KSA + UAE boost logistics and transport ties with China

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TODAY: Yemen suspends international flights + Turkey, Iraq move the needle on Development Road project

Good morning, wonderful people. Conference season continues to drive the news this October morning, with plenty of cooperation taking place between countries in the region and powerhouses like China, Canada, and Japan…

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- A joint venture between Qatari port operator QTerminals and Belgium’s Deme concessions will build and operate a new deep-water container terminal in Świnoujście on Poland’s Baltic Coast. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia handed out licenses to several Chinese logistics firms to operate in the kingdom.

^^ We have everything on this story and more in the news well, below.

Turkey + Iraq discuss Development Road Project: Iraq’s Transport Minister Razzaq Al Saadawi and Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Oraloglu discussed the technical, legal, and financial issues concerning Iraq’s USD 17 bn Development Road Project, according to an Iraqi Transport Ministry statement. The meeting, which took place in Baghdad, reviewed the economic model of the project and technical and operational details.

The two countries are currently working on establishing joint committees to discuss the technical, financial and legislative details of the project and resolve any issues that come up, Al Saadawi said. Turkey has also formed a coordination council with several European countries to work on the project, and calls on Iraq to do the same with Arab countries, Oraloglu said.

SOUNDBITE OF THE WEEK- The project stands to be a “gold medalist” among corridors of its kind, the Turkish minister said. This comes as other planned rival projects — like the US-backed India-MENA corridor — stand to bypass Turkey in linking the Middle East with Europe. “There can be no corridor without Turkey,” Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said recently at the G20 summit, while positing the Development Road project as a more viable alternative.

Yemen’s only international flight has been suspended: Yemen’s national airline, Yemenia Airways, will suspend its only international commercial flight from Sanaa to Amman, Jordan, after the Houthi administration blocked the carrier from withdrawing some USD 80 mn of its funds in Sanaa banks, four company executives told Reuters. The airline will halt six weekly flights this month, after they were initially resumed in April 2022, the outlet added.

Background: The carrier had been in negotiations with the Houthi administration, and had proposed that the administration take 70% of the funds, leaving the internationally recognized Yemeni government with the remaining 30%, but the Houthis rejected the proposal, the sources told the outlet.

Flights resume between Libya + Italy after 10-year hiatus: The first flight in nearly 10 years between Libya and Italy took off from Libya’s Mitiga Airport to Rome on Saturday, following an agreement between Italian and Libyan civil aviation authorities to boost civil aviation cooperation, Libyan news agency Lana reports. Libya’s Mediterranean Sky Airlines will now operate two weekly flights on Saturday and Wednesday from Mitiga Airport to Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport, Lana reported separately.

More on the agreement: The agreement aims to develop cooperation in civil aviation and air transport, and to facilitate and encourage air transport companies to operate, charter, and provide regular flights, Lana writes.

PSA- Hapag-Lloyd will be rolling out a general rate increase (GRI) to shipping from the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent to the US East Coast and Gulf Coast, according to a company announcement. The USD 200 per container increase in charges will be applied to all cargo transported in 20 and 40 foot dry, reefer, and special containers, including high cube equipment. The GRI will come into effect on 1 November and is effective until further notice.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

PSA- Abu Dhabi police will bar the entry of trucks and worker buses to Abu Dhabi island from 6am till noon today, in light of the start of Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference 2023, Wam reported.

The fourth Extraordinary Congress of the Universal PostalUnion (UPU) kicked off yesterday in Riyadh and will run till Thursday, Saudi press agency SPA reported. Representatives from 192 countries are expected to attend the event, which is held under the co-chairmanship of the Saudi Postal Corporation, and will discuss the impact of UPU decisions on the postal and logistics sector and how to keep pace with technological developments and address challenges. It will also touch on how to build a postal system that promotes economic and social development.

A delegation of Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce led by Mohammed Jassim Al Saqr has landed in Canada yesterday for a joint economic forum, and will stay till Thursday, Kuwait’s Al Anba reports. The forum will review avenues for cooperation and investment in several sectors including oil and gas, transportation, logistics, AI and innovation, banking and finance, among others. The Kuwaiti delegation will include several members of the chamber of commerce, representatives from government agencies and Kuwaiti companies.

DATA POINT- Iran’s non-oil exports rose 5% y-o-y to USD 54.6 bn in 1H of the Persian fiscal year, which starts 21 March, head of Iran’s customs administration Mohammad Rezvanifar told Fars news agency. The volume of goods transported during the first half of the year was 7.7 mn tons, marking an 8.2% y-o-y increase. Iran’s trade partners this year have been China, Iraq, the UAE, Turkey, and India, with the biggest sources for the country’s imports being UAE, China, Turkey, Germany, and India, Rezvanifar told the news agency.

N ON-LOGISTICS REGIONAL HEADLINES-

Egypt + UAE: The Egyptian and Emirati central banks reached a currency swap agreement worth almost USD 1.4 bn, where the Central Bank of Egypt will be able to obtain up to AED 5 bn (USD 1.36 bn) in return for EGP 42 bn. This comes to contribute to facilitating and increasing trade exchange between the two countries. (Joint statement)
KSA: Saudi Arabia has lowered its growth forecast to 0.03% GDP growth, down from 3.1%, and expects a post budget deficit this year of 2% GDP, rather than an earlier projected surplus of 0.4%, while total revenue is expected to be SAR 1.18 tn. (SPA)

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The 20th edition of Automechanika Dubai is set to take place on 2-4 October in Dubai World Trade Center. The event functions as a trading hub for automotive players in regions facing accessibility challenges, including the MENA region, Asia and CIS nations. More than 1k exhibitors from over 53 countries will attend the event, with almost 43k trade visitors from 145 countries joining.

The Total Freight Worldwide’s Fresh Summit 2023 will take place in Madrid, Spain on 4 October, where participants will discuss the latest trends in transportation of perishable cargo.

A Saudi-Turkish Summit is scheduled to take place in Istanbul, Turkey on 8-12 October. Organized by the Türkiye Exporters Assembly in coordination with the Turkish Commerce Ministry, the summit will be attended by Turkish exporters and 70 members of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Chamber of Commerce. The participants will also include representatives from an array of sectors including food, non-ferrous metals, textiles, ready-made garments, chemicals, and furniture.

The GCC-Türkiye Economic Forum is set to take place on 11-13 November in Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey. The event will cover trade, investment and finance, energy, infrastructure, transportation and logistics, industry, tourism, agriculture and food, and sports sectors.

Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit , organized by the International Chamber of Shipping, will take place on 9 December in the UAE. The event will bring together government officials and leaders in energy, maritime, and all parts of the supply chain to discuss plans to address climate change and help transition the industry towards sustainability.

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

QTerminals + Deme Concessions plan to build and operate new container terminal in Poland

Qterminals forms JV to build and operate a new Polish terminal: A joint venture between Qatari port operator QTerminals and Belgium’s Deme concessions will build and operate a new deep-water container terminal in Świnoujście on Poland’s Baltic Coast, according to a press release. QTerminals inked an initial agreement with Polish port authorities and has applied for environmental clearances, according to the press release.

Ownership breakdown: QTerminals is the minority partner in the JV, according to the press release, which did not specify the exact stake it owns. The company will, however, hold the operating contract for the new container terminal, the statement said. The statement did not disclose any financial details concerning the arrangement.

Details: The terminal is slated to have an initial yearly capacity of 1 mn twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and should be operational by 2028, according to the report. Subject to demand and market conditions, the facility could be upgraded to handle 2 mn TEUs per year, QTerminals group chief business development and integration officer Charles Meaby said in statements cited by the report.

Who will use the terminal? The terminal will be able to service two ships — 400 meters and 200 meters long — at a time and looks to cater to Western Poland and some parts of Eastern Germany. The shipping canal connecting the terminal permits vessels with a draft of up to 15 meters, allowing the planned terminal to service ocean-going vessels, the statement added. The proposed site is also near an LNG import terminal, helping streamline supply chains, the report also said.

REMEMBER- Late September saw QTerminals nab a majority stake in Rotterdam-based logistics service provider Kramer Group, whereby it established a foothold in the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port.

Saudi Arabia + the UAE boost ties with China during the Global Sustainable Transport Forum

Several Chinese logistics firms are entering the Saudi market: Al Jasser awarded several Chinese logistics firms licenses to operate in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Press Agency reported. The companies included Kerry Logistics, Almajdouie Sinotrans Middle East, JD Logistics, and Cainiao-Alibaba Group.

Deputy Transport Minister Rumaih Al Rumaih also inked agreements with Cainiao-Alibaba Group, J&T Express , and iMile to offer short-address services in Saudi Arabia. Short addresses are streamlined shipping addresses made up of four digits and letters to make shipping processes easier, according to Saudi Post.

The two sides also inked an MoU to boost cooperation on modern transport: Saudi Transport and Logistics Services Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al Jasser signed an MoU with his Chinese counterpart Li Xiaoping to boost cooperation in modern transportation, SPA reported separately. This came during the Global Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing.

The details: The agreement will see the two sides work to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the port sector, and promote the exchange of expertise on modern transportation methods, smart shipping, and smart ports.

It’s not just China: The two ministers also met with several high-level officials from Pakistan, Oman and China on the sidelines of the World Forum for Sustainable Transport in Beijing:

Al-Jasser met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of COSCO Wan Min to discuss strengthening cooperation between them, as well as exploring potential investment opportunities;
Al Jasser also touched on areas of common interest in the transportation and logistics sector with Chinese Trade Minister Li Fai ;
and held a meeting with Omani Transport, Communications and Information Technology Minister Said Al Maawali to discuss transportation and logistics services.
Meanwhile, Al Rumaih discussed with Pakistan’ Communications Minister Muhammad Khurram Agha ways to boost transportation and logistics ties.

ALSO FROM THE FORUM- U AE + China eye stronger bilateral relation s in transport and logistics: EmiratiEnergy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei met with Chinese Transport Minister Li Xiapoeng to discuss ways to boost cooperation in transport and logistics, during his delegation’s visit to the country to attend the forum, Emirati news agency WAM reports. Al Mazrouei led a delegation that included representatives from AD Ports and Etihad Rail, and held bilateral meetings with several public and private firms in China to explore avenues for cooperation and exchange of expertise, the news agency reports.

The UAE is also keen to boost cooperation with China in the field of sustainable transport, Al Mazrouei said in a speech during the forum, the news agency reports.

GCC, Pakistan sign initial trade agreement + UAE officials have been busy. PLUS: More from Lebanon and KSA

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and P akistan inked an initial trade agreement on 28 September in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency(SPA) reports. The agreement should eliminate or minimize logistics obstacles like customs duties on goods, increasing market access to services, and promoting investments. This covers goods and services, investment, e-commerce, customs procedures, dispute settlement, competition, trade remedies, intellectual property, and small and medium enterprises.

AND- More agreements with Pakistan: Saudi Arabia has also inked an MoU with Pakistan to expand bilateral cooperation in communications and information technology by accelerating digital transformation, promoting innovation, and developing digital infrastructure, SPA reported separately. The agreement — signed by KSA’s Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Alswaha and Pakistan’s Information Technology, Telecommunication, Science and Technology Minister Umar Saif — will establish a task force to promote digital cooperation between the two countries, according to SPA. The two countries will also develop their digital infrastructure by enhancing connectivity of their fiber optic networks, data centers, and cloud computing, the news agency adds.

UAE + Phi lippines to boost air cargo volumes: Deputy Director and Delegation Head of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority Omar bin Ghalib signed an MoU with Philippines’ Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla to enhance bilateral aviation ties between the two countries, Emirati news agency Wam reports. The agreement includes tripling air cargo between the countries from 200 to 600 tonnes per week for every national carrier, and approving the operation of Airbus A380 aircraft.

UAE + Thailand eye stronger trade and in vestment ties: UAE Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi visited Thailand to discuss boosting trade and logistics cooperation with Thai officials, Wam reports. Al Zeyoudi met with the Thai prime minister and commerce minister to discuss expediting trade and investment flows, as well as review the progress on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries.

UAE + France look to strengthen econ omic cooperation: UAE Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri met with his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire to discuss enhancing trade and economic cooperation, Wam reports. He also discussed boosting trade across various sectors with Olivier Bechet, minister delegate for foreign trade, economic attractiveness and French nationals abroad attached to Europe’s minister for foreign affairs.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

N orth Lebanon Merchants Association head Assaad Hariri met with Austrian Ambassador in Lebano n René Paul Amryto discuss developing trade, export, and commercial ties between the two countries. (National News Agency)
A bu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan met with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana to discuss expanding cooperation and exploring avenues for investment in energy, infrastructure,and tourism. (WAM)
UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to explore bolstering bilateral ties in trade, tourism, clean energy and climate change. (WAM)
Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal F. Alibrahim and Norway’s Trade and Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre discussed boosting bilateral trade relations. (SPA)

Saudia Cargo appoints new managing director

Saudia Cargohas appointed Former Deputy Minister for Logistics Services Loay Mashabi (LinkedIn) as managing director, according to a statement. Mashabi — who will join the company as of 8 October, according to the Saudi Gazette — will oversee functions and strategic initiatives to promote growth and transformation in the company. Mashabi comes to Saudi Cargo with experience in the logistics sector, having served as KSA’s deputy minister for logistics services for more than two years, and as a board member at Saudia Cargo, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (Modon), and Saudi Exports Authority.

US warehousing and logistics companies are not rushing for new hires this holiday season

Sluggish retail market sees US logistics companies pull the reins on holiday hiring: Warehouses, fulfillment specialists, and other logistics companies in the US are keeping their seasonal hiring flat this year compared to the last, the Wall Street Journal reported. Companies are reluctant to ramp up their hiring in the face of tepid growth in consumer demand, the WSJ wrote. Among the big logistics players keeping hiring flat are United Parcel Service, which will hire 100k additional workers for the holiday season — about the same as last year — and retail chain Target, which is also planning to bring aboard 100k workers over the holidays, in line with last year’s figures. Meanwhile, the US Postal Service has said that it will only hire an additional 10k, about a third of last year’s new hires, the WSJ wrote.

Amazon is bucking the trend: The e-commerce giant is a big exception, with plans to hire 250k additional workers, significantly more than the 150k holiday season hires in each of the past two years, the WSJ wrote. The company’s ambitious recruitment indicates a stronger-than-usual confidence in consumer demand, as well as designs to control a larger segment of the holiday market, the WSJ explained.

Holiday wages are also down from the pandemic period: Skyrocketing demand for shipments during the pandemic saw companies scrambling for seasonal hires, with many upping wages, distributing bonuses, and hiring earlier in the season. Seasonal wages this year are unlikely to get much of a boost, however, the WSJ cites Brian Devine, CEO of warehouse staffing agency Ohio-based warehouse staffing agency Ignite Industrial Professionals. Some warehouses are offering USD 1 or 1.5 an hour as extras for seasonal employees, down from the USD 3 to 4 an hour additional payments seen during the pandemic, Devine said.

SCZone looks to drum up investments in green fuels in Japan + Dubai to revamp Hessa Street. PLUS: More from Egypt, Zoho, Qatar Airways, Iraq, Air India and Qatar Chamber

INVESTMENT WATCH-

Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) showcases renewables + green fuels plans to 24 Japanese companies: SCZone chairman Walid Gamaleldin received a delegation of Japanese companies headed by the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) for an event showcasing the zone’s avenues for investment in renewables and green fuels, according to a company statement. International companies that have signed agreements or MoUs with SCZone on green projects also took part in the event, the statement said.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

Dubai to revamp Hessa Street: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority(RTA) has awarded an AED 689 mn contract to develop Hessa Street, which will double the number of lanes on the street from two to four in each direction, according to a press release. The scope of the project is set to cover 4.5km and will revamp Hessa Street’s intersections with Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road, according to the release. The project will allow Hessa Street to accommodate 8k vehicles per hour and will add a 13.5 km cycling track that will include two bridges.

SUPPLY CHAIN-

Technology and supply chain service provider Ingram Micro has inked a new distribution agreement with technology firm Zoho to bring Zoho’s products to Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Morocco, Lebanon, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, according to a press release. The agreement will focus on making accessible its digital collaboration platform Zoho Workplace, pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses Zoho Bigin in the Middle East.

TRANSPORT-

Egypt + Switzerland look to establish joint economic committee: Director of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda proposed establishing a joining economic committee between the countries during Artieda’s first visit to Egypt, where she met with CEO of Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones Hossam Heiba,according to a statement. Artieda pointed to several promising areas of cooperation, including industrial parks, green hydrogen, transportation, and logistics. Heiba also expressed Egypt’s keenness to increase Swiss Investments and transfer Swiss expertise and technology to Egypt, particularly in the transportation sector.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING-

Qatar Airways Cargo has introduced two new belly hold flights to China’s Chengdu and Chongqing with a joint weekly capacity of 84 tonnes for vulnerable/tech cargo, general cargo, fish, seafood, and perishables. The routes will operate three times a week by Airbus A330-300 aircraft. (Press release)
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani has inaugurated a new Norwegian-built oil tanker, dubbed Sumer, that has a capacity of 200k barrels. The tanker will be added to the Iraqi Oil Tanker Company’s fleet and is expected to generate some USD 900 bn within 12 years. (INA)
Iraqi Airways has received its second Dreamliner aircraft as part of an agreement with Boeing. (Statement)
Air India will kick off daily non-stop flights between Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala and Doha, Qatar on 23 October. (Times of India)
Vice Chairman of Qatar Chamber Mohamed Al Kuwari has inked a cooperation agreement with Chairman of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry Davron Vakhabov to promote trade exchange, reinforce trade cooperation, discuss investment climate, and foster partnershipsbetween the two countries. (QNA)

Adani Ports plans more debt buybacks

Indian conglomerate Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is set to buy back as much as USD 195 mn of its 2024 bond in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 3.375% senior notes due, according to a disclosure (pdf). The company will continue to buy outstanding notes over the next three quarters for cash, and will pay USD 975 for every USD 1k in principal by 11 October, it adds. The outstanding amount of the bond remains at USD 520 mn, with plans for the company to continue to repurchase debt in the coming quarters.

This isn’t the company’s first buyback: The ports and logistics company purchased in May a USD 130 mn cash tender to boost investor confidence, according to the statement. This came following the company’s shares being hit by a US short-sellers report in January. The company is refinancing USD 3.5 bn worth of debt taken out for an acquisition, Bloomberg reports.

Calendar

OCTOBER

Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) goes on a roadshow to South Korea.

1-5 October (Sunday-Thursday): Kuwaiti delegation led by Chairman of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce Mohammed Jassim Al Saqr heads to Canada for a joint economic forum.

2-4 October (Monday-Wednesday): Automechanika, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE.

3-4 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): IATA World Sustainability Symposium, Madrid, Spain.

4 October (Wednesday): Total Freight Worldwide’s Fresh Summit 2023, Madrid, Spain.

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

8-10 October (Sunday-Tuesday): Saudi-Turkish Trade Summit, Istanbul, Turkey.

9-15 October (Monday-Sunday): 2023 World Bank Group – IMF Annual Meetings, Marrakech, Morocco.

10-12 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Autonomous E-mobility Forum, Doha, Qatar.

10-12 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Intermodal Europe 2023, RAI Amsterdam, Netherlands.

10-12 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Cool Logistics Global 2023, Genoa Stock Exchange, Genoa, Italy.

16-17 October (Monday-Tuesday): Duqm Economic Forum, Crowne Plaza, Duqm, Oman.

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

26-29 October (Thursday-Sunday): ICASM 2023, Conrad, Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

30 Oct-2 Nov (Monday-Thursday): XLP AGM 2023, Barcelona, Spain.

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

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

September-November: Emirates Postal Group’s “Logistics Unleashed” competition, UAE.

NOVEMBER

November: Abu Dhabi Airports Terminal A set to become operational.

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

11-13 November (Saturday-Monday): GCC-Türkiye Economic Forum, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey.

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

15-17 November (Wednesday-Friday): Global Freight Summit 2023, Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, UAE.

13-17 November (Monday-Friday): Dubai Airshow, Dubai World Center, UAE.

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, UAE.

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

21-23 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Touchdown Middle East, Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.

21-23 November (Tuesday-Thursday): ARABAL 2023 Conference, Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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.

September-November: Emirates Postal Group’s “Logistics Unleashed” competition, UAE.

DECEMBER

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

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2H 2023:Construction of Neom’s first hydrogen fueling station will kick off.

2H 2023: Expansion of Baghdad International Airport to begin.

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

Before the end of the year: The first phase of the Ain Sokhna port redevelopment will wrap.

2024

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

1Q 2024: Egypt’s Transport Ministry to launch pre-qualification tender for Cairo-Alex freight railway.

1H 2024: Civil Construction subcontracts for construction firms in Oman for implementation of the Abu Dhabi – Suhar rail link to be announced.

King Salman Energy Park is set to become operational in 2024

FEBRUARY 2024

13th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

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

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

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

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, Hong Kong.

20 March (Wednesday): Construction work scheduled to begin on the 162 km Rasht-Astara Railway in Iran.

MAY 2024

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

21-23 May (Tuesday-Thursday): WAGA 2024, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

JUNE 2024

19-21 June (Wednesday-Friday): World Freezones Organization’s Annual International Conference and Exhibition, Bari, Italy.

NOVEMBER 2024

13-15 November (Wednesday-Friday): The Bahrain International Airshow, Sakhir Airbase, Bahrain.

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.

1Q 2025: Sadr Park’s Logistics Center in Riyadh to be completed.

2027

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

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