PORTS + SHIPPING-

#1- AD Portsis looking to manage Indonesia’s Patimban International Port (PPI) Container Terminal in West Java, following a meeting between Indonesian Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and AD Ports head of ports cluster Saif Al Mazroui, according to a statement. AD Port’s have submitted a cooperation offer proposal — with matters still being negotiated, according to the statement. This comes as Indonesia is committed to complete the development of PP1, and complete its phase 2, which will enable the terminal to handle some 3.75 mn TEUs, the statement adds.

That’s not all for Abu Dhabi + Indonesia: Sumadi also met with UAE’s Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Mohammed Al Mazroui and AD Ports CEO Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, where Sumadi offered Abu Dhabi Airport’s to become a partner in developing and managing West Java International Airport Kertajati, according to a separate statement. The Kertajati Airport will have a cargo village, maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, and commercial area’s and is set to become Indonesia’s second largest Airport, the statement added. The discussions also looked into potential cooperation between Indonesian and Emirati airlines, to form a JV company to serve the domestic aviation market, and further cooperation in land, sea, air, and rail transport, according to the statement.

#2- Expansion of shipping operations in Kazakhstan: AD Ports acquired two advanced vessels to transport Kazakhstan’s oil across the Caspian Sea, with operations already commencing, according to a media release. The USD 35 mn purchase was carried out in collaboration with KazMorTransFlot (KMTF) under the joint venture Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions. The oil tankers are tailored for the Caspian’s shallow draft and equipped with inert gas systems, complying with international oil companies’ requirements and modern standards.

UAE + Kazakhstan growing bilateral trade relations: The acquisition follows commitments to develop new trade routes connecting the Caspian Sea to Abu Dhabi and Dubai ports. The Central Asian country expressed an interest in increasing trade with the UAE to USD 1 bn in October after having already developed 46 foreign capital investment projects worth USD 4 bn last year.

ENERGY-

#1- UAE-based food and beverages giant Agthia Group has awarded Yellow Door Energy (YDE) contracts to establish two 5 MWp solar power plants, according to an ADX filing. The plants will cover 20% of the energy consumption of Agthia factories and generate 287 GWh. YDE is looking to deploy upwards of USD 1 bn in projects in the region after raising USD 400 mn from shareholders focusing on executing sustainable energy solutions.

Agthia operations get greener: The conglomerate signed an MoU with Beeah Group and Veolia Middle East subsidiary Repeet in January to assess the feasibility of a 40k sqm, 12k ton per annum polyethylene terephthalate recycling plant to cut around 18k metric tons of CO2 annually.

#2- EWEC opens Q4 auction for Clean Energy Certificates: The Emirates Water and Electric Company (EWEC) will issue the Clean Energy Certificates (CECs) in units of 1MWh, with each certificate signifying that the electricity used by the entity in receipt of the CEC originates from a clean energy source. The certificatescheme aligns with I-REC standards for Renewable Energy Certificates. Auction doors will close on 14 December.

CECs are the only accredited instruments in Abu Dhabi that prove the ownership of environmental and economic benefits of consuming clean energy, according to WAM. The certificates were introduced by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy to help ensure that the emirate meets its clean energy and net zero goals.

AVIATION-

Air Arabia jets to Phuket: Air Arabia will be operating a new route from Sharjah to the Thai island of Phuket as of 15 December, WAM reports. The new route is expected to provide passengers with four weekly flights connecting Sharjah International Airport with Phuket International Airport.

LOGISTICS-

DP World’s Jebel Ali Freezone (Jafza) has completed phase one of Jafza Logistics Park, a multi-tenant logistics warehousing facility developed in collaboration with Emirati construction group Amana, according to a press release. The first phase covers some 563k square feet, and includes Grade-A dry and pharma storage units, temperature-controlled warehouses, office spaces, loading docks, security, and CCTV surveillance, the release adds. Phase two, also constructed by Amana, is scheduled for completion in 1Q 2025. The second phase will add another 250k square feet of storage facilities to the logistics park.

Background: Construction of the Jafza Logistics Park began in April 2022, to accommodate Dubai’s growing warehousing, processing, and logistics market. Jafza logistics park’s design uses precast concrete elements and off-site construction techniques to limit environmental impact, while using skylights to harness natural lighting and limit energy consumption, the release adds.

TRANSPORT-

Careem x CarbonSifr for eco-friendly ride-hailing: Careem is collaborating with climate-solution tech company CarbonSifr to introduce eco-friendly services in Dubai, reports Zawya. The initiative will allow Careem customers to contribute to carbon removal projects in the UAE and wider MENA region, with ride contributions funding CarbonSifr’s environmental projects, such as planting mangrove trees in the UAE.

Careem for net-zero: The car booking app has shown its green side before, with over half of its rides having been conducted by electric or hybrid vehicles this year. The new partnership aims to reduce CO2 emissions in line with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s target of hitting net-zero by 2050.

FINANCE-

EDB to provide funding for IREA’s renewable energy platform: State-owned Emirates Development Bank (EDB) will provide International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA) with USD 350 mn worth of funding for its Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) platform, according to a press release. As part of the plan, EDB will fund SDG and green projects recommended by IREA, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

What is ETAF? A government-supported multi-stakeholder platform that finances the clean energy transition in developing countries. ETAF has already surpassed its initial fundraising target of USD 1 bn by 2030 by some USD 250 mn.

REMEMBER- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) committed USD 100 mn to ETAF, according to a statement last June. IDB’s new package will be used to finance sustainability projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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