Al Khaimah. Aircraft movements also increased by over 21% y-o-y to 7.4k flights.
PSA-
Hapag-Lloyd to roll out new GRI…: Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd will implement a general rate increase (GRI) to USD 500 per container shipped to North America from the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East starting 1 March 2025, according to a statement. The new rate will be applied to all cargo transported in 20 and 40 foot dry, reefer, and special containers and high cube equipment, and will be valid until further notice.
… and new SCCT shipment surcharges: New surcharges will also be rolled out for shipments to and from the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) in Egypt effective 23 February 2025, according to a statement.
Updated rates for Turkey’s Mersin: Hapag-Lloyd will change its terminal handling charge origin (THO) and terminal handling charge destination (THD) rates for shipping to and from Mersin in Turkey starting 10 February for all non-FMC trades, and from 20 February for all FMC trades, according to a statement.
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, the UAE, and the MENAclimate industry ?
***
CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
The UAE will host the Middle East Breakbulk Conference from Monday, 10 February to Tuesday, 11 February in Dubai. The event gathers giant manufacturers, EPCs, and service providers to discuss the latest solutions in breakbulk and heavy-lift logistics across the Middle East and Africa. The two-day event features an artificial intelligence (AI) seminar, a heavy lift workshop, a chartering workshop, and a women in breakbulk panel.
The UAE will host the MRO Middle East and Aircraft Interiors from Monday, 10 February to Tuesday, 11 February in Dubai. MRO Middle East will host leaders in aircraft maintenance, repair, and operations to explore the latest technologies and strategies in the industry.
The UAE will host the Sustainable Aviation Futures MENA forum from Monday, 10 February to Wednesday, 12 February in Abu Dhabi. The event aims to promote SAF partnerships, raise awareness, and support the integration of clean energy and sustainability in the aviation sector. The two-day forum will host key figures in the aviation industry, including notable speakers from Lufthansa Group, ACI World, Saudia Group, Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO), and DHL Express.
The UAE will host the WCA Worldwide Conference from Tuesday, 25 February to Saturday, 1 March in Dubai. The event — set to bring together over 4.5k freight forwarders from 179 countries — will host several workshops and courses over one week.
Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.





