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MEED
Mar 2009 Online Content

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  • Iran invites firms to bid for Kish gas field

    The state-run Iranian Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (Pedec) has issued a tender inviting companies to bid for the drilling of a second offshore appraisal well in the Kish gas field.

  • Jordan issues carbon credits tender

    Jordan’s Samra Electric Power Generating Company (Sepgco) has issued a tender for a company to trade carbon credits.

  • US to fund Jordan nuclear storage facility

    The US and Jordan have signed a deal covering the construction of a central storage facility for radioactive waste in the kingdom.

  • 3i Infotech launches in Riyadh

    Global technology solutions and services provider 3i Infotech has opened its office in Riyadh. 3i Infotech has reported doubling its revenues within three years in the kingdom, serving banking and finance sectors. It has recently bagged clients such as Al Fozan and the Zamil Group.

  • ABB wins Kuwait electricity contract

    Switzerland-based ABB has won a transmission network contract worth $400m from Kuwait's Electricity & Water Ministry.

  • Abengoa and Total take lead for Masdar power plant

    A team of Spain’s Abengoa Solar and France’s Total are the preferred bidder for Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company’s (Masdar) Shams 1 power plant.

  • Abu Dhabi airport completes runway

    Abu Dhabi Airports Company has completed a second new runway and a third terminal at Abu Dhabi's International Airport. The new facilities are part of the Dhs25bn airport expansion plan designed to increase the overall capacity to more than 20 million passengers per year. A second new Air Traffic Control is underway as well as the Midfield Terminal Complex.

  • Abu Dhabi airport sees 6% growth

    Abu Dhabi International Airport has released its traffic figures for February 2009, showing a passenger number increase of 6%, while aircraft movements went up by 4.9%. Passenger numbers to India rose by 36.4%, while numbers to Pakistan increased by 14.6%.

  • Abu Dhabi begins sovereign bond roadshow

    Abu Dhabi has begun a roadshow for potential investors in a new sovereign bond to be issued by the emirate, that could be as large as $3bn.

  • Abu Dhabi buys $1bn stake in Oil Search

    Abu Dhabi’s state-owned International Petroleum Investment Company (Ipic) has bought a 17.6 per cent stake in Australian-listed Oil Search Limited for $1.1bn making it the Australian company's largest shareholder.

  • Abu Dhabi buys $3.8bn stake in Cepsa

    Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Company (Ipic) has bought a €2.87bn ($3.8bn) 32.5 per cent stake in Spanish energy major Cepsa.

  • Abu Dhabi delays bids for integrated gas project

    Abu Dhabi has delayed the technical bids deadline for engineering work on its integrated gas development (IGD) project by two months to allow for the entry of new bidders.

  • Abu Dhabi delays closing date for metro tender

    Abu Dhabi has extended the closing date for the contract to provide consultancy services on the proposed metro system until 13 May.

  • Abu Dhabi developer receives stable ratings from agencies

    The financial outlook for the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) is stable according to three ratings agencies.

  • Abu Dhabi extends bid deadline for Khalifa Port package

    Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has extended the closing date for technical proposals for its onshore civils and building package at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone in the Taweelah area of Abu Dhabi.

  • Abu Dhabi extends court house tender

    Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has extended the closing date to the end of March for the contract to build the estimated AED1.5bn ($408m) new court house complex in Abu Dhabi.

  • Abu Dhabi extends Ruwais bid deadline

    Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) has extended the bid deadline for the project to expand its general utilities and power plant at Ruwais to the end of March.

  • Abu Dhabi firm resumes work on Pakistani refinery

    The Abu Dhabi/Pakistan joint venture partners on the Baluchistan refinery in Pakistan have returned to work on the $5bn project after it was temporarily put on hold in January 2009.

  • Abu Dhabi hotel apartment occupancy up

    Hotel apartment occupancy in Abu Dhabi rose to 87% in January and 95% in February, according to the director of sales at the Al Manzel Hotel Apartments. The figures were lifted by high rents in the UAE capital but are still down on 2008 occupancy of 100%.

  • Abu Dhabi International enjoys 6 per cent passenger growth

    Abu Dhabi International airport enjoyed a 6 per cent increase in passenger numbers in February, driven by a surge in traffic from India.

  • Abu Dhabi invites firms to prequalify for Taweelah work

    Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has invited selected companies to submit prequalification documents for four infrastructure contracts at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone in Taweelah.

  • Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank converts government deposits to capital

    Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has become the latest UAE bank to convert government deposits into tier 2 capital that can be used as a cushion against future losses.

  • Abu Dhabi makes more oil supply cuts

    Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is to further cut crude oil output from its four main oil fields in May 2009 in line with its Opec commitments.

  • Abu Dhabi metro attracts major interest

    About 72 companies have collected tender documents from the Transport department, for the contract to provide consultancy services for the proposed Abu Dhabi metro system.

  • Abu Dhabi plans metro network

    The Director of Abu Dhabi's Public Transport Department said the emirate plans to build a metro network, following in the footsteps of neighbouring Dubai. Ahmad Rashid Al Rashidi said the department has invited leading international consultancies to prepare a study to build the metro, which will eventually be linked to Dubai and possibly to other rail networks in GCC countries.

  • Abu Dhabi property prices fall to launch levels

    Property prices in Abu Dhabi are falling and are now close to their original launch selling prices according to Landmark Advisory’s Abu Dhabi Real Estate Report.

  • Abu Dhabi reveals Shuweihat financing options

    International government agencies could contribute up to 50 per cent of the long-term financing for the Shuweihat 2 independent water and power project (IWPP), according to Abdulla Saif al-Nuaimi, director of privatisation at Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea).

  • Abu Dhabi seeks expressions of interest in Cleveland Clinic

    Abu Dhabi has invited selected contractors to express interest in the main construction package for the Cleveland Clinic project.

  • Abu Dhabi set to issue tenders for highway project

    Abu Dhabi plans to issue tender documents for a AED10bn ($2.7bn) highway connecting Abu Dhabi city and the border with Saudi Arabia by the end of March.

  • Abu Dhabi to have trams by 2014

    Following the issuance of tenders for the design and engineering of Abu Dhabi's 131km metro project, the Department of Transport expects trains to begin operating in 2016, while the city will have trams by 2014. The projects will be funded by public/private partnerships.

  • Abu Dhabi to invest $230bn in tourism

    In its efforts to diversify its oil dependant economy, Abu Dhabi is expected to pump $230bn in tourism projects over the next five years according to a government official. The investments are part of Abu Dhabi's long term plan to expand its non oil sectors. Azhari Issa, an economic researcher at the Department of Economy, said hotel earnings surged to Dhs4.3bn in 2008 from Dhs2.5bn in 2007.

  • Abu Dhabi tourist 'to top' 1.5m in 2009

    The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has said that the capital expects tourism numbers for 2009 to reach 1.5 million people. A senior official from ADTA said that the emirate's tourism figures would remain unaffected by the financial crisis.

  • Abu Dhabi unveils high-tech waste collection

    The Centre of Waste Management in Abu Dhabi is launching an electro-hydraulic underground waste system across the emirate. The new system removes many of the hazards traditionally associated with waste left outside premises and has a lockable receiver mechanism making it inaccessible to anyone who does not possess the key to open the unit. The system will be installed as a pilot project at 31 locations across the emirate.

  • Abu Dhabi vehicle numbers up 49%

    According to Abu Dhabi police, the number of vehicles in the capital has risen by 49% over the past three years. The number of vehicles has jumped from 392,546 in 2006 to 583,015 in 2008. The number of licenses has also increased by 16% from 581,179 in 2006 to 676,660 in 2008.

  • Abu Dhabi visitor numbers up 4%

    Abu Dhabi received over 1.5 million hotel guests in 2008, a rise of 4% on 2007. Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said the 4% rise equated to 4.7 million guest nights and Dhs4.3bn in hotel revenues.

  • Abuqir discovers gas in Egypt

    Egypt’s Abuqir Petroleum, a joint venture of Italy’s Edison and the state-run Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), has made a new gas discovery in the Abu Qir concession offshore from Alexandria.

  • ADAC welcomes Nas Air daily flights from Saudi Arabia

    Abu Dhabi International Airport plans to receive daily flights by Saudi Arabia's carrier Nas Air from Jeddah, starting in April. Nas Air, which currently operates three flights between Jeddah and Abu Dhabi, has increased the frequency in response to growing demand from passengers wanting to travel between the two cities for business, leisure and religious traffic, especially during Hajj (pilgrimage and Umra). The airline made its inaugural flight to Abu Dhabi in April last year, making the UA

  • Addax lines up Kurdistan export pipeline

    Canada’s Addax Petroleum is to procure long-lead items for the construction of an export pipeline after installing an early production system at its Taq Taq field in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

  • Adelphi aims to sell stake in Yemen oil concession

    Australia’s Adelphi Energy will sell its 8.5 per cent interest in Yemen’s Block 7 oil concession to Japan’s Mitsui Exploration & Production Middle East for $4m, if the local government approves the move.

  • Adnoc requests Zakum dredging bids

    Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has set a 6 April deadline for bidding on a major dredging project, known as the '750 Project'.

  • Advent expands MidEast client base

    Investment management industry software provider Advent has said that its Middle East client base has grown to 30. The group's clients are based across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Riyadh and Cairo - and include Shuaa Capital, Ahli United, NBK Capital, Dubai Group and Arab National Bank.

  • Agency issues credit rating to Libya

    Standard & Poor’s (S&P), a US ratings agency, has issued its first credit rating for Libya, assigning the country A- for its long-term prospects and an A-2 rating for the short-term.

  • Agency set to review Kuwait rating

    Kuwait’s sovereign credit rating has been placed under review for a possible downgrade by Moody’s.

  • Agility net profits fall 8.4 per cent in 2008

    Agility recorded net profits of KD141m ($486m) in 2008, a fall of 8.4 per cent from the KD154m it registered in 2007.

  • Agility wins US army deal

    Agility Defence and Government Services, the public sector arm of Agility, has announced that it has signed a deal for delivery services for Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) stores around the world. Under the deal, Agility will be responsible for clearing and transporting store merchandise destined for AAFES customers at US military installations in western Iraq sites via Jordan from Atlanta.

  • Agthia invites firms to bid for Abu Dhabi flour mill work

    Emirates Foodstuff and Mineral Water Company (Agthia) has approached consultants to bid for design services on a new flour mill at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone (KPIZ) in the Taweelah area.

  • Air Arabia approves $3m annual dividend

    Air Arabia has approved a $3m annual dividend for its shareholders, equivalent to 10 per cent of the company’s share capital.

  • Air Arabia to distribute 10% cash dividend

    The Board of Directors of Air Arabia decided during a general assembly meeting to distribute a 10% cash dividend of the company's share capital. The meeting has also approved the company's audit for the financial year ending December 2008.

  • Air Arabia to fly to Goa

    UAE-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia announced today that it will launch service to the Indian city of Goa beginning April 16, 2009.

  • Air France-KLM increases flights to the Gulf

    Air France-KLM said it will increase its weekly flights to the Gulf region by 4% compared to 2008. The increase will include operating seven flights to Bahrain, six flights to Muscat, and seven flights to Kuwait, while in Tehran the flights will go up from four flights to five per week. Air France-KLM group maintained its weejly flights number to UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

  • Airbus A380 deliveries on schedule says Emirates

    Emirates is refuting reports that it is delaying the delivery of some of the Airbus A380 aircraft it has on order due to technical and financial concerns. The airline said it is on track to receive seven of the super jumbos by the end of the financial year ending March 31, 2010. Airbus' Middle East President, Habib Fekih, said Emirates is due to receive its fifth A380 in April as planned and the aircraft is already financed.

  • Airlines to have alternative fuel option

    There will likely be an alternative to traditional fuel on the market within the coming three to five years, Billy Glover, Boeing's director of environmental strategy for commercial aircraft, has told reporters at the ITB travel fair in Berlin. Airlines around the world are going green as they push to cut their fuel costs in an effort to widen margins.

  • Airlines to see 'more consolidation'

    The UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways' CEO James Hogan has said that the industry is likely to see more consolidation because of a slow down in air travel and recessionary forces. Hogan told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that more Air France-KLM Group style mergers where likely, and that Etihad was looking to work more closely with Qantas. Industry losses could total $4.7bn in 2009.

  • Aker targets construction contracts in Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia’s Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre (Acec) has signed an engineering services partnership deal with Norway's Aker Solutions in an effort to target engineering, procurement and construction projects in the kingdom.

  • Al Tayyar signs up for Travelport

    Saudi Arabia's Al Tayyar Travel Group has signed up a multi-year agreement with Travelport GDS for its Galileo GDS. The agreement will give access to Al Tayyar to Galileo's offers on the airline, hotel, and car content on the market. Travelport has also opened new hub offices in Jeddah.

  • ALAFCO renews aircraft leasing contracts

    Kuwait's Aviation Lease and Finance Company (ALAFCO) has announced that it has renewed all aircraft leasing contacts that were to expire in 2009. ALAFCO's Chairman and CEO Ahmad Abdulla Al-Zabin said in a press release that the company renewed contracts of two of three planes leased to ChinaEastern Airlines, while the third plane was leased to Ethiopian Airlines. Meanwhile ALAFCO said that it received intitial approval from ECS to finance the purchase of 18 out of 20 Airbus and Boeing planes

  • Al-Ahmadiah Aktor bids low for Fujairah highway

    The Public Works & Housing Ministry has received bids for the third phase of the project to build the new highway between Dubai and Fujairah.

  • Aldar invited bids for Al-Raha Beach residential district

    Aldar Properties, an Abu Dhabi real estate developer, has invited selected companies to bid for a contract to build the Al-Khubeira district at its Al-Raha Beach development by 29 March.

  • Alec and Murray & Roberts frontrunners for Saadiyat resort deal

    The local Alec and South Africa's Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East) are the two frontrunners for the contract to build the St Regis resort on Saadiyat island in Abu Dhabi.

  • Al-Hassan wins Oman gas pipeline deal

    Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded a $25m pipeline construction contract to the local Al-Hassan Engineering Group (Ahec).

  • Al-Naboodah signs deal for Harvard Medical School in Dubai

    The local Al-Naboodah Contracting has signed a new agreement for construction work at the Harvard Medical School at Dubai Health Care City.

  • Al-Nasr wins more work with Tiger Woods

    The local Al-Nasr Contracting Company has won a second infrastructure contract at the Tiger Woods golf development in Dubailand.

  • Al-Rajhi Alliance to sign Haramain rail deal

    The Al-Rajhi Alliance will sign a contract to carry out civil works for the Haramain high-speed rail link between Mecca and Medina on 4 March.

  • Al-Rushaid signs Saudi energy deal with Dresser-Rand

    Saudi Arabia’s Al-Rushaid Petroleum Investment Company and the US’ Dresser-Rand are to open a service centre in Saudi Arabia to compete for manufacturing and repair work.

  • Al-Waha awards Iraqi seismic deal to BGP

    China's Al-Waha Petroleum has started work on the development of Iraq's Al-Ahdab oil field after awarding a seismic contract to BGP, the geophysical division of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

  • AMD's manufacturing spinoff gets new name

    Advanced Micro Devices' former manufacturing arm was renamed GlobalFoundries today as the newly created company began operating independently, reported PC World. Formerly called The Foundry Co., GlobalFoundries was spun off from AMD as a joint venture with Advanced Technology Investment Co (ATIC), an investment fund controlled by the Abu Dhabi government. AMD closed the spin-off deal with ATIC on Tuesday, clearing the way for GlobalFoundries to begin operating on its own.

  • Amman metro deal set for June

    Municipal authorities in Amman have said that they will award the design contract for a $1.2bn metro system metro system within the Jordanian capital within three months. A number of international companies have submitted proposals for the project, which will be undertaken over a 10 year period.

  • APM Terminals relocates HQ to Dubai

    APM Terminals has relocated its regional headquarters from Muscat to the Dubai Maritime City. APM chose Dubai as its new regional headquarters based on its strategic location as a regional business hub and major airport. APM runs 12 container terminals in the region and Dubai's location allows the company to be closer to customers in the markets of Africa, the Middle East and India.

  • Apple previews new iPhone software

    Apple has told journalists that it will provide a 'peek' at a new operating system for the iPhone at a media event in the US on March 17. It has also said that it will demonstrate a new software kit that developers can use to make programmes. Analysts have speculated that the new software is an indication that the group plans to launch a new iPhone later in the year.

  • Apple ships new iMac and Mac Mini models

    Apple is updating its iMac and Mac Mini desktop computers. The new line-up includes a Mac Pro aimed at business customers. The quad core, base version costs $2,499, $300 less than previously, while the eight processor core version costs from $3,299. Neither comes with a display, but includes space for up to four hard disks. Four more iMacs are priced between $1,199 for the 20 inch, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz model to $2,199 for a 24 inch, 3.06GHz option. The two Mac Minis start from $599 and $7

  • Apple updates consumer desktop line

    The updated iMac and Mac mini desktop lines are now available in the Middle East, according to Arab Business Machine, Apple's representative for the region. The iMac now boasts a 24-inch screen and is priced more affordably than ever before, the company said. The updated Mac mini delivers up to five times better graphics performance, and is the world's most energy efficient desktop, drawing less than 13 watts of power when idle.

  • Arabtec forms Saudi construction firm with locals

    Dubai-based Arabtec Construction has established a new construction company in the kingdom in partnership with two local companies, CPC Services Company and Prime International Group Services.

  • Aramco awards major Karan gas contracts

    Saudi Aramco has confirmed the award of onshore engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction and the UK's Petrofac for the development of its Karan gas field.

  • Aramco awards major Karan gas deals

    Saudi Aramco has confirmed the award of two further engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the development of its Karan gas field to the UAE-based J Ray McDermott and South Korea's GS Engineering & Construction.

  • Aramco completes Khurais oil field drilling

    Saudi Aramco has completed drilling on its 1.2 million barrels-a-day Khurais oil field ten months ahead of schedule, thereby increasing the kingdom's crude capacity to 12.5 million barrels a day (b/d).

  • Aramco plans $29bn petrochemicals projects

    Saudi Aramco is moving ahead with petrochemicals projects worth $29bn despite the economic slowdown in the kingdom and the wider region.

  • Aramco renegotiates oil projects

    Saudi Aramco has started talks with international contractors over renegotiating the terms of major oil projects that have yet to be awarded.

  • Arinc wins Iraqi helicopter deal

    Aeronautical Radio Incorporated (Arinc) has won an $80.6m contract to procure and deliver 22 helicopters to Iraq.

  • Arkan Building posts Dhs291.6m loss

    Arkan Building Materials Co, the UAE-based construction supplier, suffered a net loss of Dhs291.6m for the year ended December 31. The company reported a net loss of about Dhs450.5m in the fourth quarter as it booked losses on equity investments and the value of its steel inventory declined.

  • Arkan net loss hits Dhs291.6m

    Building materials company Arkan's net loss in 2008 has hit Dhs291.6m, compared with a net profit of Dhs202.7m a year ago, Gulf News has reported. The Adu Dhabi-based company's shares has fallen on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange by 4.65% on Thursday. The company's cement business sells 1.2 million metric ton a year from its cement factory in Al Ain.

  • Aviation needs stronger partners to survive downturn

    Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) wants the aviation industry to stand together and build stronger partnerships to cope with the economic downturn. Speaking at the Middle East Aviation Outlook Summit, ADAC Chairman HE Khalifa Mohamed Al Mazrouei, said airports and airlines must align resources and innovations to meet challenges head on.

  • Aviation sector to spend $25bn on IT

    The aviation sector in the Middle East will spend $25bn on IT infrastructure over the next five years, according to Hani Al Assad, regional vice-president, sales and relationship management, Middle East and Turkey, at SITA. He said IT infrastructure will be a major part of the $60bn that will be invested to expand the region's airports, with Al Maktoum International at Jebel Ali alone receiving $8bn.

  • Baghdad passes $58bn budget for 2009

    The Iraqi parliament has passed the $58.6bn national budget for 2009 after cutting about $3.4bn from the final sum because of falling oil prices.

  • Baghdad to spend $170m on rebuilding streets

    The Baghdad Secretariat has allocated ID200bn ($173m) from the authority’s operational budget to renovate the city’s streets.

  • Bahrain Air aims to go public

    Bahrain Air could go public next year if the company meets its target of breaking even in 2010.

  • Bahrain Air begins Abu Dhabi service

    The first Bahrain Air plane landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Sunday, the carrier said. The airline will initially operate nine flights per week from the emirate, with more flights planned in the future. Bahrain Air currently flies to 16 destinations in North Africa, Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent.

  • Bahrain Air to expand

    Bahrain Air plans to increase its fleet of leased A320s and A319s to 10 by 2012. The low-cost airline also plans to increase flights to 17 destinations in the coming months. This month Bahrain Air is set to launch direct flights to Abu Dhabi, Kozhikode in India and Kathmandu in Nepal.

  • Bahrain central bank to launch $500m sukuk

    The central Bank of Bahrain is preparing to issue a $500m sukuk, according to the bank’s governor, Rasheed Mohammed al-Maraj.

  • Bahrain Gateway port opens

    The Bahrain Gateway at Khalifa Bin Salman Port has opened on schedule and is expected to receive its first container vessel by mid-April.

  • Bahrain opens $400m water plant

    The third phase of the $400m Hidd Power Company desalination project has opened in Bahrain. This increases the plant's output to 90 million gallons per day and reduces ground water extraction to 10 million gallns per day.

  • Bahrain set to confirm Muharraq bidders

    Bahrain’s Works Ministry has informed prequalified bidders for the $150m Muharraq wastewater treatment plant that it will let them know by 10 April when it will issue a request for proposals for the scheme.

  • Bahrain Ship posts BD3.7m profit

    Bahrain Ship Repairing and Engineering Company recorded a profit of BD3.7m last year, a 62% increase over the same period in 2007. Chairman Mubarak Kanoo said the company's profitability is at its highest level since it was launched 45 years ago. The company is offering dividends worth BD480,000, 70% of paid-up capital, to its shareholders.

  • Bahrain: Cardiovascular drugs

    Supply of cardiovascular drugs. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • BankDhofar profits rise 4 per cent

    Oman’s BankDhofar generated profits of OR1.51m ($3.92m) during the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of just 3.9 per cent on the same period in 2007, a sharp slowdown in profits.

  • Banks in Emirates convert state deposits into capital

    Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and Emirates Islamic Bank have said they will convert federal government deposits in the bank into tier 2 capital they can use as a cushion against future losses.

  • Beirut hotels bounce back in 2008

    Beirut hotels achieve the fastest revPAR growth in the world last year - up 102.2% to $95, according to a new report by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. The city saw strong growth over the past year as it recovered from security clashes of 2006 and 2007, the report said.

  • Best Western to open in UAE

    The Best Western International - Asia group has announced plans to open two hotels, its first in the Middle East, in May. Under a partnership with the Mohammed bin Hayder Group the chain is in the process of rebranding the Dhow Palace hotel in Dubai.

  • Best Western to open two hotels in Dubai

    Best Western, through a partnership with the Mohammad Bin Haider Group, plans open the first two Best Western Premier hotels in the Middle East this May. Best Western is currently rebranding a 282-rooms-and-suites Dhow Palace Hotel in Bur Dubai. The rebranding process is expected to be completed within 60 days and the hotel is scheduled to open its door to welcome the first guests as Best Western Premier Dhow Palace on May 1. In addition, Best Western will also brand a new-build Best Western

  • Bid deadline for Dubai Sea View hotel extended

    Local developer Das Real Estate has extended the tender closing date for the contract to build the Sea View Club Hotel & Apartments to 26 March to give bidders more time to prepare.

  • Bids due for Abu Dhabi Fairmont

    Contractors are preparing to submit bids on 31 March for the main construction package of the Fairmont hotel and serviced-apartments development in Abu Dhabi.

  • Bids due for Muscat road works

    Muscat Municipality has invited companies to submit bids by 28 March for a contract to upgrade the road from downtown Muscat to Naseem Gardens.

  • Bids in for Dubai's Burj al-Fattan

    The local Al-Fattan Properties has received bids from at least two groups for its Burj al-Fattan project at Dubai Marina.

  • Bids in for Ruwais refinery marine works

    At least five companies have submitted technical proposals for the estimated AED1bn ($272m) marine works at the Ruwais refinery in Abu Dhabi.

  • Bigger losses predicted for airline industry

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today issued a revised forecast that nearly doubles its previous estimate for the amount of losses that the global airline industry will suffer this year.

  • Bin Jaber to open Abu Dhabi plant

    The Bin Jaber Group, an Abu Dhabi company, is to set up an armoured personnel carriers (APC) assembly plant in the capital. The annual production capacity of military vehicles is expected to be 1,000 units. The plant is to begin commercial production by 2011.

  • Bluewater Bio signs agreement with Nesma Group

    The UK’s Bluewater Bio International has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Nesma Group to role out a proprietary wastewater treatment process across the kingdom.

  • Boat Show to be expanded for 2010

    The Dubai World Trade Centre in partnership with the Dubai International Marine Club has announced plans to expand the Dubai International Boat Show's berthing spaces. An increase in participation from companies around the world has prompted the organisers to review the facilities to accommodate the upsurge in exhibition requests. The expansion will include increased land and marina display areas.

  • Bomb scare on Emirates plane

    An Emirates plane has been evacuated at London's Gatwick Airport following a report of a 'suspicious device' on board, police told CNN. Explosives experts are searching the aircraft, which landed safely early Sunday morning, following a flight from Dubai. The airport was temporarily closed as a safety precaution but has now been re-opened.

  • Brother Gulf revenues up 50%

    Brother Gulf's Bahrain revenue registered 50% growth over Q3 for the 2008-2009 financial year. The manufacturer also said that its Laser multifunction centre market share has reached 25%, and that it had already achieved its average annual revenue three quarters into the current fiscal year.

  • Cairo budget deficit to reach 8.4 per cent

    Egypt’s budget deficit is expected to rise to 8.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009/10 from 6.9 per cent in 2008/09, Finance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali was quoted as saying by state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper.

  • Cairo signs $1bn loans for Ain Sokhna plant

    Cairo has signed two loan agreements for the construction of a 1,300MW steam power plant at Ain Sokhna, on the Gulf of Suez.

  • Cairo's economic growth slows to 4.1 per cent

    Egypt’s economic growth slowed to 4.1 per cent in the six months from July to December 2008, according to the latest figures released by the Trade & Industry Ministry.

  • Car accident fatalities on rise in UAE

    The number of people killed in traffic accidents in the UAE rose to 1,071 in 2008 compared to 1,056 in 2007, according to Colonel Gaith Al Za'abi, Director of Traffic Department at Ministry of Interior. However, the rate of deaths due to traffic accidents declined to 13.3 per hundred thousand of the population in 2008 compared to 15.8 in 2007. A total of 10,611 traffic accidents occurred in the country in 2008, a 19% increase over the previous year, reported Gulf News.

  • Ceva inks two deals in Middle East

    Netherlands-based supply chain management provider Ceva Logistics has entered into two contracts with Middle East-based firms to bolster its activities in the region. Wabco, which supplies safety and control systems for commercial vehicles, has appointed Ceva to manage its logistics and export services in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. The second contract represents a renewal of Ceva's partnership with GO Sport - believed to be the largest distributor of sports gea

  • China wins $1.8bn rail contract in Saudi

    Saudi Arabia has awarded a $1.81bn railway infrastructure contract to a consortium for a 450km long high-speed railway linking the Red Sea port city of Jeddah to Medina, reported Reuters. China Railway Construction and two Saudi firms are part of the winning consortium.

  • Chiyoda wins $300m RasGas service deal

    Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company (RasGas) has awarded a $300m long-term services contract to the Qatari arm of Japan's Chiyoda Corporation for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas processing plants.

  • Civil Contracting bids low for Qurum power work

    Oman's Civil Contracting Company (Civilco) is the low bidder for a transmission network contract at Qurum.

  • Companies submit bids for Al-Gurm hotel in Abu Dhabi

    Abu Dhabi-based developer Aldar Properties has received bids from at least two groups for the contract to build the Banyan Tree hotel at its Al-Gurm development.

  • ConocoPhillips commits to Gulf gas projects

    The US' ConocoPhillips has signalled its commitment to two major gas projects in Qatar and Abu Dhabi while unveiling a project expenditure programme worth more than $10bn for 2009.

  • Consortia line up for Abu Dhabi metro

    At least four major groups have formed for the contract to provide consultancy services on the proposed Abu Dhabi metro system.

  • Construction of hotels in Middle East declines

    The number of hotels planned to be constructed in the Middle East hospitality sector has declined 10% since the onset of the financial crisis, reported Reuters. The region had planned construction of 503 hotels with 147,488 rooms, at the end of last year, down 10% from June 2008. Dubai led the Middle East with 136 projects, accounting for a third of the total.

  • Contractors approached for petroleum headquarters building

    Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company (Ipic) has invited selected contractors to build a new headquarters building in the UAE capital.

  • Contractors confirm Kuwait refinery contract cancellations

    Construction contracts on the $12bn Al-Zour refinery in Kuwait have been formally cancelled, according to contractors who won the awards in 2008.

  • Contractors submit Jubail refinery tank farm bids

    International contractors have submitted engineering, procurement and procurement (EPC) bids for two major tank farm packages worth $1.3bn on Saudi Aramco’s 400,000 barrel-a-day (b/d) Jubail export refinery.

  • DAE Capital agrees lease deal with Garuda Indonesia

    DAE Capital has agreed to lease eight 737-800 aircraft to Garuda Indonesia.

  • Daimler to sell 260 buses to Dubai

    Daimler has announced a contract to supply 260 city buses to Dubai.

  • Daimler wins major deal from Dubai

    Daimler has announced that it has received an order from the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority to deliver 260 Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses. The company said the production of the ordered buses will start in the first quarter of 2009. The contract also included a maintenance agreement.

  • Dana Petroleum makes Moroccan gas discovery

    The UK’s Dana Petroleum has made a gas discovery off the Mediterranean coast of Morocco with reserves estimated at about 100 billion cubic feet.

  • Das extends Sea View tender deadline

    UAE developer Das Real Estate has extended the closing date for its contract to build the Sea View Club Hotel & Apartments until 19 March to give bidders more time to prepare.

  • Delays hit Gulf hotel projects

    Just 39% of hotel projects in the Gulf that were in the pipeline six months ago are still on target to open on time or with a slight delay, according to research by TRI Hospitality Consulting. Another 33% have been delayed by more than six months, while 13% are on hold, and 15% have been cancelled, the research said. Despite the delays, there are still an estimated 86,000 confirmed hotel rooms in the supply pipeline for the Gulf to 2011.

  • Dell releases luxury laptop

    Dell has begun to take orders in the US for its new ultrathin, luxury Adamo notebook computer. The $2,000 Adamo,is the company's first product for the high-end notebook market, following Apple's MacBook Air and HP's Voodoo Envy. The Adamo is 0.65" thick.

  • Dell unveils new servers

    Dell is launching a new PS6000 line of EqualLogic iSCSI SAN arrays, featuring solid state drives and expanded software offerings. Dell says the PS6000 delivers up to 91% faster sequential write workload performance than its current PS5000 products, and is up to 29% faster for sequential read workloads. There are five PS6000 models: PS6000E; PS6500E; PS6000X; PS6000XV; and PS6000S (details here). The PS6000S debuts solid state drives - the array has a separate controller dedicated to the SSDs.

  • Developers set to review Kuwait property plans

    Real estate projects in Kuwait will still go ahead, but developers need to review their plans to meet changing market conditions says US real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.

  • Dewa $2.2bn refinancing set to close

    The refinancing of a $2.2bn loan facility for Dubai’s Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) is expected to close in the week starting 29 March, according to bankers close to the deal.

  • Dewa invites bids for Jebel Ali buildings

    Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has invited contractors to bid for the contract to build accommodation buildings in the Jebel Ali area by 27 April.

  • Dewa set to complete $2.2bn debt refinancing

    Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) could complete its $2.2bn refinancing by the beginning of April, according to sources close to the deal.

  • DIFC Investments to increase exposure to Dubai

    DIFC Investments, the investment arm of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), will increase its exposure to Dubai when confidence returns to financial markets.

  • Dnata flies in 115 tonnes of chocolate

    Dnata cargo has said that a specially chartered Boeing 747 has flown 115 tonnes of chocolate into Dubai from South Africa in preparation for Mother's Day demand. The load, valued at Dhs1.3m, was wrapped in special thermal blankets to protect it from the heat during the journey from the airplane to the terminal.

  • DNO awaits Kurdistan approval for Tawke oil deliveries

    Norway’s DNO International has yet to receive permission from the Kurdistan authorities to allow it to deliver oil from its Tawke field into the northern pipeline system.

  • Dohaland chief calls for GCC green building standards

    The GCC should act to establish common green building standards to save energy and reduce waste in the region, Dohaland’s chief executive Issa al-Mohannadi told MEED’s Qatar Green Buildings 2009 Conference in Doha on 18 March.

  • Dolphin $3bn refinancing responses due

    Bank responses for the $3bn refinancing of the Dolphin Energy pipeline project, which supplies Qatari gas to the UAE and Oman, are due at the end of March.

  • Dolphin resumes Ras Laffan gas supply after maintenance work

    The UAE’s Dolphin Energy has increased gas production on its export pipeline back to two billion cubic feet a day (cf/d) following the completion of a five-week maintenance programme on its production and processing facilities at Ras Laffan.

  • Dow Chemical sales up 14% in ME in 2008

    Dow Chemical in the Middle East has announced regional sales of $1.7bn during the full year 2008, which is an increase of close to 14% from the previous year for the IMEA region. Globally, Dow reported record annual sales of $57.5bn, 7% higher than $53.5bn in 2007, setting another record for the company.

  • Dow completes Rohm & Haas acquisition

    The US' Dow Chemical Company has reached an agreement to purchase US speciality chemicals maker Rohm & Haas despite the collapse of Dow's joint venture in Kuwait.

  • DP World launches online cargo services

    Global marine terminal operator DP World has announced the launch of online general cargo services for customers at its Jebel Ali Port. The company said these services come through the e-service platform Dubai Trade, and will cover export booking, berth booking and creation of shipping notes. The new online services are expected to eliminate manual procedures and facilitate faster business flow.

  • DP World launches online services

    DP World has announced the launch of online general cargo services for customers at its Jebel Ali Port. These services come through the e-service platform 'Dubai Trade', and will cover export booking, berth booking and creation of shipping notes.

  • DP World profits rise 48 per cent

    DP World generated net profits of $621m in 2008, an increase of 48 per cent on 2007, but the company has experienced a sharp decline in trade volumes during the final quarter of the year.

  • DP World profits up 48% in 2008

    Dubai-based DP World has announced that its profit rose by 48% in 2008 to reach $621m compared to $420m in 2007. Revenues also jumped by 20% to $3.28bn, according to DP World CEO Mohamamd Sharaf.

  • DP World takes control of Algiers port

    UAE operator DP World has taken over control of operation at the Algerian port of Algeirs. With the addition of Algeirs, the total ports managed by DP World reaches 49 terminals in 27 countries.

  • DP World to manage Port of Algiers

    DP World has won the contract to run the Port of Algiers on a 30-year concession.

  • Dragon Oil investigates improper procurement process

    Staff at Dubai-based Dragon Oil took payments from contractors and manipulated the company’s procurement process, according to the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation by US consultancy KPMG.

  • Drake secures Durrat al-Bahrain contract

    Dubai-based Drake & Scull International (DSI) has won a $162m design and build contract to build a 65-tonne district cooling plant at the Durrat al-Bahrain development.

  • Du signs services contract with Injazat

    Telco du has signed a data centre services deal with managed services provider Injazat Data Systems. The three year contract will see Injazat provide managed collaboration services for du's mission-critical systems from its Tier IV Data Centre in Abu Dhabi. The fault tolerant centre will provide 24/7 support.

  • Dubai 2008 hotel revenue hits Dhs15bn

    Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has said that the city's hotels' combined revenue reached Dhs15.25bn in 2008, a rise of 15%. The DTCM said that hotel establishments played a host to 6,996,449 guests in 2008, up from 6,951,798 visitors in the previous year. The city also registered a 15.9% increase in the number of hotel rooms and hotel apartments, to 49,598.

  • Dubai and Abu Dhabi consider linking metro projects

    Dubai and Abu Dhabi could link their respective metro systems at the border between the two emirates.

  • Dubai and Abu Dhabi may link metros

    Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority is considering extending the Red line of the Dubai Metro to the border where it would meet Abu Dhabi's planned metro line, MEED has reported. Dubai's Red line is scheduled to open in September, with the first phase of the emirate's Green line to follow in March 2010.

  • Dubai Boat Show posts strong sales

    The Dubai International Boat Show has reported strong number of sales transactions and over 26,000 quality regional buyers, despite the global economic trading conditions, according to organizers. With 45% increased participation, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai International Marine Club have decided to expand exhibition facilities at DIMC for the next exhibition in 2010. This will include increased availability of land and marina display areas as well as reconfiguration of the exhibition

  • Dubai bus fleet expanded

    The Public Transport Agency (PTA) at the Roads and Transport Authority has inaugurated a new bus route in Dubai. The PTA has also enhanced its current bus fleet with a number of double deck and standard buses.

  • Dubai cracks down on drivers using cell phones

    The rate of people being fined in Dubai for using their mobile phones while driving has increased rapidly this year. In January, 866 offences were recorded, while in February there were 1,139. The number of fines issued for the offence all of last year totalled 2,552. The offence is punishable with four black points and a Dhs200 ($55) fine.

  • Dubai debt position stable despite downgrade

    Dubai is in no immediate danger of defaulting on its debt despite a downgrade in the credit rating of six companies owned by the emirate.

  • Dubai delays bid deadline for power deal

    Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has extended the bid deadline for the consultancy contract for a load forecast and system masterplan to 11 March.

  • Dubai designates 700 buses to cater to metro

    Dubai transport officials said nearly 700 buses will be used to exclusively cater to Metro stations in the emirate as part of the 'complete journey plan' to boost the use of public transport. Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said 80% of Dubai will be covered by the public transport system within the next two years.

  • Dubai extends deadline for Hassyan P station pipelines

    Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has extended the deadline for bids for a transmission contract associated with the Hassyan P Station project.

  • Dubai financial centre extends Lighthouse tower tender

    The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has extended the closing date for bids for the contract to build the Lighthouse tower until late March.

  • Dubai has no plans to end Salik

    The Dubai government is not ruling out the possibility of adding more Salik road toll gates in Dubai, but there are no immediate plans to introduce them now, according to an official. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority, said his office will not make a decision on whether or not to add more toll gates until after the emirate's metro system becomes operational in September. He also said the government has no plans to abandon the Sa

  • Dubai Holding appoints Bin Byat as chief

    Ahmad bin Byat has been appointed the chief executive officer of Dubai Holding.

  • Dubai hotel occupancy dips to 79% in 2008

    A new report reveals that hotel occupancy in Dubai last year declined to its lowest level since 2004 because of a slowdown in visitors and an increased number of rooms. The Jones Lang LaSalle property report said the emirate's hotel occupancy fell to 79% in 2008, which was 5% lower than a year earlier. From July-December last year, occupancy rates dropped by about 7%.

  • Dubai hotel rates rose 12% in Q4 2008

    While most hotels in the world were lowering prices due to the onset of the financial crisis, Dubai registered a 12% rise in rooms rates in the 4th quarter last year compared to the same period in 2007, according to a report by Hotels.com. The report said Dubai had the second-highest room rates in the world in the fourth quarter of last year, with an average rate of $260.

  • Dubai Industrial City finishes land grading for phase II

    Dubai Industrial City, a member of Tatweer Dubai, has announced that the grading work of its 167 million square feet Phase-II development has been completed ahead of schedule. Rashed Al Ansari, Vice-President of Dubai Industrial City, said 30 factories will be operating in DIC by the end of 2009, some of them located in the second phase of the project. The 560 million square feet Dubai Industrial City offers 2.8 million square feet of open storage yards, three million square feet of warehouse

  • Dubai Investments eyes Emicool stake

    Dubai Investments has said that it would be interested in buying out Union Properties' stake in Emirates District Cooling company (Emicool) if the price is right. Developer Union Properties is looking to sell its 50% stake in Emicool in order to raise up to Dhs700m to pursue its plans for 2009.

  • Dubai Islamic Bank considers raising $817m capital

    Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) is considering raising AED3bn ($817m) of fresh capital.

  • Dubai posts Dhs15.25bn in hotel revenue in 2008

    Dubai's hotels recorded 6,996,449 guests and posted an all-time high revenue of Dhs15.25bn in 2008. The figures obtained from Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) confirmed that the number of Dubai's inbound and outbound travellers exceeded 6.6 million during the last quarter of 2008. The latest figures show a 15% increase in revenues compared to 2007 when there was a total of 6,951,798 visitors recorded.

  • Dubai retenders Ghafat reservoirs

    Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will reissue tender documents for the estimated AED400m ($108m) contract to build phases one and two of the 120 million-gallon Ghafat reservoir.

  • Dubai RTA: 5m taxis booked in 2008

    Statistics released by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have shown that five million taxis were booked in 2008, in 7.4 million calls. The number of vehicles booked automatically over the IVR system topped 1.2m. The RTA has said that average response times stood at 14 minutes.

  • Dubai targets Berlin tourism fair

    Dubai is to feature at the 2009 edition of International Tourism Exchange in Berlin from March 11 to 15. The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing double-decker stand will house 96 co-participants from hotels and tour companies in addition to the Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Summer Surprises and the hospitality divisions of Emaar and Nakheel.

  • Dubai Taxi Co launches fleet monitoring

    The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC), a part of the RTA, has introduced phase one of the 'Shaheen Fleet Monitoring', a fully electronic system that will allow the corporation to know minute details about its fleet of cabs. Through the new system the monitoring centre will have precise information about whether the cab is occupied, parked or roaming unoccupied and the vehicle's condition.

  • Dubai warns against altering license plates

    Dubai authorities will prosecute anyone who manipulates vehicle license plates to avoid paying traffic fines, said Lieutenant Colonel Saif Al Mazrouei, Deputy General of the Dubai Traffic Department. He said three men were recently found to have used duct tape to alter the numbers on their plates. The traffic department discovered the violations by monitoring images and running a series of investigations to trace the vehicles, reported Gulf News.

  • Dubai World takes MGM to court over Las Vegas project

    Dubai World subsidiary Infinity World has asked the courts to relieve it of its obligations on the CityCenter project in Las Vegas.

  • Dubai's taxi fleet to rise to 10,000

    The number of taxis in Dubai will increase to 10,000 by the year end from the present strength of 8,000, according to Yousef Al Madani, Director of Transport Systems Department at the Public Transport Agency. He said a satellite surveillance system will be in place to help manage the fleet. The upgrading process is set to boost the efficiency of the fleet, enhance the level of services and also step up safety standards and driver satisfaction.

  • Dubal plans rapid growth in aluminium sales

    Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (Dubal) said it aims to sell 1.7 million tonnes of primary aluminum per year by 2011 thanks to a new sales and marketing agreement with Emirates Aluminium (Emal). Dubal plans to be one of the five top producers of primary aluminium in the world by 2015.

  • Ducab reports 38% rise in sales in 2008

    Power cable manufacturer Ducab has reported a 38% increase in sales to Dhs3.3bn in 2008. The company also reported an increase in the production of its power cables and wires from 65,000 metal tonnes in 2007 to 80,000 metal tonnes in 2008.

  • Dutco to build Mirdif City Centre road interchange

    The Roads & Transport Authority has awarded the estimated AED182m ($50m) contract to build an interchange serving the Mirdif City Centre project in Dubai to the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty.

  • Edutech introduces 'hybrid learning' solution

    Edutech Middle East unveiled a first-of-its-kind 'hybrid learning' solution in engineering education at the 'Gulf Educational Supplies and Solutions 2009', the company said in a statement. The 'TechMentor' solution consisting of eLearning of concepts, processes and procedures, when combined with practical hands-on work using actual hardware and equipment in the laboratory, helps prepare students adequately for careers in technologically advanced mechatronics and industrial environments, the c

  • Egypt extends rice ban to October

    Egypt's export ban on rice will remain in place until 1 October 2009, Egyptian Trade & Industry Minister Rachid Rachid has announced.

  • Egypt port investment to hit EGP50bn

    Egypt port investment has totalled EGP20bn so far and will grow to EGP50bn as the government aims to boost capacity to eight million containers by 2010. The country's Transport Ministry said that the aim was to compete with Dubai, Rotterdam and New York.

  • Egypt suffers tourism slump

    Egypt's tourism minister Zoheir Garrana said occupancy rates at Egyptian hotels have dipped to an average of about 70%. Egyptian investment bank EFG-Hermes has said occupancy could fall below 50% this year and tourists to drop by 18%.

  • Egypt to launch financial regulator

    Egypt will launch a single regulator for its non-bank financial institutions in July, Investment Minister Mahmoud Mohieldin told The Egypt Investor Conference in London in a video presentation on 18 March.

  • Egypt tourism may weather downturn

    Although tourism is down in Egypt, the decline has not been as bad as hotels had feared, Ahmad al-Nahas, chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, told Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper. 'We were really worried,' al-Nahas said. 'But it looks like our drop will not be as big as originally anticipated.' He said revenue at hotels in Egypt between January and March were down only about 12% below last year, 'which was an exceptional year'. The hotels that have seen the biggest declines have been t

  • Egypt unemployment falls to 8.8 per cent

    Unemployment in Egypt dropped to 8.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2008 from 9.1 per cent the previous year, according to state news agency MENA.

  • Egypt: Accounting and auditing standards consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for monitoring regulatory compliance of listed companies with international accounting and auditing standards and financial laws. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • Egypt: Building construction

    Construction of a new administrative residence for the union. Closing date: 6 April 2009

  • Egypt: Electric metro trains

    Supply of electric metro trains to operate on the Cairo Metro. Closing date: 23 May 2009

  • Egypt: Heat recovery steam generators

    Carrying out the heat recovery steam generators and auxiliaries package as part of a combined cycle power station project. Closing date: 26 May 2009

  • Egypt: Industrial services complexes licences

    Provision of licences for the construction, development and management of industrial services complexes. Closing date: 25 May 2009

  • Egypt: Irrigation pumping stations

    Turnkey supply and erection of two irrigation pumping stations. Closing date: 30 June 2009

  • Egypt: Railway coach brakes

    Supply of 600,000 cast iron brakes for railway coaches. Closing date: 8 April 2009

  • Egypt: Railway track renewal

    Renewal of 200 kilometres of a railway track. Closing date: 17 May 2009

  • Egypt: Schools construction (Beheria)

    Construction of four schools. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Egypt: Schools construction (Fayyoum)

    Construction of two schools. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Egypt's urban inflation falls to 13.5 per cent

    Egyptian urban inflation fell to 13.5 per cent in February, down from 14.3 per cent in January, according to figures released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics on 10 March .

  • El Ezz to receive $625m loan

    The holding company behind the Middle East's largest steel manufacturer, El Ezz Steel Rebars, is to receive a $625m loan to finance its debt. The story was broken by Arab daily Al Alam Al Yom, which did not cite its source.

  • Emal says smelter will open on time next year

    The head of Emirates Aluminium said today the smelter the company is building in Abu Dhabi will open as planned next year despite projections of a global supply surplus over the next two years. Duncan Hedditch said the 700,000 metric-ton plant, which is slated to be the largest in the world, will open by April and not exceed its $5.7bn budget.

  • Emal signs raw materials contracts

    Emirates Aluminium (Emal) has signed two raw materials supply contracts for its aluminium smelter complex at Taweelah, reported MEED. The five-year contracts will result in US-based Koppers supplying liquid pitch and Italy's Fluorid delivering aluminium fluoride. The first shipments are planned for the fourth quarter of 2009. The smelter opens in April 2010.

  • Emal signs Taweelah supply deals

    Emirates Aluminium (Emal) has signed two raw materials supply contracts with suppliers from the Far East and Europe for its aluminium smelter complex at Taweelah.

  • Emal to double workforce

    Emirates Aluminium (Emal), a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Company and Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), has plans to create 1,100 direct job opportunities over the next two years as the world's largest single-site aluminium smelter. This year Emal will more than double directly employed staff numbers from 620 to 1,370. The company has so far committed $3.6 billion in investment by awarding 326 contracts for the smelter's first phase.

  • EMC expands top position in external disk storage systems

    A new study by IDC has found that US-based EMC Corporation was the top provider of external disk storage systems again in 2008. In addition to being number one in revenue and capacity shipped in the external disk storage systems market for 2008, EMC extended its revenue share lead over its top two largest competitors, according to IDC Worldwide Quarterly Disk Storage Systems Tracker, March 2009. EMC's 2008 share of the worldwide networked storage market - which includes NAS (network attached

  • Emirates appoints new VP Commercial in UAE

    Emirates has appointment Khalid bel Jaflah as Vice President Commercial for UAE. His remit is to help develop the airline's operations in the UAE. He has worked for the company since 2001. "Khalid has been an integral employee of Emirates for eight years and this dedication and commitment is reflected in his appointment to the role of Vice President Commercial for UAE," said Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran Emirates.

  • Emirates bomb hoax man held

    A man in his 20s has been arrested by police after a bomb hoax on board an Emirates flight to the UK. Passengers and crew were evacuated from the plane after it landed at Gatwick Airport on its journey from Dubai on Sunday morning. The alert was sparked after a note suggesting that there was a suspicious device was found on the plane, but following an extensive search nothing was found.

  • Emirates cuts back on China flights

    Emirates said it will reduce its service to China following a review of its operations. The airline will not operate its EK 304 and EK 305 Dubai-Shanghai-Dubai flights on Tuesdays and EK 308 and EK309 Dubai-Beijing-Dubai services on Sundays from March 29. Starting July, the same services will not operate on Mondays and Thursdays respectively. This will reduce the airline's double-daily services to Shanghai and Beijing to 12 flights a week each compared with 14 now, reported Gulf News.

  • Emirates cuts flights to China

    Emirates Airline is cutting its number of flights on routes to China because of a dip in traffic as a result of the economic downturn.

  • Emirates in Melbourne makes emergency landing

    An Emirates jetliner had to make an emergency landing after its tail hit the runway as it took off from Melbourne, Australia, according to news reports. The incident sent off smoke into the cabin and forced the pilot to make the emergency landing. The Airbus A340 took off from Melbourne at around 10:30pm on Friday, heading for Dubai. No one was hurt and passengers were put on other flights to Dubai.

  • Emirates increases regional flights

    Emirates Airline will increase the frequency of its flights to Dammam, Beirut and Tehran, capitalising on high traffic volumes on these routes.

  • Emirates leads tourism campaign for Dubai

    Emirates Airlines plans to fly more than 2,000 travel industry professionals from around the world to Dubai for three-day visits throughout March, April and May as part of a campaign to boost tourism in the emirate, reported The National. The state-backed Emirates Airline is leading the effort in coordination with the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), hotels and travel industry companies. The tourism campaign is estimated to cost $13.6m and will include flights, accom

  • Emirates manoeuvres Airbus A380's flight plans

    From delays in delivery through to a drop in passenger numbers due to the global downturn, the first year of operations for the Emirates Airbus A380 has been a rather up and down flight. Phil Blizzard, in light of the announcement that Emirates will be taking the A380 off the Dubai - New York route, looks at the flight plan of the aircraft, dubbed by many as 'The Future of Aviation'.

  • Emirates NBD to convert $1.7bn government deposits

    Emirates NBD is seeking to convert AED6.3bn ($1.7bn) of emergency government deposits into capital to help it weather the financial crisis, according to media reports.

  • Emirates opens T3 lounge

    The Emirates Group has launched its new Marhaba lounge at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport. Operated by Dnata, the lounge has a capacity of 140 customers and is open to passengers of all airlines. While the terminal is exclusively for Emirates flights, passengers from other airlines can also use the lounge as the other concourses are linked. The minimum fee to use Marhaba facilities is Dhs150.

  • Emirates reduces New York flights as demand falls

    Emirates Airline is to pull its Airbus A380 superjumbos from flights to New York's JFK airport due to falling passenger demand.

  • Emirates removes A380 from New York route

    Emirates has announced that it will no longer by using the A380 on its daily Dubai-New york route, instead opting to cut seat capacity by 132 by using the Boeing 777- 300ER. From June 1 one of the A380s will be redeployed on the Dubai-Toronto route, with the other switched to the Dubai-Bangkok service.

  • Emirates Steel inks $35m deal with Harsco

    Harsco Corporation has announced that its Harsco Metals group has secured a new ten-year contract worth more than $35m from Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Steel. Under the contract, the company is the principal onsite service partner to a new electric arc furnace steel plant entering production with capacity for up to 400,000 tons of steel billets and 250,000 tons of gas based DRI production per year.

  • Emirates Steel plant moves ahead

    Emirates Steel Industries said it has received its first shipment of iron oxide pellets as it prepares to start up to its new plant. The company will import close to 2.4 million mt of iron oxide pellets per year and has long term contracts for its raw material supplies and for its shipping needs.

  • Emirates to fly A380s to Toronto, Bangkok

    Emirates said it plans to redeploy its Airbus A380s currently assigned to the carrier's twice daily service between Dubai and New York Kennedy this summer. Starting June 1, the carrier will allocate one of the two A380s currently serving New York to its thrice-weekly route to Toronto, while the second ultra-widebody assigned to JFK will be placed into service on one of Emirates' twice daily flights from between Dubai and Bangkok.

  • Emirates to review expansions

    Emirates has told Gulf News it is reviewing options for the delivery schedule that could be revised to reflect the changing traffic patterns across its network. Emirates has earlier reduced its services to China due to falling load factors. The airline is in routine meeting with Airbus to discuss aircraft delivery positions down the line.

  • Emirates ups MidEast route flights

    Emirates has announced that it will increase services to three of its key regional gateways; Dammam, Beirut and Tehran. From May 1, Emirates will introduce two additional weekly flights to Dammam, three additional weekly flights to Beirut and two extra weekly flights to Tehran. Statistics released by the International Air Transport Association show that demand for services across the Middle East grew 3.1% in January.

  • Emiri flight to be replaced

    UAE President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has issued a law setting up the Presidential Flight Authority (PFA). The PFA replaces the Emiri Flight and is intended to operate flights for visiting VIPs and heads of state.

  • Emocean to set up Abu Dhabi facility

    Emocean Marine, a boat-building company has announced plans to set up a boat manufacturing facility at Musaffah in Abu Dhabi. At a capital investment of $10m, the facility will be fully operational within three months. Emocean Marine is a consortium formed by Phoenix Group and Senaat, and aviation businessman Ali Al Naqbi, who is also the chairman of the company.

  • EMPA pushes Saudi expansion

    IT distribution company EMPA Middle East has announced that it has undertaken a major upgrade of its operations in Saudi Arabia, installing new facilities and recruiting in its sales, credit and logistics divisions. The company also plans to open a fourth warehouse in Al Khobar to serve the eastern province. The Saudi ICT industry is worth an estimated $20bn per year.

  • Enerflex wins Omani gas deal

    Canada’s Enerflex has won a contract to provide and maintain offshore natural gas compression facilities in Oman for the UK’s BP.

  • Energy markets look to Opec for direction

    Oil prices in the US reached their highest level in two months while values for the Opec basket of 12 crudes and the European Brent crude contract showed relative stability and the market looked to Opec for direction in the week ended 12 March.

  • Eni launches pilot Libyan gas project

    Italian oil major Eni is to launch Libya’s first water alternating gas (Wag) scheme as part of its programme to increase reserves at the Bu Attifel field in the east Sirte basin.

  • Equate profits decrease 11 per cent

    US/Kuwaiti Equate Petrochemical Company has reported net profits of $683m in 2008, down 11 per cent on 2007, but still a strong performance for the struggling petrochemicals sector.

  • Equate to complete building Shuaiba plants

    US/Kuwaiti joint venture Equate will complete the construction of two major petrochemicals plants at Shuaiba in May 2009, a senior executive at Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) said on 30 March.

  • Etihad adds Cyprus to its network

    Etihad Airways will fly to Larnaca in Cyprus from June. The Abu Dhabi national carrier will fly to the island three times a week - on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - as it moves to strengthen its European network. The days target holiday makers who want short weekend breaks to Cyprus. The airline will also begin flights to Athens in Greece from June.

  • Etihad adds Spain via codeshare

    Etihad Airways has added Spain to its routes via a codeshare deal with Belgium's Brussels Airlines. The agreement, which comes into effect late March, adds the airline's EY code to Brussels Airlines flights from the Belgium capital to Madrid and Barcelona. The deal also includes Birmingham in the UK. It also means travelers can fly from the three cities to Abu Dhabi.

  • Etihad aims for $3bn 2009 revenue

    UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has predicted that it will continue to grow through 2009, despite the financial crisis. CEO James hogan said that the group was looking to increase its 2008 revenue by 20%, to $3bn, this year. The carrier plans to expand its routes to 55 over the course of 2009.

  • Etihad completes move to Terminal 3

    Etihad Airways' phased move into Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport has been successfully completed, according to a press statement, with the transfer this week of the final four long haul services from Terminal 1 into the new passenger building. The final flight moves saw the airline's Beijing, New Delhi, Johannesburg and Mumbai services move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3, on Monday, March 23. A total of 31 destinations now operate from the new Terminal 3.

  • Etihad expands Africa cargo business

    Etihad Airways is expanding its cargo network in Africa after concluding an agreement to share networks with the Kenyan freight carrier, Astral Aviation.

  • Etihad expands global network

    Etihad Airways is increasing the number of flights across its network by 20 per cent as part of an expanded summer schedule for 2009.

  • Etihad extends summer service

    Etihad Airways will operate a total of 900 weekly flights this summer compared to 750 in the same season last year, with the launch of services to five new international destinations, starting this week with Melbourne. In June, Etihad will launch services to Istanbul, Athens and Larnaca. The airline will also add extra flights to the Middle East, Brussels, Europe and Asia.

  • Etihad moves to airport terminal

    Etihad Airways has completed the migration of its long-haul international services to the new Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International airport.

  • Etihad plans to fly 25m passengers a year by 2020

    Etihad Airways plans to carry 25 million passengers a year, fly to over 100 destinations, and have over 100 aircraft in its fleet by 2020, said James Hogan, the airline's CEO.

  • Etihad signs codeshare deal with Qantas

    Etihad Airways has announced that it has signed a new codeshare agreement with Qantas. The deal will see the Abu Dhabi-based airline place its two-letter 'EY' code on selected Qantas domestic services which operate beyond Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - the three gateway airports currently served by Etihad. In addition, Etihad will place its code on daily Qantas flights from Melbourne to Auckland in New Zealand. The initial codeshare agreement comes into effect on Sunday March 29, 2009 and i

  • Etihad signs Qantas codeshare deal

    Etihad Airways has announced a codeshare agreement with Qantas, offering a host of new destinations in its international network.

  • Etihad to continue recruitment

    UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has said that it will continue to grow its workforce by 5% annually, despite the current global financial turmoil and market uncertainty within the industry. The group said that it did not have any redundancy issues and that recruitment had not been frozen.

  • Etihad to expand fleet

    Etihad Airways has said that its target for 2009 is to fly seven million passengers, after flying six million in 2008. The carrier also aims to expand its flight network to 55 destinations in 2009. Etihad currently has 42 aircraft and has said that it will expand the fleet to more than 50 planes.

  • Experts call for airlines to review fleet expansion

    Despite a drop in passenger demand, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad are expected to more than triple their current fleets by 2015 and most of the other regional airlines also have substantial orders. Global strategic management consulting firm, A T Kearney said these plans should be reviewed in light of the economic climate. Overall passenger growth already decreased to 7% in 2008 from 18.1% in 2007.

  • ExxonMobil holds talks over Ras Laffan

    The US’ ExxonMobil Corporation says it remains in talks with Qatar Petroleum (QP) over plans to build a 1.3 million tonne-a-year (t/y) petrochemical cracker at Ras Laffan.

  • Falling prices may boost Saudi plastic industries

    Saudi plastic industries experts believe that the 50% decline in prices and the closure of some plastic firms in the US, Europe and China will be good for manufacturers in the kingdom. There are 759 plastic factories in the kingdom with a total investment of SR136 billion.

  • Financial close on Bahrain’s Addur due in May

    Financial close for the $1.7bn Addur independent water and power project (IWPP) in Bahrain has been set for 31 May following provisional commitments from banks of about $800m.

  • Firms bid low for Kuwait pipeline contracts

    Kuwait’s Combined Group Company (GGC) and Al-Dar Engineering & Construction Company have submitted the lowest bids for a contract to build pipelines in west Kuwait.

  • Firms line up for Abu Dhabi oil platform work

    Abu Dhabi Gas Company (Gasco) has asked firms to submit bids for the construction of a major offshore oil and gas production platform in Abu Dhabi by 23 March, with a contract award expected in June.

  • Firms line up for Dubai hospital deal

    The Iranian Hospital in Dubai has invited contractors to bid for the estimated AED300m ($81m) contract to build an extension to the hospital by 31 March.

  • Firms line up for Ruwais refinery construction

    Firms hoping to bid for construction contracts on the Abu Dhabi Refining Company (Takreer) refinery expansion at Ruwais have submitted their prequalification documents.

  • Firms line up for work at Oman airports

    Oman’s Transport & Communication Ministry has received bids from five firms for a contract to provide design and construction supervision services for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of facilities at Muscat and Salalah airports.

  • Firms prepare to bid for Zakum pipeline work

    Abu Dhabi is to tender a major construction contract for work on the offshore Zakum oil field in the second quarter of 2009, say contractors in the UAE.

  • Firms prequalify for Abu Dhabi Investment Council office

    Abu Dhabi Investment Council has invited selected companies to prequalify for a contract to build a new office complex in Abu Dhabi.

  • Firms seek $200m Oman airport project

    Among the firms bidding for the construction of the new airport in Oman include India's Larsen & Toubro, South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction, an official said yesterday. The tender board official said other companies bidding for the $200m Duqm airport project include France's Thales, India's Dodsal, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Co and Turkey's Makyol, reported Reuters.

  • Firms set to bid for Abu Dhabi sewerage tunnels

    Potential bidders have emerged for the three construction packages on the deep-sewer tunnels project planned by Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC).

  • Firms submit bids for Abu Dhabi sewer tunnels

    Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC) has received bids for the first phase of its deep-sewer tunnels project.

  • Firms submit bids for Abu Dhabi’s Eastern Mangrove hotel

    The Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) has received bids for the contract to build the Eastern Mangrove hotel in Abu Dhabi.

  • Firms to set complete raising capital for Addur project

    The consortium running the $2.1bn Addur power project in Bahrain expects to complete its capital raising in the next 40 days, according to bankers working on the deal.

  • Flight service to Sir Bani Yas Island begins

    Abu Dhabi Aviation has started a flight service with a 50-seat Bombardier Dash-8 from Abu Dhabi to Sir Bani Yas Island. The 25-minute flight will be available to visitors on Thursdays and Saturdays and aims at promoting the tourism sector of Bani Yas Island which is known as a unique sanctuary of natural beauty.

  • Flowserve opens quick response centre

    Dubai-based Flowserve Corporation, a provider of flow control products and services, has opened a manufacturing, repair, refurbishment services and engineering applications support quick response centre (QRC) for pump and mechanical seal products. Located at the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) in Dubai, the Flowserve QRC is designed to support Middle East customers in the oil and gas, petrochemical, power, water, desalination, chemical and other industries.

  • Flydubai prepares crew for takeoff

    Dubai's first low cost airline Flydubai has announced completion of its selection process of its pilots and crew. The airline will operate a fleet of brand new Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s each with 189 economy class seats. Routes have not yet announced but will include destinations within 4.5 hours flying time of Dubai. Flydubai will operate from Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport.

  • flydubai to fly from Terminal 2

    Dubai's first low-cost airline, flydubai, has announced that it will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport when it begins its services later this year. Flydubai is currently on schedule to take off with the launch of its first routes mid-2009, operating a fleet of Boeing aircraft, each offering 189 economy class seats. Launch routes will be announced shortly and will include a range of destinations within four and a half hours flying time of Dubai, the carrier said. In prepar

  • Flydubai to launch from Dubai International Airport

    Flydubai has announced it will begin operations this summer from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport.

  • Full HP thin client portfolio certified for VMware View

    HP Middle East has announced that its entire line of thin clients is now certified for VMware ViewTM. The certification, which covers the Microsoft Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded and Linux operating systems, includes rigorous testing and quality assurance with VMware View for enhanced reliability and ease of deployment, the company said in a press statement.

  • Gazprom invites interest in Libyan oil blocks

    Gazprom Libya has invited contractors to prequalify for three projects to estimate reserves in two offshore blocks in Libya's offshore Pelagian Basin.

  • GCC slow to adopt unified economic plan

    Forecasters say the downturn will end later rather than sooner. The GCC needs a co-operative economic approach.

  • GEM receives Panamax vessel

    Dubai-based carrier Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM) has taken delivery of its first Panamax, built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD). The 75,000 dwt product oil carrier, Gulf Castle, is also the first of four new Panamax vessels scheduled for delivery this year from HMD. GEM will receive four more new vessels in 2009 - one 47,000 dwt chemical tanker and three more 75,000 dwt Panamax carriers.

  • Gitex Saudi Arabia set for April

    Gitex Saudi Arabia 2009 is set to launch in Riyadh on April 19-23, according to Dubai World Trade Centre which is co-organizing the event with Riyadh Exhibitions Company Limited. The exhibition is set to attract more than 400 firms from 15 countries. Deputy Director General of Riyadh Exhibitions Company, Mohammad Al-Husseini, said revenues of the kingdom's IT and communication sector reached more than SR43bn in 2007.

  • Global airline losses hit $8bn

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that international airlines lost up to $8bn in 2008, over 40% more than previous industry estimates. Q4 saw international carriers record losses of up to $4bn as passenger and cargo numbers plummeted.

  • Go to use Oracle software

    Saudi telecoms operator Etihad Atheeb Telecom (Go) has annoucned that it is implementing Oracle's communications software to support its plans to roll out residential Wimax broadband services. Go is Saudi Arabia's newest operator and is aiming to support growth by streamlining its operational costs.

  • Google launches Arabic blog

    Google has released an official Arabia blog for the Middle East and North Africa. The blog, www.arabia.blogspot.com, is intended to help the search engine gain a foothold in the Arab world, as only one percent of the Internet's content is in Arabic.

  • Google launches venture capital fund

    Google has launched a venture capital arm that aims to invest in a wide range of technology-related industries. The group, called Google Ventures, is expected to invest up to $100m over the next 12 months. Google Ventures will invest in consumer Internet startups, as well as companies doing software, hardware, clean energy technologies, biotechnology and health care.

  • Grand Hyatt Doha opens

    The 249-room Grand Hyatt Doha has announced its opening to guests. Offering as well 91 private residences, the hotel is directly located on a 400-metre beach in Doha's new West Bay Lagoon District, at the start of the causeway to the Pearl-Qatar project. The hotel has four restaurants and two lounges, including an open plan kitchen restaurant offering Thai cuisines.

  • Gulf Air gets first Boeing 777 aircraft

    Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air received the first of the four Boeing777-300ER aircraft today as part of the airline's re-fleeting and product-enhancement strategy. Two more aircraft are expected to join the airline's fleet later this month while the fourth one will join in May.

  • Gulf Air to break even in 2010, says executive

    Bahrain-based Gulf Air plans to break even in 2010 despite the financial downturn due to continued growth in regional air traffic, a senior executive said. 'The industry is challenged and most airlines will take a beating but this region is growing in passengers and revenues. Gulf Air will definitely break even by 2010,' Siah Joo Tan, director of Corporate Development, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

  • Gulf Air to renew fleet

    Gulf Air is taking advantage of the global economic recession to renew its fleet. Chairman Talal Alzain said this was an ideal time to order new aircraft as many international airlines have stopped or delayed their deals with aircraft manufacturers. In preparation for renewing the fleet with 59 aircraft - 35 Airbus and 24 Boeing, Bahrain's national carrier has leased four new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

  • Gulf Air, SIA Engineering ink MRO deal

    Bahrain national carrier Gulf Air has entered into a long-term fleet management program with Singapore's SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC). Under the terms of the three-year contract, SIAEC will work with Gulf Air to insource the MRO services provided by SIAEC.

  • Gulf aluminium factories cut production

    Figures released by the International Aluminium Institute show that primary aluminium production has come down from 356,000 metric tonnes in January to 332,000 metric tonnes in February. The region measured covers South Asia but includes the UAE, Bahrain, India, Iran and Turkey. Lowered production was blamed on the slowdown in the construction sector.

  • Gulf aviation sector faces $900m losses in 2009

    Middle East airlines are likely to suffer losses of $900m in 2009 despite a slight rise in passengers.

  • Gulf focuses on sustainable buildings

    Green building rules will become compulsory in the UAE in 2009. It's a breakthrough for the Gulf, but only the start.

  • Gulf investors set up company with $100m cap

    Investors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have established a holding company with a capital of $100m to invest in the industrial sector in the Gulf region, Kuwait-based Al Seyassah daily reported yesterday. The company, to be named Al Jawhara Holding, will be launched at the end of the current month, the paper said.

  • Gulf needs fresh business plans

    The GCC must examine alternative business strategies to help it survive the economic downturn.

  • Gulf projects 16 March 2009

    The MEED Projects index reached $3.12 trillion in the week to 16 March, an increase of 0.4 per cent on the previous week.

  • Gulf projects 2 March 2009

    The MEED Projects index grew by 0.2 per cent to surpass the $3 trillion mark for the first time.

  • Gulf projects 24 March 2009

    The MEED Projects index stood at $3.12 trillion on 23 March, reflecting an increase in value of 0.3 per cent.

  • Gulf projects 9 March 2009

    In the week ending 9 March, the MEED Projects index rose by 0.2 per cent for the second week in a row.

  • Gulfsands issues Syrian oil field reserve estimates

    The UK’s Gulfsands Petroleum has estimated the amount of preliminary oil in place at its Yousefieh field in Syria following the completion of drilling at its second well.

  • Heisco bids low for Kuwait Oil Company marine work

    Kuwait’s Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Company (Heisco) has submitted the low bid for a contract to provide Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) with staff for marine operations.

  • HP launches mini PC

    HP has launched a mini PC aimed at mobile professionals. The HP Mini 2140 weighs 1.19 kg and features a 10.1 inch scratch-resistant HP Illumilite LED display available in standard or high-definition resolutions, a 92% full-size keyboard and a range of hard drive options.

  • Huawei unveils new USB stick

    Huawei Technologies yesterday outlined features of its upcoming HSPA+ slide USB stick, the E182E, at the Global Broadband Summit in Dubai. The E182E supports a downlink rate of up to 21.6 Mbps and an uplink rate of up to 5.76 Mbps, providing consumers with faster and more reliable mobile broadband, the company said. The cap-free device features a retractable USB connector and a peak storage capacity of 32GB. The E182E will be available in Europe this April.

  • IBM may buy Sun Microsystems

    International Business Machines is reportedly in talks to buy Sun Microsystems, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The paper quotes sources who say that no agreement has been reached so far, but if the deal does go through, IBM is likely to pay at least $6.5bn in cash to acquire Sun, which would translate into a premium of about 100% over Sun's closing share price Tuesday.

  • IBM opens new service centre in Egypt

    IBM has announced that it is establishing a managed business process services (MBPS) delivery centre in Egypt. The agreement aims to expand IBM's presence in Egypt by establishing a delivery center for IBM clients. The centre will create up to 1500 Egyptian jobs over the next three years, the company said in a press release.

  • IHG to build biggest Holiday Inn

    InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Russia-based Crocus Group said today they have signed a deal to build the world's biggest Holiday Inn hotel in Moscow. Crocus Group will be investing $100m to build the 1,000 room hotel, which IHG will manage under a 20-year contract. Construction is slated to begin in 2010, with the hotel set to open in 2014. There are seven IHG branded hotels open in Russia and a further 13 in the pipeline making IHG the largest international hotel operator in Russia.

  • Imation launches home theatre range

    Imation has announced the launch of a series of new Home Theatre entertainment products. The new range supports high definition video output for better picture quality and standard 3.5 inch and 2.5 inch, serial ATA (Sata) HDD for storing digital content. The new Imation Multimedia HDD player allows the user to browse and play back the entire media library directly through a television or home theatre system.

  • Industries Qatar inks 3-year deal with Commercialbank

    Industries Qatar has signed a partnership agreement with Commercialbank for an exclusive dividend distribution covering the financial years from 2008 to 2010. The 3-year contract was signed at a special ceremony held at Commercialbank Plaza, Media Centre in Doha.

  • Industries Qatar profit up 46%

    Industries Qatar has announced that its 2008 net profit hit QR7.3bn. This represents a 46% increase on 2007 results of QR5bn. Despite the strong overall growth the company's Q4 profit fell 93% on the same period a year earlier to QR120m.

  • Intel chairman pushes for focused innovation

    Intel Chairman Craig Barrett has urged technology leaders to 'innovate and invest' in an effort to boost economic development and solve global challenges. Speaking at the Cebit technology trade show in Germany, he said that innovation and technology were the 'backbone of the modern economy' and that investment in the sector would drive prosperity and bring about a global digital transformation. Three key areas need investment, he told delegates: 'Investing in good education produces smart peo

  • Intel says AMD breaches licensing deal

    An Intel spokesman has confirmed Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) could not unilaterally extend its cross-licensing rights with Intel to a third party without the former's consent. Intel has said AMD is breaching a cross-licensing agreement with Intel when it gave licensing rights for semiconductor manufacturing operations to a subsidiary of Mubadala Development. Intel said GlobalFoundries, 66% owned by Advanced Technology Investment Company, a unit of Mubadala, is not a subsidiary under the cro

  • Investcorp buys Riyadh jewellery manufacturer

    Bahrain’s Investcorp has led a $270m private equity buy-out of Riyadh-based gold and jewellery manufacturer Lazurde, along with Eastgate Capital Group, part of Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank, and Abu Dhabi-based The National Investor.

  • Investcorp-led group in L'azurde deal

    A consortium led by Investcorp has bought 70% of Saudi Arabia jewellery maker L'Azurde. The acquisition is based on an enterprise valuation of $300m, according to Reuters. L'azurde's 2008 revenues topped $500m.

  • Ipic buys 70 per cent of Man Ferrostaal

    Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (Ipic) has completed its purchase of a controlling 70 per cent stake in German industrial services company Man Ferrostaal.

  • Iran and Turkey to boost transport links

    Iran has agreed to expand its bilateral co-operation on transport and trade with Turkey.

  • Iran awards Assaluyeh ammonia plant deal

    Iran's Star Aria Ammonia Chemical Company has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build a 240,000 tonne-a-year (t/y) ammonia plant to a local/Chinese joint venture.

  • Iran: Ballast regulator machines

    Supply of ballast regulator machines. Closing date: 12 May 2009

  • Iran: Concrete reservoir

    Construction and completion of a concrete underground reservoir. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Iran: Drilling rig tools

    Supply of tools for five drilling rigs. Closing date: 29 April 2009

  • Iran: Hot oil

    Supply of hot oil. Closing date: 4 April 2009

  • Iran: Oil field diving services

    Provision of oil field diving services. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: PE pipes and manholes

    Construction and laying of polyethylene (PE) pipes and concrete manholes. Closing date: 2 May 2009

  • Iran: PE/concrete pipes and manholes

    Construction and laying of polyethylene (PE) and concrete pipes and concrete manholes. Closing date: 2 May 2009

  • Iran: Railway line construction

    Construction of a railway line. Closing date: 12 May 2009

  • Iran: Research equipment

    Supply of equipment as part of a research facilities expansion project. Closing date: 3 May 2008

  • Iran: Road upgrade and water and sewerage networks

    Roads and street lighting upgrading and construction of water and sewerage networks. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Iran: Slick-line trailers and skid-mounted unit lease

    Leasing of a slick-line trailer and skid-mounted units. Closing date: 18 April 2009

  • Iran: Tyres

    Supply of 10,000 tyres. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Iran: University research facilities expansion

    Carrying out a university research facilities expansion project. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Iran: Urban upgrade and housing reform consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for carrying out urban upgrading and housing reform. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Iran: Wastewater treatment plant

    Construction, on a build, operate, transfer (BOT) basis, of a wastewater treatment plant. Closing date: 9 May 2009

  • Iran: White perlite

    Supply of white perlite. Closing date: 9 April 2009

  • Iraq invites firms to bid for Nahr bin Umar oil field

    Iraq has invited at least three companies to bid for a service contract for the Nahr bin Umar oil field, with the deadline for bids to be finalised in the next few weeks.

  • Iraq issues tenders to boost oil production

    Iraq’s state-run South Oil Company has issued two tenders to boost production on several of its largest oil fields.

  • Iraq plans $70m road projects

    Iraq has allocated about $70m for new road construction projects in Wassit and Missan provinces.

  • Iraq plans to build airport in Diwanya

    The Iraq National Investment Commission (Inic) is inviting expressions of interest from contractors keen to build a $250m airport in Diwanya.

  • Iraq signs $400m drilling rig deal

    Baghdad's state-run Iraq Drilling Company has signed a $400m joint venture agreement with the UK's Mesopotamia Petroleum Company (MPC) for the purchase and operation of 12 new drilling rigs.

  • Iraq to approach contractors over refinery construction deals

    Iraq is to invite international contractors to compete for two large engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts covering its Missan and Baiji refineries, in an effort to boost downstream capacity.

  • Iraq to buy 140 tanks from US

    Iraq is purchasing 140 upgraded Abrams battle tanks from the US.

  • Iraq: Banking sector reform consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for an emergency banking sector reform project. Closing date: not stated

  • Iraq: Hospital operations hall

    Design, supply, execution and installation of an operations hall for a hospital. Closing date: 1 April 2009

  • Iraq: Oil treatment demulsifier

    Supply of demulsifier for the treatment of crude oil. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Iraq: Pollution control equipment

    Supply of pollution control and analysing equipment. Closing date: 23 April 2009

  • Iraqi Airways flies to Europe

    Baghdad has revealed that Iraqi Airways carried out its first flight to a European Union destination since 1990 at the end of March.

  • Iraqi Airways flies to Europe after 19 years

    Iraq's flagship carrier has resumed its flights to Europe, 19 years after its fleet was grounded by an international embargo imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Its first flight was to Stockholm via Athens, and a statement by the Transport Ministry announced plans to add flight to Bahrain, Germany, India and Qatar.

  • J Ray McDermott wins Safaniya oil work

    Saudi Aramco has awarded a contract to the UAE-based J Ray McDermott under the state-owned oil giant's ongoing long-term agreement (LTA) with the contractor to supply it with work.

  • Jazeera Airways profits rise 94 per cent

    Jazeera Airways has announced annual net profits of KD4.44m ($15.1m) for 2008, an increase of 94 per cent year-on-year from the KD2.28m recorded in 2007.

  • Jazeera Airways profits up 94%

    Budget airline Jazeera Airways has reported a 40% increase in operating revenues to almost KD49m and 94% increase in net profit to KD4.5m for year end 2008. As well as through increasing its yield, the results were boosted by the airline's decision to deleverage its risk by selling and leasing back aircraft to Sahaab Leasing, part owned by Jazeera. Chairman Marwan Boodai said by doing so, the airline had 'strengthened [its] balance sheet at exactly the right time, considering the current cred

  • Jazeera flies to 4 new cities

    Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has announced that it has added four new cities to its summer schedule: Aleppo, Syria; Antalya, Turkey; Hurghada, Egypt; and Isfahan, Iran. The airline also announced a special summer fare offer, which may be used for travel between March 30 and October 24 and is valid for any of the airline's existing 23 destinations.

  • Jet Airways to fly to Kuwait

    India's Jet Airways has announced that it operate daily service from Mumbai to Kuwait effective March 29. The new service, which will operate using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, will depart Mumbai at 7:00pm arriving at 8:30pm in Kuwait.

  • Joint venture firm to manage Ras Lanuf upgrade

    Plans to upgrade the Ras Lanuf refinery in Libya will move ahead in 2009 after the formation of a UAE/Libyan joint venture company, Lirco, to run the project.

  • Jordan requests bids for oil blocks

    Jordan’s state-run National Resources Authority (NRA) has opened a new bid round for two large oil blocks. International energy companies are required to submit bids by 31 May.

  • Jordan takes steps to boost tourism

    The Jordanian government has approved a number of measures to boost tourism in the Kingdom, including a drop in Royal Jordanian ticket prices and a reducion on hotel rate sales tax from 14% to 8%. The new measures also include streamlining entry procedures for citizens of from India, China, and Romania.

  • Jordan: Carbon credit trading

    Development, registration and purchasing of reduced quantities of CO2 (CERs) for phase two of the combined cycle power plant. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Jordan: Compactors

    Supply of intercity compactors. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Jordan: Reservoirs and pump stations

    Carrying out the reservoirs and pump stations package of a water loss reduction project. Closing date: 10 May 2009

  • Jordan: School construction

    Construction of a school. Closing date: 16 April 2009

  • Jumeirah 'enjoys 90% occupancy rate'

    Gerald Lawless, the Executive Chairman of the Jumeirah Group, has said that the chain registered 90% occupancy of its beach properties in February, and estimates for March and April matched this. Speaking to delegates at the Meed Dubai Mega Projects conference, Lawless said that the occupancy rate was thanks to price reduction implemented by the group, which plans to have 60 hotels under management by 2012.

  • Kahramaa delays Qatar transmission project deadlines

    Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has extended the bid deadlines for several major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts, which form part of the planned phase nine expansion of the country's electricity transmission network.

  • Karbala launches housing project

    The investment commission in Karbala has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an unnamed Lebanese contractor to build 15,000 residential units south of the holy city.

  • Kayala Airline to suspend flights

    Kayala Airline has announced that it will suspend flights from 1 April.

  • Kayala suspends flights

    Saudi-based Kayala Airline has announced that it is suspending all its flights from Apr. 1 due to rising costs and falling demand. The airline, which is owned by National Air Services group, offers only first and business class services.

  • Khansaheb wins Dubai exhibition centre expansion deal

    The local Khansaheb Civil Engineering has won a contract to build a new multipurpose exhibition hall at Dubai World Trade Centre.

  • Kingdom Holding sells 50% hotel stake

    Saudi-based Kingdom Holding has sold its 50% stake in Geneva's Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues for SR225m. The company said that the stake was initially purchased for SR150m.

  • Kingfisher delays Dubai route

    Kingfisher Airlines has delayed initiating the launch of its Dubai-bond service until June due to the current slowdown in air travel and the fall in fares. The Bengaluru-Dubai route had been scheduled to begin on March 7. No specific date in June has been set.

  • Kuljian wins Sitra refurbishment work

    The US' Kuljian Corporation has won a consultancy contract to refurbish the Sitra power and desalination plant in Bahrain.

  • Kurdish parliament amends election law

    The Kurdish regional parliament has agreed to amendments to election legislation ahead of polls in northern Iraq scheduled for 19 May.

  • Kurdish parliament to debate election law

    The Kurdish regional parliament in northern Iraq will debate amendments to election legislation on 10 March ahead of a regional poll scheduled for 19 May.

  • Kuwait Airways predicts $710m revenues

    Kuwait Airways (KAC) says it expects company revenues to reach KD210m ($710m) in 2009.

  • Kuwait Airways renews Jordanian maintenance deal

    Kuwait Airways (KAC) has renewed an aviation maintenance contract with Jordan Aircraft Maintenance Limited (Joramco).

  • Kuwait awards pipeline deal to Combined Group

    Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has awarded a contract worth KD39.9m ($135m) to the local Combined Group Contracting Company for the construction of crude oil flow pipelines in north Kuwait.

  • Kuwait awards substation deal to Saudi firm

    Kuwait's Electricity & Water Ministry has awarded a contract to build transformers at the Saad al-Abdullah substation to Saudi Arabia's National Contracting Company (NCC).

  • Kuwait cancels $15bn Al-Zour refinery

    Kuwait’s government is to cancel the planned $15bn Al-Zour refinery on 16 March, although contractors awarded work on the project say they have not been informed of the decision.

  • Kuwait central bank to issue $317m worth of bonds

    The Central Bank of Kuwait will issue treasury bonds worth KD92m ($317m) on 25 March 2009, according to Egyptian investment bank EFG-Hermes.

  • Kuwait delays Mina Abdullah maintenance deadline

    Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has postponed the bid deadline for maintenance work on the Mina Abdullah refinery by a week.

  • Kuwait delays Mina Ahmadi bid deadline

    Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has extended the bid deadline for a contract to design and install an emitted gases retrieving unit at its Mina Ahmadi refinery by two weeks.

  • Kuwait delays water plants' deadlines

    Kuwait’s Electricity & Water Ministry has delayed the deadlines on two separate tenders for the supply of water distillation units in the country.

  • Kuwait emir moves to dissolve parliament

    The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, is moving to dissolve the country’s parliament with an official decision due by 5 March.

  • Kuwait government submits resignation

    Kuwait’s government has submitted its resignation to the country’s emir, a senior cabinet office source tells MEED.

  • Kuwait invites bids for Bubiyan seaport project

    Kuwait's Public Works Ministry has invited firms to submit bids by 21 April for the contract to provide project management services on the Bubiyan seaport project.

  • Kuwait issues tender for drinking water complex

    Kuwait’s Electricity & Water Ministry issued a tender for the construction of the Al-Zour 2 drinking water complex on 8 March.

  • Kuwait issues tenders for water pipelines

    The Ministry of Electricity & Water has invited prequalified firms to bid by 14 April for the contract to build five potable water lines between Mina Abdulla and West Funaitees.

  • Kuwait tenders Doha East work

    Kuwait’s Electricity & Water Ministry has issued a tender for the design, supply and installation of a distilled water treatment unit at the Doha East power and water plant.

  • Kuwait tenders Jabriya wastewater work

    Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry has issued a tender for phase 10 of its programme to renovate the country’s wastewater networks.

  • Kuwait to hit oil production targets

    Kuwait will achieve its target of four million barrels a day (b/d) of oil production capacity by 2020 despite the global economic downturn and Opec production cuts, a senior Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) executive said on 30 March.

  • Kuwait to tender ring road work

    Kuwait's Public Works Ministry is preparing to issue tender documents for the second phase of its first ring-road project.

  • Kuwait, Dow Chemical in talks to revive deal

    Dow Chemical is in talks to revive a plastics joint venture with Kuwait that the country's Petrochemicals Industries Co. abandoned last year. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris downplayed expectation of the talks keeping in mind the previous cancellation.Dow is also in talks with two other potential partners for deals that would offer similar benefits to the Kuwaiti joint venture.

  • Kuwait: Afforestation project

    Carrying out an afforestation project. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Air-conditioning and ventilation system works

    Carrying out improvement works of air-conditioning and ventilation systems at a water pumping station. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Air-conditioning O&M

    Operation and maintenance (O&M) of air-conditioning units at main electrical transformer stations. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Airport data exchange network

    Supply, installation and operation of a data exchange network at an international airport. Closing date: 17 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Airport surveillance radar

    Supply, installation and operation of an airport surveillance radar system. Closing date: 24 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Airport works

    Carrying out projects at Kuwait International Airport. Closing date: 10 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Border centre

    Design, construction, completion and maintenance of an entry/exit border centre. Closing date: 17 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Building construction and maintenance

    Construction and maintenance of a building. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Kuwait: Building works

    Construction and maintenance of an upper floor for a ministry building. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Cable joints

    Supply of low-tension cable welding joints. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Kuwait: Cable works

    Repair, extension and welding of cables. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Cable works

    Repair of low-tension ground cables, and extension and welding of low-tension cables. Closing date: 10 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Casing pipes

    Supply of casing pipes. Closing date: 28 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Computers, printers and networks

    Supply of computers, printers and networks for dental systems at healthcare centres. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Construction works

    Construction, completion and maintenance of the East Ahmadi area centre. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Crude oil flow pipelines

    Construction of crude oil flow pipelines. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Data storage area network

    Provision of a data storage area network and data back-up saving system. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Data transmission services

    Provision of data transmission services. Closing date: 28 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Distilled water treatment unit

    Design, supply and installation of a distilled water treatment unit at a power and water distillation station. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Kuwait: Drinking water complex

    Construction, completion and maintenance of a drinking water complex. Closing date: 21 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Drinking water ground tanks

    Construction of reinforced concrete drinking water ground tanks. Closing date: 2 June 2009

  • Kuwait: Drinking water lines

    Construction, completion and maintenance of main drinking water lines. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Electricity and water emergency centres

    Carrying out civil works for the construction, completion and maintenance of electricity and water emergency centres. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Fire-alarm systems

    Development, repair and maintenance of fire-alarm systems. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Gathering centre crude oil manifold

    Development of a medium crude oil manifold at a gathering centre. Closing date: 21 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Guard, security and safety works

    Carrying out guard, security and safety works. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Health science faculty expansion

    Expansion of a Faculty of Health Sciences. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Kuwait: HVAC equipment operation and maintenance

    Repair and operation and maintenance of HVAC equipment. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Integrated distribution units

    Supply of integrated distribution units for dry electrical transformers. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Lifting pipes

    Supply of lifting pipes and pipe joints for water production field wells. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Kuwait: MRI devices

    Supply of magnetic imaging resonance (MRI) devices. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Kuwait: Nano technology devices

    Provision of nano technology devices. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Pipes

    Supply of filling pipes for an oil company. Closing date: 5 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Power and water distillation system equipment

    Replacement of an uninterrupted current system and current reflectors at a power and water distillation station. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Power cables

    Extension and welding of 11kV medium-tension ground cables for the expansion of an electrical distribution network. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Power cables

    Supply of low-tension power cables. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Power distribution network

    Supply of a power distribution network. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Sand removal works

    Removal of sand from roads. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Sand removal works (2)

    Removal of sand from roads. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Kuwait: School and office furniture

    Supply of school and office furniture. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Street lighting equipment maintenance (Ahmadi)

    Maintenance of street lighting equipment. Closing date: 21 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Street lighting equipment maintenance (Mubarak al-Kabeer)

    Maintenance of street lighting equipment. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Substations

    Fabrication, supply and replacement of old 0.433/11kV substations. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Substations

    Supply and installation of 11/0.433kV substations. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Substations

    Supply and installation of 11/0.433kV substations. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Substations

    Provision and installation of 11/0.433kV substations. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • Kuwait: Water purification plant

    Management, operation and maintenance of a water purification plant. Closing date: 10 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Water transport system works

    Renovation of flow water transport system at gathering centres. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Kuwait: Water unit

    Design, supply and installation of a distilled water treatment unit at a power and water distillation station. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Kuwait’s Gulf Bank reports $5.5m loss

    Kuwait’s Gulf Bank has reported a KD1.6m ($5.5m) loss in January, which it said was an improvement in its financial position following KD445.5m of losses on derivatives in the fourth quarter of 2008.

  • Kuwaiti economy set to contract

    Kuwait will see a fall in inflation and a contraction in the economy in 2009-2010, economists from the country’s central bank and its largest private bank said on 30 March.

  • Lebanese court appoints Consolidated administrators in Masri case

    A Lebanese court has appointed administrators to manage two divisions of the Athens-registered Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) in the latest development in CCC's long-running legal battle with Palestinian businessman Munib Masri.

  • Lebanon: Wastewater consultancy services

    Provision of consultancy services for the supervision of the construction of three sewage network systems and wastewater schemes. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Libya creates uncertainty over Chinese plan to buy Verenex

    Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) may veto the acquisition of Canada’s Verenex Energy by China National Petroleum Company International (CNPCI).

  • Libya delays dismantling of government

    The Libyan government has postponed Muammar Gaddafi's plan to distribute wealth directly to its people by a year to allow for a feasibility study to be conducted.

  • Libya reshuffles cabinet

    Libya’s General People’s Congress named Moussa Koussa, head of the country’s external intelligence service, as foreign minister on 4 March.

  • Libya sets up Public Utilities Ministry

    Tripoli has set up a Public Utilities Ministry to replace the abolished Electricity, Water & Gas Ministry.

  • Libya: Basin modelling works (area 19)

    Carrying out basin modelling works in offshore area 19. Closing date: 5 April 2009

  • Libya: Basin modelling works (area 64)

    Carrying out basin modelling works in offshore area 64. Closing date: 5 April 2009

  • Libya: Drilling and fishing tools (area 19)

    Provision of drilling and fishing tools. Closing date: 15 June 2009

  • Libya: Drilling fluid and solids control equipment

    Provision of drilling fluid and solids control equipment and services. Closing date: 15 May 2009

  • Libya: Drilling support civil works

    Carrying out drilling support civil works. Closing date: 31 May 2009

  • Libya: EIA and deepwater site studies

    Carrying out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and deepwater site studies. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Libya: Environmental impact and deepwater site studies

    Provision of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and deepwater site studies. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Libya: Fixed wing aviation services

    Provision of fixed-wing aviation services for an oil exploration campaign. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Libya: Offshore area survey

    Provision of offshore area survey services. Closing date: 30 April 2009

  • Libya: Oil field O&M services centre

    Establishment of a centre to support operation and maintenance (O&M) services in an oil field. Closing date: 31 May 2009

  • Libya: Oil terminal tube bundle cleaning

    Cleaning of tube bundles at an oil terminal. Closing date: 22 March 2009

  • Libya: Onshore wireline logging (area 64)

    Provision of wireline logging services in an onshore area. Closing date: 20 May 2009

  • LoadAir to increase capital

    Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al-Khalifa, Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait-based freight operator LoadAir, said the company has increased its capital from 20 to 40 million shares to raise enough cash needed for its future expansion plans. LoadAir aims to market air freight services in the region and charter two Boeing airplanes (B747-400 ERF). The company also will be leasing 70 Airbus A320s to several companies through the end of 2010.

  • Local firm bids low for Kuwait pipeline repairs contract

    A local firm has put in the low bid for the Kuwait Oil Company contract to repair, replace, and modify oil pipelines in west Kuwait. Kuwait Oil Company expects to award the contract in March 2009.

  • Lufthansa boosts flight schedule for Oman

    Lufthansa German Airlines is increasing its frequencies on the Muscat-Frankfurt. Effective March 29th, Lufthansa passengers can avail of daily flights from Muscat, Oman to Frankfurt, Germany with connecting flights onwards to 107 destinations in Europe and 23 cities in the US.

  • Lukoil submits gas plan to Saudi ministry

    Lukoil Saudi Arabia (Luksar), the joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Russia’s Lukoil, has submitted an appraisal plan for two discoveries to the Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources after completing a nine-well drilling programme in the kingdom’s Empty Quarter.

  • Maaden agrees aluminium cooperation deal with Rio Tinto Alcan

    Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has signed two agreements including a technology transfer deal with the UK/Australian Rio Tinto Alcan as part of its mine-to-metal aluminium project.

  • Maersk to begin new service linking Dubai and Mediterranean

    Maersk Line of Denmark, the world's largest container shipping company, plans to launch a new service linking the port of Jebel Ali with the Mediterranean to meet rising trade growth between Dubai and North Africa and Europe, reported Gulf News. The Middle East-Europe (ME3) service will also create Maersk's first direct link between Nhava Sheva port and Jebel Ali, providing faster transit times between the UAE and India.

  • Maersk to start services from Gujarat to Gulf

    Maersk Line, the world's largest container shipping line, will start services next month from Pipavav port in Gujarat, India, to the Gulf. The company said that shippers from various Indian states will have a direct service into Gulf ports from Pipavav, connecting to Jebel Ali port in Dubai. The service will reduce transit times into import-dependant Middle East and Gulf countries such as the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, plus Iran.

  • Mahan Air to boost German flights after ban lifted

    Mahan Air has revealed plans to double its flight frequency to the German city of Dusseldorf this summer, expanding its European network after a ban was repealed in 2008.

  • Marafiq delays Yanbu expansion deadline

    Power & Water Utility Company for Jubail & Yanbu (Marafiq) has delayed the bid deadline for the phase 5 and 6 expansion of the Yanbu Industrial City power plant until 6 April.

  • Marfin to buy Olympic Airlines

    Dubai Group-backed Marfin Investment Group has been selected by the government of Greece to buy unprofitable national carrier Olympic Airlines. Marfin will take control of the carrier's flight operations and maintenance and overhaul assets.

  • Maritime City to have 1,000 berths

    Dubai Maritime City will have a total of 1,000 berths, for private and leisure craft, when complete. Phase one of the project has been completed and an initial 44 berths are in use to monitor the impact of water transport across the city.

  • Marsh bids low for Bahraini electricity deals

    Bahrain’s Electricity & Water Authority has received bids from advisers for two risk consultancy contracts.

  • Meraas stops work on Dubai towers

    Local developer Meraas Development has shelved the development of two of its tower projects in Dubai. South Korea’s Samsung Corporation has stopped providing pre-construction services for the 600-metre-plus tower on the AED350bn ($95bn) Jumeira Gardens development.

  • Microsoft appoints EMEA VP for marketing

    Microsoft today announced the appointment of Jeremy Dale to EMEA Regional Vice President of Retail Sales and Marketing in the Entertainment & Devices Division. Dale will be responsible for expanding the reach of Microsoft consumer products and continuing to strengthen the Microsoft brand throughout EMEA. Dale will focus on expanding the reach of Microsoft's consumer product portfolio including Xbox, Windows, Office and PC hardware.

  • Microsoft tests revamped search engine

    Microsoft Corp. has begun internally testing a revamped version of its internet search service, as the company strives to to improve its third-place position, after Google and Yahoo!, in the online search market. Industry watchers say that the system will likely be called Kumo.com. At present Live.com is the only version available to the general public.

  • Middle East aviation sector growth to remain strong, says report

    The rapid growth of the Middle East aviation sector is expected to continue and will be supported by the region's underlying econonic growth and regional commercial development, according to a new report by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

  • Middle East luxury boat sales to halve

    Marine consultant Mike Derrett has estimated that sales of luxury leisure vessels in the Middle East will halve in the next 24 months, as a result of the global financial crisis. Derrett added that sales in the US and Europe are expected to decline by 75%.

  • Middle East urged to boost religious tourism

    Travel operators in the Middle East should focus on capturing the potential of the religious tourism sector, which is currently valued at $18bn per year, says Kevin Wright, President of the World Religious Travel Association. Currently, the majority of religious tourism is driven by the Middle East, but more travel alternatives need to be developed to capture the three billion people across the globe that have religious roots in the region. Jordan and Palestine are both seen as growth markets

  • Mindware targets Dell Saudi growth

    IT distributor Mindware aims to increase Dell's share in the Saudi Arabian computer market by 10%, to reach 35% in 2009. The distributor has worked with Dell since 2004 and was recently awarded rights to distribute Dell desktops, laptops and accessories throughout the GCC. "Our basic strategy is to make sure that our regional channel partner network has the capacity and knowledge to efficiently communicate the benefits of Dell products to its consumers," said Wael Waheed, Business Unit Manage

  • Ministry delays New Cairo wastewater scheme

    Egypt’s Housing, Utilities & Urban Development Ministry through the New Urban Communities Authority has delayed the deadline for bids for the planned New Cairo wastewater treatment plant by three weeks to 21 April.

  • mobileAccess revenue up 55%

    MobileAccess has announced that its revenue for 2008 increased by 55%. The global wireless solutions provider's growth was driven by a surge in sales and expansion into vertical sectors, and it plans to expand further in 2009.

  • Morocco: Drinking water project

    Carrying out a drinking water project. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Morocco: Drinking water supply system upgrade

    Upgrading of a drinking water supply system. Closing date: 8 April 2009

  • Morocco: Power transformers

    Supply, transportation, installation and commissioning of power transformers. Closing date: 6 May 2009

  • Morocco: Village electrification

    Electrification of villages. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Morocco: Water treatment project

    Carrying out a water treatment project. Closing date: 14 May 2009

  • Most Dubai property projects on hold

    Developers have stopped work on more than 50 per cent of Dubai real estate projects that were scheduled for completion between 2009 and 2012, says Jones Lang LaSalle.

  • MTN boosts Iran mobile subscribers

    South African telecoms company MTN signed up 10 million customers in Iran in 2008 giving it a 37 per cent market share compared with a 23 per cent stake in 2007.

  • Murray & Roberts confirms cancellation of Tameer Towers deal

    South Africa’s Murray & Roberts Holdings has confirmed that its construction contract for the AED6bn ($1.6bn) Tameer Towers project in Abu Dhabi has been terminated.

  • Nakheel denies QE2 rumours

    Nakheel has countered speculation that the QE2 will be sold on or operated as a cruise liner. The group issued a statement saying that maintenance and repair work was underway and that full timelines for her restoration would be developed in mid-2009 following comprehensive surveys. Nakheel is also looking at opening the QE2 to visitors in her current condition for a short period before her refurbishment.

  • Nakilat signs Ras Laffan deal with Damen

    Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group for the management of a planned shipyard at Ras Laffan.

  • Nass wins Durrat desalination plant deal

    The local Nass Contracting Company has won the contract to build the infrastructure and ancillary works for a desalination plant at the Durrat al-Bahrain development.

  • National Contracting bids low for Minagish substations

    Saudi Arabia’s National Contracting Company is the low bidder for the contract to build two 132/11kV substations at the Minagish oil field in western Kuwait.

  • New aviation academy launched in UAE

    Alpha Aviation Group has launched Alpha Aviation Academy in the UAE to train students to fly commercial jets. Based at Sharjah International Airport, the academy offers the multi-crew pilot licence, a first in the Middle East. Alpha Aviation Group has ten aviation academies worldwide.

  • Occidental signs interim Bahrain oil field accord

    The US’ Occidental has signed an interim agreement with Bahrain’s Mubadala Development Company and the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) to form a $1.5bn joint operating company to increase the country’s oil and gas production.

  • Oil price rises to $50 as US demand grows

    Crude oil contracts traded above $50 a barrel in the US, Europe, and across the Opec basket of 12 crudes for the first time in 2009 in the week ended 26 March.

  • Oil prices increase after Opec cuts

    Crude oil contract prices for April, the earliest available, continued to rise in the US and across the Opec basket of 12 crudes while remaining largely stable in Europe during the week ending 5 March.

  • Oilex completes Al-Jumd well exploration in Oman

    Australia’s Oilex has completed testing of its Al-Jumd-1 well in Oman and is reviewing its commercial viability.

  • OKI expands in Egypt

    OKI Printing Solutions has appointed Smart Technology as its new partner and official distributor in Egypt as part of its expansion plans. The company is looking into Egypt's IT market position in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with average market growth of 16% expected up to 2013.

  • Oman air plans route expansion

    Oman Air is to fly to four more destinations in Europe and Asia this year. The national carrier of Oman will operate non-stop flights to Frankfurt and Paris in Europe and to Colombo and Male in the East. Flights to Frankfurt will commence in September and Paris, Colombo and Male will begin in October.

  • Oman Air to launch new routes

    Oman Air has announced plans to add four new international destinations to its network later in 2009.

  • Oman and Qatar sign open-skies accord

    Oman and Qatar have signed an agreement to establish open skies between the two countries.

  • Oman awards Batinah road scheme to Bosphorus

    Oman's Transport and Communication Ministry has appointed Turkey's Bosphorus Technical Consulting Corporation to provide design and construction supervision services on the Batinah dual carriageway contract.

  • Oman awards Salalah road deal

    The local Oman Company for Building & Contracting has won the OR19.5m ($51m) contract to build the second phase of the Salalah bypass in Dhofar governorate in Oman.

  • Oman Cement profit drops

    Oman Cement has announced that its 2008 profit fell 30.7% to $32.3m. The company declined to give a quarterly breakdown of the figures, or provide a reason for the drop.

  • Oman invites bids for Duqm airport deal

    The Transport and Communication Ministry has invited firms to submit bids for the contract to provide construction supervision services on Oman's Duqm airport project by 6 April.

  • Oman issues Sohar transmission tender

    Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) has issued a tender for the construction of a substation and associated transmission lines in the Sohar Industrial Area.

  • Oman issues tenders for road upgrade

    The Transport & Communication Ministry has invited contractors to bid for the deal to upgrade the road from Zurub to Buraimi by turning it into a dual carriageway. The deadline for bids is 20 April.

  • Oman power demand grows

    Oman’s power demand will grow by 8.5 per cent a year, according to the main state body in charge of Oman's power sector.

  • Oman Shipping commissions Japanese ship

    Oman Shipping Company has commissioned LR2 Haima, a carrier of oil derivatives as the eighteenth vessel on the company's fleet. The carrier is built by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding of Japan. LR2 Haima is fitted with advanced navigational equipment enabling it to operate in various climatic conditions. With a weight load of 110,000 tonnes of oil derivatives, LR2 Haima is 245 metres long and 42 metres wide.

  • Oman tenders Khadra plant

    Oman’s Rural Area’s Electricity Company (RAEC) has issued a tender for a new power plant at Al-Khadra in the Wusta region.

  • Oman to issue request for proposals for Barka 3 in 2009

    Oman Power & Water Procurement Company is expected to issue a request for proposals for the planned Barka 3 independent water and power project (IWPP) in the second quarter of 2009.

  • Oman to issue solar power tender

    Oman is expected to issue a request for proposals to consultants for the country’s first solar power plant project by the middle of March.

  • Oman: Airport cargo facilities services

    Provision of design and construction supervision services for cargo facilities for international airports. Closing date: 4 May 2009

  • Oman: Airport construction supervision

    Provision of airport construction supervision services. Closing date: 6 April 2009

  • Oman: Airport development

    Development of international airports covering master system integrators for IT systems and security networks. Closing date: 4 May 2009

  • Oman: Airport runway sweepers

    Supply of runway sweepers for airports. Closing date: 24 March 2009

  • Oman: Communications link equipment

    Supply of equipment for providing a communications link. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Oman: Communications VSAT system

    Supply, installation and commissioning of a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • Oman: Gas monitors and detection systems

    Supply of gas monitors and detection systems. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Oman: Grid station and transmission system

    Construction of a grid station and associated transmission system. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Oman: Harbour jetty remedial works

    Carrying out remedial works to a harbour jetty structure. Closing date: 30 May 2009

  • Oman: Housing construction

    Construction of 13 housing units and majlis. Closing date: 11 May 2009

  • Oman: Hydrogeological services

    Provision of hydrogeological services. Closing date: 14 March 2009

  • Oman: Information management services

    Provision of information management services. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Oman: Legal services

    Provision of legal services. Closing date: 18 March 2009

  • Oman: Minerals laboratory construction

    Construction of a main laboratory for minerals. Closing date: 11 May 2009

  • Oman: Passenger boarding bridges

    Provision of passenger boarding bridges. Closing date: 4 May 2009

  • Oman: Power lines and substation

    Construction of two power lines and a primary substation. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Oman: Power station construction

    Construction of a power station. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Oman: Power supply extension (1)

    Extension of power supplies. Closing date: 25 May 2009

  • Oman: Power supply extension (2)

    Extension of power supplies. Closing date: 25 May 2009

  • Oman: Radio automation system

    Design, supply and installation of a radio automation and digital media archive system. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Oman: Road construction

    Construction of a coastal road. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Oman: Road works

    Dualisation of a road. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • Oman: Road works

    Dualisation of a road. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • Oman: Substation upgrade (1)

    Upgrading of a substation. Closing date: 25 May 2009

  • Oman: Switchgear and control system

    Engineering, procurement and construction of switchgear and a control system for a power and desalination plant. Closing date: 4 May 2009

  • Oman: Water supply system

    Provision of a water supply system. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Oman: Wireless field communications

    Replacement of wireless field communications. Closing date: 6 May 2009

  • Omanis spent $236m on e-commerce in 2008

    Some 40% of internet users in Oman bought products online in 2008, spending $236m, according to an Arab Advisors group survey. The number, the group estimates, equates to around 158,000 people or 5.62% of Oman's total population. The research, which was conducted among 696 internet users in the country, also found that 27% were using Voice over IP to make phone calls.

  • Opec criticises energy agency

    Opec secretary general Abdalla el-Badri has criticised statements made by the Paris-based International Energy Agency, labelling them “confusing and misleading”.

  • Orascom wins Abu Qir power plant work

    Egypt's Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) has won the $258m civil works contract on the planned Abu Qir power plant.

  • Palestinian leader resigns to aid power-sharing deal

    The Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, has resigned in a bid to help re-establish a power-sharing government between Fatah and Hamas in the Occupied Territories.

  • Park Inn opens in Muscat

    Park Inn has opened for service on March 19, along Muscat's main highway which links Muscat International Airport to Ruwi business district, minutes away from Shatti Al Qurum, Muscat's main diplomatic and commercial area.. The four-star hotel has 175 rooms, five meeting rooms and business centre, as well as two international restaurants. Park Inn is part of the Rezidor Hotel Group.

  • Passenger numbers stabilise on regional airlines

    Passenger numbers on Middle East airlines stabilised in February, but capacity continues to exceed demand.

  • Petroceltic awards Algeria exploration construction contract

    Ireland-based oil and gas exploration company Petroceltic International has awarded a construction contract for wellhead services at its Isarene concession in Algeria.

  • Petrofac profits rise 40 per cent

    UAE-based oil services company Petrofac made a net profit of $265m in 2008, up 40 per cent compared with 2007.

  • Petro-Rabigh extends engineering bid deadline

    Saudi/Japanese joint venture Petro-Rabigh has delayed the deadline for bids for a management and design contract by two weeks.

  • Polymers Park aiming for Dhs3bn FDI

    The Abu Dhabi Polymers Park has said that it is aiming for Dhs3bn of Foreign Direct Investment. The Park is also targetting conversions of up to 2m tonnes. Global consumption of plastic-based products is predicted to grow to 170m tonnes by 2012.

  • Powerline wins Dubai Investments Park work

    Aristocrat Star Investments has awarded Thailand's Powerline Group an estimated AED600m ($163m) first phase construction contract on its Royal Estates development at Dubai Investments Park.

  • Qantas plans 100 senior jobs cut

    Australian airline Qantas said it will slash 100 senior jobs as a result of the global economic crisis and the slowdown in the global air travel. The job losses, which will be announced in the coming weeks ,came after Qantas previously announced plans to cut 1,500 positions.

  • Qapco announces bid deadline for Mesaieed plant

    Commercial bids for construction contracts on the $410m Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant at Mesaieed, known as LDPE III, are due on 23 March.

  • Qapco signs ethylene supply contract

    Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) has signed a $23.4m contract to provide ethylene supplies to Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation until the end of 2009.

  • Qatalum to continue expansion

    Qatar Aluminium will launch a second expansion phase of its smelter as companies in other regions are cutting production. The first phase of expansion, a Dhs5.6bn smelter, is due to be completed by Q4 2009 and will have a capacity of 585,000 tonnes of aluminium.

  • Qatar Airways adds new routes

    Qatar Airways has announced plans to add six routes to Australian and Indian cities and raise the frequency on other routes. The carrier will connect Doha with Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, and Goa and Amritsar in India. The airline will also increase the number of flights to Geneva; Manila; Lagos, Nigeria; Algiers, Algeria; and Muscat, Oman, reported Bloomberg.

  • Qatar Airways completes road show in India

    Qatar Airways has completed a roadshow across the Indian peninsula to promote its new daily flights to Houston. The week-long press conferences kicked off Kochi in the southern state of Kerala and moved onto Chennai, Hyderabad and the capital Delhi. The carrier currently operates 58 flights a week from nine cities in India to Doha and convenient onward daily connections to Houston, as well as the airline's two other US gateway cities of New York and Washington.

  • Qatar Airways nears 70 aircraft

    Qatar Airways is nearing the 70 aircraft mark following the addition of the latest Boeing 777-300 Extended Range, which has arrived in Doha, the airline said. The new commercial passenger jet is the third Boeing 777 delivery in four weeks and brings the total number in the national carrier's fleet to 68 Boeing and Airbus aircraft. In the past last two years the airline has implemented an expansion programme which has increased its route network and aircraft numbers by around 25%, with passeng

  • Qatar Airways secures Sydney route

    Australia has concluded a new air services agreement with Qatar, allowing Qatar Airways to fly to Sydney, after bypassing an original undertaking to fly to Melbourne. Qatar Airways had been allowed to fly only Brisbane, Melbourne or Perth. The new air service agreement mean the airline can begin seven flights a week to Sydney.

  • Qatar and Oman sign energy accord

    Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) and Oman Oil Company (OOC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore co-operation and joint investment opportunities following a ministerial meeting in Muscat.

  • Qatar combines gas blocks to attract oil majors

    Qatar Petroleum (QP) has combined two of its deep water gas areas into a single block in an effort to attract more interest from oil majors in areas outside the hydrocarbons rich North field.

  • Qatar Islamic Bank subsidiary launches $200m sukuk fund

    European Finance House (EFH), the London-based subsidiary of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), will launch a $200m sukuk investment fund to capitalise on the eventual recovery of financial markets.

  • Qatar Petroleum to launch Halul island masterplan

    Qatar Petroleum (QP) will approach contractors to conduct a consultancy study for a masterplan covering the offshore storage and export centre at Halul island, about 80 kilometres northeast of Doha.

  • Qatar renews Sabre deal

    Sabre Travel Network has renewed its airline distribution agreement with Qatar Airways. The agreement provides Sabre travel agencies and corporations around the world access to the airline's content, including fares, schedules and availability through the Sabre global distribution system.

  • Qatar Science and Technology Park opens today

    The new $800m Qatar Science and Technology Park officially opened its doors today. The park aims to be an international hub for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

  • Qatar software piracy down 10%

    Software piracy rate in Qatar has decreased by almost 10 percentage points within the last five years, according to recent industry reports, as a result of anti-piracy efforts initiated by the government and several private organisations. The Qatari government, in coordination with the Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance has launched a series of raids to catch violators of intellectual property rights of developers of software products.

  • Qatar to buy banks' investment portfolios

    Qatar’s government is to purchase the investment portfolios of local banks listed on the Doha Securities Market in a move to shore up support for its financial sector.

  • Qatar tourism value to hit $12bn

    According to an Oxford Business Group (OBG) forecast, the tourism sector contribution to Qatar's GDP is expected to double by 2012, going up to $12bn from the current level of $6bn. The report by the OBG praised the efforts made by Qatar towards reaching this goal.

  • Qatar ups Muscat flights by 30%

    Qatar Airways has said that it has decided to increase the frequency of its flights to Muscat by 30%. The airline will begin operating 21 flights a week from Doha to Muscat, up from the current 15 flights. The new service will start from March 29 and is part of the airline's strategy to expand, which includes routes to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia; Goa and Amritsar in India; and two further additions to its European network.

  • Qatar, Poland moot tourism tie-up

    The Chairman of the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA) has recently met with a government delegation from Poland to discuss bilateral cooperation in tourism between Qatar and Poland. Miroslaw Drzewiecki, Polish minister of Sport and Tourism, discussed with Ahmed Abdullah Al Nuaimi, QTEA chairman, cooperation in training and the exchange of expertise, as well as investments in the tourism sector.

  • Qatar: Civil, electrical and air conditioning works

    Carrying out civil, electrical and minor air conditioning maintenance works. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Qatar: Crane

    Supply of a 250-tonne crane. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Qatar: Crude oil tank rehabilitation

    Rehabilitation of crude oil tanks. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Qatar: Cultural district project

    Provision of advisory services and marketing for a cultural district project. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Qatar: Incinerator refurbishment

    Refurbishment of Halul incinerators and accessories. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Qatar: Offshore jack-up accommodation rig/barge

    Provision of a jack-up accommodation rig/barge for offshore operations. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • Qatar: Package treatment plants

    Supply of temporary package treatment plants . Closing date: 28 April 2009

  • Qatar: Power meter DAS/Scada systems

    Provision of EPIC services for centralised DAS/supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) systems. Closing date: 5 April 2009

  • Qatar: Road maintenance

    Carrying out road maintenance works. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Qatar: Road works

    Construction of roads at various locations within gas operating areas. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Qatar: Security guard services

    Provision of security guard services. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Qatar: Waste management facility O&M

    Operation and maintenance of a waste management facility. Closing date: 17 May 2009

  • Qatari Diar completes Cegelec loan syndication

    Qatari Diar, the government backed real estate vehicle, has finished the syndication of a €637m ($824m) loan used to finance the acquisition of French engineering group Cegelec.

  • Qatar's water production capacity grows

    A recent report issued by Qatar General Electricity and Water Authority has showed that water production capacity in the country has increased by 300% over the last 18 years. The strategic storage capacity has also increased by around 88% over the same period.

  • Qtel increases mobile phone customers by 42 per cent

    Qtel, the telecoms operator owned by the Qatari government, had 1.8 million mobile phone customers in Qatar at the end of December last year, a 42 per cent increase on the number of customers at the end of 2007.

  • Qtel offers guide to maximise internet speed

    Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has launched a new guide to maximize internet speed and performance for home computer users. The new guide entitled 'Qtel's Guide to a Faster Internet Experience' is downloadable at Qtel's website www.qtel.com.qa. The guide helps customers improve the performance of their home computer, and features a range of hints and tips developed by Qtel's network teams.

  • Rakeen issues tender for Al-Marjan wastewater plant

    Ras al-Khaimah’s Rakeen Development has issued a tender for a $120m wastewater treatment plant to serve Al-Marjan island.

  • Ras al-Zour power plant retender nears

    Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) is preparing to invite contractors to prequalify for the project to build a captive power plant at a planned integrated aluminium complex at Ras al-Zour, according to a source in the kingdom's power sector.

  • Ratings agency downgrades Aman

    Standard & Poor's, the US ratings agency, has revised its outlook on Dubai Islamic Insurance & Reinsurance Company (Aman) to negative from stable. The ratings agency also affirmed the Dubai-based insurer’s BBB long-term rating.

  • Redundancies low in Bahrain, claims Tamkeen

    The head of Bahrain’s Tamkeen, which collects a levy from businesses employing expat workers, has said that the company’s revenues have continued to rise in January and February, meaning that the country’s workforce has not suffered large-scale redundancies.

  • Regional air cargo drops 4.8 per cent

    The Middle East's air cargo industry continued to struggle in February, with volumes down 4.8 per cent on the previous year as a result of the collapse in international trade.

  • Regional premium air travel falls 9.4 per cent

    Business and first class air travel in the Middle East was down 9.4 per cent in January compared with the same period in 2008.

  • Rezidor may see hotel delays

    The Rezidor Hotel Group has said that current global financial conditions may see some of its projects being delayed. In an interview with Emirates Business 24/7 the group said that although projects scheduled for 2009 would go ahead, 2010 roll outs faced delays. The group has 32 properties in the pipeline. The group's planned new brand, Regent, schedule for 2010 unveiling also faced delays.

  • Riyadh approves government investment fund

    Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of Hassana Investment Company, an investment vehicle for managing the foreign assets of state-run pension fund the General Organisation for Social Insurance (Gosi).

  • Riyadh extends monorail tender deadline

    The Finance Ministry has extended the tender closing date by one week to 4 April for the estimated SR3.75bn ($1bn) contract to build the monorail at Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University for Women.

  • Riyadh to sign deal with Acwa and Korea Electric

    Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) confirmed a consortium of Korea Electric Power Corporation and the local Acwa Power International as the first-ranked bidder for the $2.5bn Rabigh independent power project (IPP) on 14 March.

  • Royal Jet opens charter brokerage service

    UAE-based luxury executive flight services company, Royal Jet, has announced the opening of a new charter brokerage service. Royal Jet Charter Brokerage, will provide travel solutions through sourcing the appropriate aircraft for charter through a network of carefully audited operators. If a Royal Jet aircraft is not available due to seasonality or aircraft size an alternative international travel solution can be sourced for the customer.

  • Royal Jordanian adds flights to Benghazi

    Royal Jordanian (RJ) will begin twice weekly flights from Amman to the Libyan city of Benghazi from June. RJ said it has added the destination due to the growing demand for travel between Jordan and Libya and the active movement of businessmen and students between the two countries.

  • Royal Jordanian to launch flights to Brussels

    Royal Jordanian will launch flights between Amman and Brussels from 1 April.

  • Ruwais refinery bidding to start in 2009

    Abu Dhabi Refining Company (Takreer) will ask companies to prequalify for construction contracts on its grassroots refinery at Ruwais in the second quarter of 2009.

  • Sabic chief says first quarter 'looks good'

    The head of Saudi Basic Industries Corp said the first quarter 'looks good', according to an interview with CNBC. Mohamed al-Mady said he sees 'light at the end of the tunnel' for the global economy and is 'very hopeful' of seeing growth by the end of the year.

  • Sage Software targets 50% Middle East growth

    Accountancy and financial software developer Sage has said it wants to see its Middle East operations grow 50% in 2009. The company will focus on small and medium businesses as well as the education, government and manufacturing sectors. It is also 'exploring opportunities' in Syria and Iran. It has appointed a new Managing Director for the region, Vikram Suri, to help drive that growth. Sage, which closed last year on just under £1.3bn global revenues, is targeting worldwide revenues of just

  • Saipem wins $1.8bn Algerian gas deal

    The joint venture of Algeria's state-run energy company Sonatrach and Italy's Eni have awarded Italy's Saipem a $1.8bn construction contract for the development of the Menzel Ledjmet East (MLE) field in the southeast of the country.

  • Saipem wins $400m Egyptian rig deal

    Italian energy contractor Saipem has won a $400m contract to charter an offshore drilling rig in Egypt.

  • Samsung wins LCD patent dispute

    Samsung Electronics has won a liquid-crystal-display (LCD) patent dispute against Sharp. A Japanese court upheld a Samsung Electronics' suit filed last June that claimed that Sharp LCD TV-set products infringed Samsung's patents, a Samsung spokeswoman said Friday.

  • Satyam expects to have new owner soon

    A company board member of India's Satyam Computer Services said the firm, which was caught up in the biggest fraud case in the country's corporate history, will have a new owner by the end of April, reported Gulf News. The IT vendor has been facing financial turmoil since its founder B. Ramalinga Raju admitted to inflating the company's financial books by over $1bn and profit-tampering over a four-year period. The Indian government has stepped in and appointed six board members to take the co

  • Saudi Arabia: Asphalt

    Supply of hot asphalt. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Asphalting, lighting and fencing

    Provision of asphalting, lighting and security fencing. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Asphalting, paving and lighting

    Asphalting, paving and lighting of an airport district. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Barrage construction

    Construction of barrages. Closing date: 5 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Building

    Implementation of a squadron command building. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Building construction

    Construction of an operation and maintenance building. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Cable replacement

    Replacement of street lighting cables. Closing date: 18 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Cargo haulage services

    Provision of general cargo haulage services. Closing date: 9 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Cathodic protection system upgrade

    Upgrading of cathodic protection systems at the Quarrayah power plant. Closing date: 28 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Community site development works

    Carrying out primary community site development works. Closing date: 12 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Dam construction

    Supply, installation and operation of medical equipment. Closing date: 18 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Developmental works

    Carrying out developmental works including site preparation works, and irrigation and electrical power systems. Closing date: 22 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Electrical submersible pumping consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for electrical submersible pumping systems. Closing date: 6 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Electricity company equipment maintenance

    Repair and maintenance of equipment for an electricity company. Closing date: 14 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Fuels

    Supply of fuels. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Helicopter parts (closing date extension)

    Supply of spare parts for helicopters. New closing date: 6 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Jubail 2 site development works

    Carrying out site development works at Jubail 2. Closing date: 13 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Labour camp development

    Development of labour camps. Closing date: 10 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Medical equipment

    Supply, installation and operation of medical equipment. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Mountainous development study

    Carrying out a study for the development of mountainous areas. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Overhead electricity lines

    Provision of overhead electricity lines. Closing date: 12 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Pick-up trucks

    Supply of 45 pick-up trucks. Closing date: 9 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Pipelines and wastewater networks

    Construction of pipelines and wastewater networks. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Power line project system

    Replacement of a protection system for power lines. Closing date: 23 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Power plant elevator maintenance

    Maintenance of elevators at a power plant. Closing date: 31 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Power transmission maintenance building

    Construction of a power transmission maintenance building. Closing date: 1 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Residential city O&M

    Operation and maintenance (O&M) of a residential city. Closing date: 27 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Road dualisation works

    Dualisation of a road. Closing date: 15 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Road works

    Repair of 20 kilometres of a road. Closing date: 10 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Schools and kindergartens

    Construction of schools and kindergartens. Closing date: 26 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Sheep incinerators

    Supply and installation of sheep incinerators. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Site development works

    Carrying out primary and secondary site development infrastructure works. Closing date: 26 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Street lighting cables

    Replacement of street lighting cables. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Street maintenance (Jeddah)

    Maintenance of streets. Closing date: 28 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Street maintenance (Khamis Mushait)

    Maintenance of a street. Closing date: 13 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Substation basement rehabilitation

    Replacement of a protection system for power lines. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Substation HVAC system works

    Maintenance and repair of a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system at substations. Closing date: 11 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Substation HVAC systems maintenance

    Maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems installed in substations. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Vehicles

    Supply of vehicles. Closing date: 2 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Vehicles

    Supply of vehicles. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Vehicles

    Supply of 100 vehicles. Closing date: 18 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Vehicles and motorcycles

    Supply of vehicles and motorcycles. Closing date: 2 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Vehicles, equipment and machinery

    Supply of vehicles, equipment and machinery. Closing date: 24 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Wastewater connections

    Implementation of wastewater connections. Closing date: 11 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Wastewater operation and maintenance projects

    Operation and maintenance of wastewater projects. Closing date: 3 May 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Water pipeline

    Implementation of a water pipeline. Closing date: 7 June 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Water pumping station centrifuge line

    Construction of a centrifuge line from a main water pumping station. Closing date: 25 April 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Water towers (closing date extension)

    Construction of two elevated water towers. New closing date: 14 June 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Water well and treatment plant O&M

    Operation and maintenance (O&M) of water wells and water treatment plants. Closing date: 25 April 2009

  • Saudi bank invests $40m in Egypt’s Sigma Pharmaceuticals

    The private equity arm of Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank has invested $40m in Egypt’s Sigma Pharmaceuticals to finance the company’s regional expansion strategy.

  • Saudi banking may offer a blueprint for the future

    After halting the disintegration of the banking industry, Western governments are turning their attention to the future. Could Saudi Arabia's highly regulated banking sector offer a new model?

  • Saudi banks' profits rebound

    The profits of all Saudi Arabia's 12 banks reached its highest level in more than a year in January.

  • Saudi contractors form JVs to bid for Riyadh project

    Local contractors in Saudi Arabia are forming joint ventures with international transport specialists to compete for the contract to build a monorail at Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University for Women in Riyadh. The contract is expected to be worth at least SAR 3.75 billion. Saudi Arabia's Higher Education Ministry has prequalified at least eight local and international firms for the package, which is the fourth construction contract to be offered at the university. Several sources said

  • Saudi Electricity Company awards Manifa contracts

    Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has awarded separate management and construction contracts at the Manifa oil field for a new substation and the expansion of the existing 115kV Abu Hadriya substation to 380kV.

  • Saudi firms suffer from cement export ban

    Saudi companies have to pay the price for the government's earlier decision to impose a ban on exports of cement products, while Asian companies gain the lot, according to Prince Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Saud Al Kabeer, managing director of Al Yamama Cement Company, Gulf News has reported. Al Khabeer said negotiations by Saudi cement companies with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to lift the export ban have not been successful.

  • Saudi power privatisation plans move ahead

    The board of Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has approved the unbundling of the utility into four separate generation companies, according to Abdullah al-Shehri, vice-governor for regulatory affairs at the Electricity & Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (Ecra).

  • Saudi prequalifies oil firms for Jizan refinery

    Saudi Arabia has prequalified eight local companies and six foreign oil majors to bid for the Jizan oil refinery by the new 2 September deadline.

  • Saudi prince questions royal appointment

    Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, the king’s brother, has questioned the appointment of Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz as second deputy prime minister.

  • Saudi regulator probing market manipulation

    The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has said it is investigating 92 cases of potential price manipulation and improper disclosures by companies listed on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul).

  • Saudi to manufacture sound proof material

    US firm Acoustiblok Inc. and Saudi Arabia's Arabian Plastic Compounds Co. have signed an agreement to set up a manufacturing facility in Riyadh that will produce Acoustibloks, an environment-friendly sound proof material used for the building industry, Arab News has reported. The SR100m production unit will produce the brand using local materials aimed at cutting down sounds by 90% compared to the concrete blocks conventionally used in the region.

  • Saudi university shortlists firms for staff housing deal

    Three local companies have been shortlisted for the contract to build staff housing at Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.

  • Saudi water consultancy award due

    Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company (NWC) plans to award the technical, legal and financial consultancy contracts on the Greater Dammam, Medina and Mecca public-private-partnership scheme by the end of March.

  • Saudi, Qatar ink maritime border pact

    Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed a border demarcation agreement at the UN headquarters that ratifies the 1965 agreement between the two Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The agreement is now an official UN document and is legally binding under the international law.

  • Saudia to launch new India routes

    Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) plans to launch new flights to three Indian destinations over the next few days, Abdullah Bin Mushabbab Al-Ajhar, Saudia vice president for Public Relations told the Saudi Gazette. The airline will operate three flights a week to Lucknow, starting on March 28, two flights a week to Bangalore from March 30, and four flights a week to Kozhikode, starting March 31.

  • Saudi's first Garden Inn Hilton to open wthin months

    The Hilton Garden Inn Riyadh Olaya, the first hotel resulting from the management deal signed by Hilton and Al Hokair Group, will open in downtown Riyadh in the middle of this year. It is the first of 13 hotels expected to be built over the coming five years by the pair in Saudi Arabia, adding 2,500 rooms. The second, Hilton Garden Inn Riyadh Al Muroj will open during the first quarter of 2010.

  • Scania to open assembly plant in Dubai

    Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Scania is set to open the first automotive assembly plant in the UAE later this month. The new facility, which will be located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, will have the capacity to build 1,400 vehicles a year. The assembly plant will be the company's first in the region.

  • SeaChange to expand into Dubai

    SeaChange, a US based company providing technology solutions for broadcasting, video-on-demand (VOD), digital advertising and content management, is to set up a knowledge centre in Dubai to enhance its services range in the Middle East. The knowledge centre will focus on developing HD TV and IPTV technology solutions. SeaChange provides technology solutions to 600 customers across several countries.

  • Sharaf to 'review' projects

    UAE-based Sharaf Group has said that it may look to review the projects that it had planned to launch this year due to current market conditions. Projects that are already in the pipeline will not be affected, including the Dhs1bn cement factory underway in Fujairah. The group may focus on expanding its retail wing, including seeking new locations for Sharaf DG stores.

  • Sharjah tenders Khalid bridge

    Sharjah’s Public Works department has issued tender documents for an estimated AED250m ($68m) bridge crossing Khalid lagoon.

  • Shaw Group wins Jubail plastics plant design contract

    The US' Shaw Group has been awarded the front end engineering and design (FEED) contract for a major new petrochemicals plant at Jubail in Saudi Arabia.

  • Shaw wins Algeria gas contract

    The US’ Shaw Group has won an engineering subcontract for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) recovery facility that it designed for Algeria's state-owned energy major Sonatrach.

  • Shell awards Pearl deal to Harsco

    US engineering company Harsco has won an equipment award from the UK/Dutch Shell Group as part of ongoing construction works on its $16bn Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant at Ras Laffan in Qatar.

  • Shell extends bid deadline for Ras Laffan gas deal

    The UK/Dutch Shell Group has extended the bid deadline by three weeks for a set of integrated service contracts on its Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility at Ras Laffan.

  • Six Construct group bids low for Manama bridge

    A team of Belgium's Six Construct and Bahrain's local Haji Hassan has submitted the lowest bid of BD98m ($260m) for the main construction contract for the North Manama Causeway and Bridge project.

  • Ski slope planned for Cairo shopping centre

    Dubai-based Majid Al-Futtaim (MAF) Group plans to build a ski slope at its 6 October City Centre project in Cairo.

  • Some Dubai metro stations may not open due to passenger shortage

    A Dubai official said some stations on the emirate's Red Line may not be open when trains start running in September due to a shortage of passengers, reported The National. Mattar al Tayer, the executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority, said all 29 stations on the Red Line will be structurally ready on time, but some may not open right away because delays in nearby residential developments would lead to fewer passengers than planned. He would not say which stations might be shut

  • Sonata Software opens in Dubai

    Indian software solutions company Sonata Software Limited has expanded its operations into the Middle East, opening an office in Dubai Internet City. The Bangalore-based company targets regional market segments including travel, tourism as well as construction industries. The company is ranked among the top 20 IT software and service exporters in India.

  • Sonatrach awards El-Merk deals

    Algeria's Sonatrach and the US' Anadarko have awarded construction contracts worth $3bn on their El-Merk oil production hub. The hub will have capacity of 130,000 barrels a day (b/d) of liquids across two 65,000 b/d oil and condensate trains, and 600 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of natural gas liquids (NGL).

  • Sri Lanka targets Gulf visitors

    Sri Lanka is planning to hold road shows in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to attract more tourists from the Gulf. The number of Middle East travellers visiting Sri Lanka grew by 24% last year, according to the country's tourism bureau Middle East office. The Middle East has become the fastest growing source market for Sri Lanka.

  • Starwood opens new hotel in Qatar

    Starwood has opened the first W Hotel in the Middle East, the W Doha Hotel & Residences in Qatar. W Doha features 291 guest rooms, including 31 suites and 154 W Residences. The hotel, located in the West Bay of Doha on the Qatar peninsula, is the brand's second addition in the division of Europe, Africa and the Middle East following the brand's debut in May 2008 with the opening of W Istanbul.

  • Starwood opens W Doha

    Starwood Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of W Doha Hotel and Residences in Qatar, the first W branded property in the Middle East. The company plans to open up to 100 further properties globally in 2009, including 50 in its Europe, Africa and Middle East division.

  • Sudan: Government email system

    Preparation of a technical and feasibility report on the development and implementation of a secure email system for the government. Closing date: 6 April 2009

  • Sudan: Public sector financial management project

    Supply of goods and provision of related and consultancy services for a rapid impact public sector financial management project. Closing date: not stated

  • Sudan: Public sector reform project

    Supply of goods and provision of consultancy services for a public sector reform, decentralisation and capacity building project. Closing date: not stated

  • Suez Canal revenue down 26%

    Egypt's Suez Canal Authority has announced that its February revenue declined by 26% to $301.8m compare to $407.7m in February last year. Suez Canal, tourism, and oil and gas are the main source of Egypt's foreign currency as the decline was attributed to the world economic crisis as well as increasing piracy in the red sea.

  • Syria: Bearings and bearing rings

    Supply of bearings and bearing rings. Closing date: 11 May 2009

  • Syria: Corrosion inhibitor

    Supply of corrosion inhibitor. Closing date: 23 April 2009

  • Syria: Corrosion inhibitor

    Supply of corrosion inhibitor. Closing date: 14 May 2009

  • Syria: Electronic equipment

    Supply of parts for electronic equipment. Closing date: 23 April 2009

  • Syria: Fish plate insulators

    Supply of 2,000 fish plate insulators. Closing date: 3 June 2009

  • Syria: Oil well cementing additives

    Supply of special additives for oil well cementing. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Syria: Railway instrumentation

    Supply of railway instrumentation. Closing date: 1 April 2009

  • Syria: Railway turnouts and wooden sleepers

    Supply of 175 railway turnouts and wooden sleepers. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • Syria: Soda ash

    Supply of soda ash. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Syrian Air leases short-haul plane from Jordan

    Syrian Arab Airlines has announced that it will lease an Airbus A320 aircraft from Royal Jordanian.

  • Takreer invites firms to bid for Ruwais engineering deal

    The Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) has invited bids for the project management contract for the engineering phase of its Ruwais refinery.

  • Tameer Towers contract to be cancelled

    Tameer Holding has informed contractors that it will cancel the contract to build its Tameer Towers project in Abu Dhabi.

  • Tamouh awards work on Reem island

    Local developer Tamouh Investments has awarded South Korea's SK Engineering & Construction Company the $373m contract to build a block of four towers at its Marina Square development on Abu Dhabi's Reem island.

  • Taqa wins Moroccan power plant deal

    Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has won a contract to extend the Jorf Lasfar coal-fired power plant in Morocco, said Majid Houssaini.

  • Target wins Qurayat water project

    Omani contractor Target has won a contract for a scheme to supply water to Qurayat, southeast of Oman's capital Muscat.

  • TCI Sanmar arranges Egyptian petrochemicals plant financing

    India’s TCI Sanmar Chemicals has arranged $645m financing for a new $868m petrochemicals plant at Port Said in Egypt.

  • Tehran signs rail accord with Russia and Azerbaijan

    Iran has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a cross-border rail link to Azerbaijan.

  • Tehran to privatise national airline

    Tehran is preparing to privatise the national carrier Iran Air and its subsidiary Iran Air Tours.

  • Tenders issued for Abu Dhabi golf club hotel

    The Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) has invited companies to bid by 2 April for the contract to build the hotel at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. It includes the construction of a 148-room hotel, which will be managed by Westin, and a conference centre.

  • Terna wins Al-Kamshah wind project

    Jordan's Energy & Mineral Resources Ministry has selected a team of Greek firms Terna Energy and Vector Aeolian Parks, and the local Enara Energy Investments as the preferred bidder to build a wind farm at Al-Kamshah.

  • The Address launches 24-hour stay promotion

    The Address Hotels & Resorts has introduced a 24-hour stay benefit across all its hotels. As per the new benefit, guests opting for Suite or Club room accommodations can enjoy the privilege of a total 24-hour stay without incurring late check-out charges. This service is currently available at The Address, Downtown Burj Dubai and The Palace - The Old Town, the two properties currently operated by the brand in Dubai.

  • The Address, Dubai Mall nears completion

    The construction of The Address, Dubai Mall, a five-star hotel owned and operated by The Address Hotels + Resorts, is progressing on-schedule for opening later this year with structural and exterior cladding work already completed, according to a press statement. Interior fit-out operations of the hotel, serviced apartments and central podium are nearing completion. The hotel is linked to The Dubai Mall in the Old Town section of Dubai.

  • Total and Qatar hold talks over Al-Khalij field

    France’s Total has initiated talks with Qatar Petroleum (QP) over signing a new 25-year production-sharing deal for Qatar's 40,000 barrel-a-day (b/d) offshore Al-Khalij field.

  • Traders Hotel Abu Dhabi to open in Q3

    Shangri-La Asia Limited has signed an agreement with the Al Jaber Group to manage Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, which will open in the third quarter of 2009. The agreement is the third management agreement between Shangri-La and the Al Jaber Group following Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai and Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

  • Traffic surge at Iraqi ports increases revenues

    Iraq’s ports generated a 20 per cent increase in revenue during February. According to figures released on 3 March, shipping traffic rose 46 per cent during the month.

  • Trans Arabian to upgrade Saudi plants

    Trans Arabian Technical Services Company, a Saudi contractor, has won a contract for the upgrade of three power plants in the kingdom.

  • Travel spending in US plummets

    Americans and foreign visitors have cut US travel spending to the lowest level since the terrorist attacks of 2001, despite huge discounts being offered on air fares, hotel rates, theme park admissions, new government and industry statistics show. The US Department of Commerce reported travel and tourism spending dropped in 2008, and plummeted at an annual rate of 22% in the last three months of this year.

  • Tripoli asks oil firms to cut production share

    Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has asked four international oil companies operating in the country to accept a lower share of oil production as a reflection of difficult financial and economic circumstances.

  • Tripoli begins wealth distribution talks

    The General People’s Congress, Libya’s equivalent of parliament, is discussing Muammar Gaddafi’s proposal to dissolve many of the country’s ministries and give oil revenues directly to the people.

  • Tunisia delays Bizerte power project deadline

    State utility Societe Tunisienne de l'Electricite et du Gaz (Steg) has delayed its deadline for prequalification documents for an independent power project (IPP) until the end of April.

  • Tunisia: IT equipment

    Supply of IT equipment. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • Tunisia: Railway metal flyover works

    Repair and upgrade of metal flyovers on a railway line. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • Tunisia: Road network rehabilitation

    Completion of rehabilitation works for a road network development project. Closing date: 16 May 2009

  • Tunisia: Road rehabilitation

    Rehabilitation of a road. Closing date: 18 April 2009

  • Tunisia: Road rehabilitation works

    Completion of rehabilitation works for a road network development project. Closing date: 16 May 2009

  • Tunisia: Road works

    Carrying out road works. Closing date: 18 April 2009

  • UAE approves inter-emirate rail project

    The UAE government has formally approved construction of the federal rail network that will link all the emirates in the country.

  • UAE hotel investment worth $6.1bn

    The organisers of a hotel industry exhibition in Dubai have said that the UAE accounts for $6.1bn out of $8.8bn being invested in the Gulf. A total of 61 hotel properties are scheduled to open by the end of next year. The UAE will see the completion of 22 hotels this year and 13 next year, according to a survey by research and database company Proleads for The Hotel Show.

  • UAE launches weekly interbank lending rate

    The UAE has launched a one-week interbank lending rate in an attempt to provide a short-term reference rate for the country’s banking market.

  • UAE loses Dhs10.5bn to traffic, says expert

    The UAE loses up to Dhs10.5bn ($2.86bn), or 3.5% of it Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as a result of traffic congestion that slows both passenger and heavy goods traffic, an official has said. Dr Salem Al Shafiei, a veteran transport planner who is the managing director of Dubai Real Estate Institute, revealed this estimate while presenting a paper on setting the sustainable mobility agenda for the UAE at a three-day seminar on Sustainable Urban Transport hosted by the International Associatio

  • UAE needs to target budget travellers, says report

    A new report by Euromonitor International says the UAE needs to reach out to growing countries such as China and Brazil in order to weather the financial crisis. The report said Emirates, particularly Dubai, had been marketed as luxury destinations in a spendthrift era, attracting mainly wealthier tourists from Western Europe. Now it needs to target new markets, such as budget travellers from other countries, reported The National.

  • UAE rail network approved

    The UAE Ministerial Council for Services has approved the creation of a country-wide rail network, which would see a double track rail service built from Ruwais in Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. The Union Railways Company will offer tenders for the project by 2015.

  • UAE ranks first in regional tourism

    The UAE has grabbed top honours in the World Economic Forum's new Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index for countries in the Middle East and Africa. The index is based on criteria such as infrastructure, technology, information and communication, price competitiveness, air and ground transport, and safety. Worldwide, the UAE has moved up seven places in terms of its competitiveness in international tourism and now ranks 33rd among 133 countries surveyed, up from 40th last year.

  • UAE set to release economic report

    A source at the UAE government says an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on the country’s economy will now be published.

  • UAE to register 'Emarat' domain

    The UAE's Ministerial Council for Services has passed a proposal to register the domain address of 'Emarat' for the country's Arabic websites. The country's English language domain is currently '.ae'.

  • UAE to spend $3.3bn on ITC

    A new report has forecast that the UAE will spend $3.3bn on IT and communications for various developmental projects, including schools and hospitals, by 2011. The report was prepared by the database firm Proleads which is preparing to discuss the results of its report at Middle East Communications exhibition and conference which will be held in Abu Dhabi on May 25-27.

  • UAE unveils anti-piracy campaign

    The UAE Ministry of Economy has launched an intensive anti-piracy campaign called 'Using unlicensed software can shut down your business' to educate the public about the consequences of selling and using pirated software. The campaign, which runs from March 22 to April 26, 2009, is part of a series of similar Gulf-wide efforts to combat software piracy and will tap both print and broadcast media outlets. The ministry is focusing on increasing public awareness on intellectual property rights l

  • UAE: Air conditioning and ventilation works

    Maintenance of air conditioning and ventilation systems. Closing date: 23 March 2009

  • UAE: Building construction

    Construction of a building. Closing date: 16 March 2009

  • UAE: Cranes and shovel loaders

    Supply of cranes and shovel loaders for a power station. Closing date: 9 April 2009

  • UAE: Desalination plant refurbishment

    Refurbishment of a desalination plant. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • UAE: Environment, health and safety management system

    Provision of consultancy services for an environment, health and safety management system. Closing date: 11 May 2009

  • UAE: Health authority consultancy services

    Provision of consultancy services to evaluate and develop the new pay structure and associated benefits for a health services authority. Closing date: 8 April 2009

  • UAE: IT equipment maintenance

    Maintenance of IT networking equipment. Closing date: 18 March 2009

  • UAE: Medical equipment

    Supply of medical equipment. Closing date: 15 April 2009

  • UAE: Power lines and cabling

    Erection of overhead power lines and cabling works. Closing date: 1 April 2009

  • UAE: Residential complex

    Construction of a residential complex comprising 175 housing units. Closing date: 7 April 2009

  • UAE: Retail outlet cleaning services

    Provision of cleaning services at retail outlets. Closing date: 23 March 2009

  • UAE: Road consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for internal road works. Closing date: 6 April 2009

  • UAE: Road works

    Construction, upgrading and dualisation of a road. Closing date: 14 April 2009

  • UAE: Solid waste landfill

    Establishment and designing of a solid waste landfill. Closing date: 19 April 2009

  • UAE: Standby power plants

    Provision of construction services for standby power plants. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • UAE: Turbine generator power plants

    Supply, installation, operation and maintenance of packaged turbine generator power plants. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • UAE: Vaccine store programme

    Supply of a vaccine store management programme. Closing date: 9 March 2009

  • UAE: Water bottling plant

    Construction of a water bottling plant. Closing date: 20 April 2009

  • Uncertainty over economic recovery in Emirates

    A widely forecast recovery in the economy of the UAE in the second half of 2009 is not guaranteed, according to a report by National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), which says it expects to revise down its growth forecast for the country.

  • UP may cancel F1 theme park

    Dubai's third-largest property firm, Union Properties may have to cancel a proposed Formula 1 theme park if it fails to receive government cash or tap debt markets soon. Union Properties said it was suspending construction of the $460m theme park due to the financial crisis and the drying up of liquidity from banks. Some $263bn of projects had been cancelled or put on hold in the UAE.

  • Vast Exploration positive over Kurdistan oil prospects

    Canadian oil company Vast Exploration says positive results by a rival firm in Iraq’s Kurdistan region have encouraged it to continue seismic work on its own acreage in an adjacent block.

  • Verbatim unveils 32GB USB drives

    Verbatim has announced that it is extending its Store 'n'Go range of USB drives with the 32 GB USB Executive model and the Mini Swivel. With a storage capacity equivalent to 45 CDs, both USB drives are targeted at users who are highly mobile and who need to carry large volumes of data with them. The USB Executive and Mini Swivel will be soon available in stores in the Middle East.

  • Virtualisation growth set to accelerate

    Virtualisation software is expected to become more popular in Middle East businesses, as companies look to improve efficiencies, demand more flexibility from their IT infrastructure and reduce costs. Still a small market relative to the overall size of the business IT sector, the technology is expected to become more popular particularly during these tough economic times, partly because of the potential cost savings it offers.

  • Vision to open 1,655 Abu Dhabi hotel rooms

    Vision Hotels Management company will open 1,655 rooms in the UAE capital in the next two years at a cost of $163m, sources have said. The company, which opened luxury hotel apartments in Abu Dhabi's Tourist Club area three years ago, will press ahead with its expansion goals despite the economic slowdown.

  • Wataniya to fly daily to Bahrain

    Kuwait's Wataniya Airways has announced the start of daily flights to Bahrain International Airport from today, marking the third new route that the airline has launched this week. The new airline, headquartered in Kuwait and already flying to Dubai, launched daily flights to Beirut and Cairo earlier in the week.

  • Web portal launched for UAE civil aviation authority

    The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority has launched its new web portal and e-services, achieving thereby the strategic objective set by the UAE government of transforming 50% of the services to electronic by the end of 2008, according to its chairman and Minister of Economy Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri. The new portal will provide 82 e-services to the public.

  • Windows 7 to offer ability to 'turn off' IE

    Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, scheduled for release in 2010, is to offer users the ability to select an option to 'turn off' Internet Explorer. The option has been put into the Vista successor in response to European Union directives, regarding the stifling of competition.

  • Yemen issues power law

    Sanaa has issued a new electricity law aimed at ensuring the security of power supplies in the country.

  • Yemen postones elections to 2011

    Yemen has decided to postpone its parliamentary elections by two years from April 2009 until April 2011 to allow for a full review of the country’s electoral system.

  • Yemen: Airport management

    Provision of management services for two international airports. Closing date: 2 May 2009

  • Yemen: Heavy vehicles

    Supply of heavy vehicles comprising pick-up trucks and hard top vehicles. Closing date: 1 April 2009

  • Yemen: Vehicles

    Supply of eight vehicles as part of an avian influenza preparedness and control project. Closing date: 22 April 2009

  • Zain profits climb 4 per cent in final quarter

    Zain, the Kuwaiti mobile phone operator, grew its net profits by 4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2008, making it one of the better performing telecoms companies during a difficult three month period.

  • Zohal bids low for Bahraini sewage work

    The local Zohal Construction Company is the low bidder for sewage networks to serve the Maameer and North Refinery industrial areas in Bahrain.

  • Zubair opens heavy equipment unit in Sohar

    Zubair Automotive Group has expanded its trucks and heavy equipment facilities in Oman, opening in Sohar Industrial Estate. The new facility is a branch operation for International Heavy Equipment LLC (IHE), Muscat and will be involved with trading, selling, servicing and providing spare parts for Volvo and Renault trucks, as well as construction equipment such as Case, Putzmeister, Liebherr, Sacme and Bobcat.

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