By continuing to use the site you agree to our Privacy & Cookies policy

MEED
Sep 2009 Online Content

View all stories from this issue.

  • Halcrow and WorleyParsons secure power and wastewater work

    Qatar Petroleum awards $2.7m Mesaieed contracts

  • Libya buys Verenex Energy

    Tripoli forces Chinese oil company to withdraw offer for Canadian firm

  • Saudi Aramco has to invest in gas

    Aramco has rightly switched its attention to diversifying its sources of gas. The Shaybah and Arabiyah schemes are well overdue

  • $50m 'tourism village' to be built near Petra

    Jordanian tourism ministry has signed an agreement with Pharaon Commercial Investment Group to build a $50m tourism village near the ancient city of Petra, the Jordan Times has reported. The project will include a 100-bed five-star hotel, a multipurpose conference hall, a shopping area including a handicrafts market, restaurants, a spa and swimming pools. Additionally, a centre will be built under the project to offer training to local residents in hospitality skills, the ministry has said.

  • Abu Dhabi adds Chicago route

    Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways began flying to Chicago yesterday, its second route to the US. The 14 hour flight to Chicago O'Hare International Airport uses Airbus A340-600 aircraft. Etihad now has 55 destinations, including New York. James Hogan, Etihad Airways' Chief Executive, said Chicago was set to become a key part of its global flight programme.

  • Abu Dhabi approves TDIC projects

    The Abu Dhabi Executive Committee has approved two project proposals presented by the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). The proposed projects include the construction of a conference centre and a diving and water sports centre at Sir Bani Yas Island near the Desert Islands Resort.

  • Abu Dhabi awards construction deal to boost oil production

    Foster Wheeler wins project management work

  • Abu Dhabi begins hotel classification programme

    The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has rolled out its hotel classification system by putting up the first of 110 signs, which classify hotels and hotel apartment facilities within the emirate, outside the five-star Emirates Palace. All hotels and hotel apartments within the emirate have been classified with hotels categorised on a sliding scale of one star to five stars, and hotel apartments classified as either deluxe, superior or standard. The system is aimed at developing industry standards a

  • Abu Dhabi buys Chartered Semiconductor

    Advanced Technology Investment Co., an investment company owned by Abu Dhabi, has agreed to buy Singapore's state-controlled Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing for $1.8bn. ATIC plans to combine the maker of chips used in Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 game console with Globalfoundries Inc., a venture ATIC created with Advanced Micro Devices Inc. last year, according to Bloomberg.

  • Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank has $609m exposure to Saudi groups

    Saad Group and Al-Gosaibi are restructuring debts

  • Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank meets bond investors

    Institution tries to gauge market demand for potential bond issue

  • Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank moves ahead with bond sale

    Second Abu Dhabi-based bank to approach capital markets for bond funding

  • Abu Dhabi considers Japanese traffic model

    Abu Dhabi is looking at introducing the Japanese traffic model in an effort to reduce traffic jams in the emirate, especially during accidents, Khaleej Times has reported. Colonel Hussein Ahmed Al Harethi, Director of Road Engineering and Safety at the Abu Dhabi Police, said the Japanese system is effective in dealing with both the motorists and pedestrians in cases of accidents. 'The system rests on a specific plan for roads and intersections where pedestrians and vehicles alike are redirect

  • Abu Dhabi delays bid deadline for gas work

    Gasco plans to upgrade key distribution infrastructure

  • Abu Dhabi forced to extend bridge loan for Shuweihat 2

    Bridge loan for power and water plant extended after failure to arrange financing

  • Abu Dhabi International Airport sees 12.4% growth

    Abu Dhabi Airports Company said it has recorded a 12.4% increase in aircraft movements, a 6.2% increase in cargo and a 2.5% increase in total passenger movement through the capital's international airport in the month of August. The top five destinations recorded a total of 200,607 passengers, with London in the top spot with 51,757 passengers. Bangkok took second place with 38,828 passengers, whilst Bahrain, Doha and Cairo came in third, fourth and fifth respectively with a total of 101,314

  • Abu Dhabi issues tenders for oil company headquarters

    Contractors line up for construction work on corporate building

  • Abu Dhabi narrows list for metro consultant

    The Abu Dhabi Transport Department has drawn up a list of companies from the US, the UK, Australia, Lebanon, France, Spain and Denmark which will compete for the role of consultant to the capital's metro project. The winning firm will carry out a feasibility study, provide initial and detailed designs for the network, stations, safety and security systems and electronic control systems and supervise the eventual construction of the metro. ADTD will award the contract to the selected company o

  • Abu Dhabi oil firm announces bidders for headquarters deal

    Fourteen contractors compete to build project on corniche

  • Abu Dhabi passenger traffic rises in August

    Emirate’s statistics below regional average

  • Abu Dhabi plans geothermal power generation

    Reykjavik Geothermal wins drilling deal for work at $20bn zero-carbon city

  • Abu Dhabi plans to build freight railway

    Adnoc to transport granulated sulphur from Western region to Ruwais

  • Abu Dhabi port operations increase

    According to figures from Abu Dhabi Ports, operations at Port Zayed have experienced big growth this year. The port handled 268,069 containers from January to July, compared to 199,216 containers over the same period last year, up 35%. Handling of general goods went up by 30% to 3,220,945 metric tons compared to 2,469,608 metric tons in the same period of 2008. Loose goods grew 100%, to 1,862,665 metric tons compared to 929,961 metric tons over the same period in 2008.

  • Abu Dhabi sewerage scheme to secure long term financing

    Sewerage company expects to complete $400m financing package by the end of September.

  • Abu Dhabi signs financing agreeements for wastewater schemes

    Eight banks commit $400m loan to develop two plants

  • Abu Dhabi state firms borrow $18bn in 2009

    Companies risk relying on government to pay debts

  • Abu Dhabi targets end September for sewerage financing

    Financing for $500m sewerage project to be finalised by end of September

  • Abu Dhabi tenders football stadium construction contract

    Baniyas Sports Club to get 20,000 seater stadium

  • Abu Dhabi to complete funding for Shuweihat 2 power plant

    Banks agree to terms of the deal and plan financing by end of September

  • Abu Dhabi to prequalify contractors for new museum

    Procurement starts for another Saadiyat building project.

  • Accor to manage 44 hotels in Middle East

    Christophe Landais, Managing Director, Accor Hospitality Middle East has unveiled the company's plans to operate 44 hotels across nine countries in the region by 2011. The company said in a statemnt its plans for the UAE include the opening of Sofitel Jumeirah Beach, at the end of September, the launch of the Ibis Rigga within the first quarter of next year and the entry of its new brand, Pullman Hotels & Resorts, which is linked to the Mall of Emirates, by mid-2010.

  • ADBIC appoints new CEO

    Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation (ADBIC) announced the appointment of Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri as the company's new CEO, effective from October 1st. Al Dhaheri was earlier holding the post of Senior Vice President of Metals at ADBIC.

  • Aditya Birla to expand Egyptian plants

    India's Aditya Birla Group is investing $150m in a silica project in Alexandria in Egypt and will also expand its carbon black factory, already the biggest in the world. Both are part of joint ventures it is running in the country - Alexandria Carbon Black and Alexandria Fibre. Additionally, Egyptian Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid told Reuters that Indian company Bajaj Auto is also considering building a plant in Egypt. It is India's second biggest motorbike maker and number one for th

  • Adnoc set to boost naphta premiums

    Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc) is set to hold term talks in October aimed to boost naphtha premiums in January-December 2010, Reuters has reported. Traders have set a high single-digit premiums for Adnoc for its 12-month supplies, against the $10.50-$12.50 a tonne premium fetched in the last round for July 2009-June 2010 cargoes. Additional supplies are expected form Adnoc once its new condensate splitter and gas field come online from next year.

  • Agility Logistics plans to expand into South Africa

    Kuwaiti firm to buy supply chain business for $90m

  • Agility wins Qatar gas logistics contract

    RasGas deal covers forwarding, transportation and custom clearance services

  • Agility wins RasGas contract

    Agility Public Warehousing Company, a Kuwait-based provider of integrated logistics solutions, has won a multi-million dollar contract from Qatar's Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company (RasGas). The contract covers global freight forwarding, transportation and customs clearance for a period of four years, both locally and around the world.

  • Air Arabia announces winter fares

    Sharjah-based budget airline, Air Arabia has announced its new low fares for the winter season to all 46 destinations from its hub in Sharjah. The new fares, which come with additional baggage allowance of up to 32kg and a hand baggage allowance of 7kg, are valid for travel from September 27, 2009 to March 31, 2010. Air Arabia has seen passenger numbers rise 20% this year, to 1.95 million people.

  • Air Arabia Egypt expects launch by year-end

    The recently announced low-cost airline formed by Egypt's Travco Group and UAE-based Air Arabia may launch operations by the end of 2009 from as many as five Egyptian airports, Travco's chief executive has said. The new airline, Air Arabia Egypt, will seek Egyptian government permission to use airports at Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. The company will lease aircraft from Air Arabia or other sources, he said.

  • Air Arabia receives IOSA registration

    Sharjah-based low-cost carrier, Air Arabia has announced it has successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), an internationally recognized evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. The 5-day audit covered Air Arabia's corporate organisation and management structure, flight operations, flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, ground handling, cargo operations and airline security.

  • Air Arabia to launch Egypt low cost airline

    Sharjah airline to open third hub

  • Air Arabia to launch new airline in Egypt

    UAE-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia has announced plans to launch a new budget airline in Egypt, in partnership with Egyptian tourism group Travco. 'The new carrier will serve Europe, Middle East and African markets and will represent Air Arabia's third hub after UAE and Morocco,' the airline said. The low-cost carrier currently serves 57 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The Travco Group employs more than 24,000 people and operates 146 hotels, resorts and cruise

  • Air France to serve Dubai with A380

    Air France has announced it will reduce its services to Dubai from 14 weekly flights to a daily service, but will offset the reduction by introducing its A380 aircraft on the route, according to UK-based Business Traveller magazine. The superjumbo is scheduled to operate on the route from January 18, 2010. The change is part of the airline's 2009 winter schedule.

  • Air India to link Abu Dhabi and Amritsar

    The low-cost subsidiary of Air India, Air India Express, has announced that it will connect Abu Dhabi with the city of Amritsar in Northern India. The flights will continue on to Delhi after Amritsar, increasing the number of services between Abu Dhabi and Delhi offered by Air India Express and Air India to six per week, according to the airline. The route will be served three times per week with a B737-800 aircraft configured in an all economy cabin. Air India now connects Abu Dhabi with nin

  • Air passenger growth to remain strong

    Airbus forecasts youth will drive increase

  • Air passenger traffic continues to recover

    Middle East outperforms global industry

  • Air Products to design Jubail air separation unit

    US gas processing firm will work with Samsung Engineering on $300m project

  • Ajinomoto eyes Middle East takeovers

    Japanese seasonings maker, Ajinomoto has said it may spend more than 100bn yen ($1.1bn) on expansions in emerging markets including the Middle East and Africa over the next three years, Bloomberg has reported. "We haven't set a limit on the amount because it depends on available opportunities," CEO Masatoshi Ito said.

  • Aker Solutions signs Jubail design management deal

    US firm will supervise Saudi petrochemicals complex study

  • Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade Sonatrach communications network

    US company plans to develop systems at 157 sites in Algeria

  • Alfanar secures Kandarah power work

    Saudi Electricity awards Kandarah-Jeddah grid connection deal

  • Algeria: Aero-geophysical surveys

    Execution of aero-geophysical surveys to determine sources of diamond and determine uranium mineralization. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Algeria: Bricks and concrete

    Algeria: Bricks and concrete

  • Algeria: Cement plant operation

    Implementation and operation of cement plants. Closing date: 11 October 2009Implementation and operation of cement plants in two lots: 1) the M’Daourouche site covers 107 hectares of limestone and 64 hectares of clays, both in the M’Daourouche township of the Souk Ahras wilaya; and 2) the Ghoundjaia site covers 51 hectares of limestone in the Asia township of the Naama wilaya and the Djebel Djara site covers 40 hectares of clay, also in the Asia township of the Naama wilaya. Prequalifi

  • Algeria: Dam construction works

    Carrying out construction works for a dam. Closing date: 22 October 2009

  • Algeria: Foundry parts

    Supply of parts for a foundry. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Algeria: Hydrant system works

    Repair and modernisation of an automatic hydrant system. Closing date: 8 October 2009

  • Algeria: Light vehicles

    Supply of 690 light vehicles. Closing date: 8 October 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Aflou-Laghouat)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 26 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Ain Temouchent-Sidi Bel Abbes)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 12 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Bouira-Sour el-Ghouziane)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 22 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Bousaada-Djelfa)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Chlef-Tenes)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (El-Bayadh/Djelfa)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 28 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Oued Aissi-Azzazga)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 14 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Ouled Mimoun-Sebdou)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 13 September 2009

  • Algeria: Railway line study (Relizane-Mostaganem)

    Carrying out a study for a new electrified railway line. Closing date: 16 September 2009

  • Algeria: Road upgrade

    Carrying out road upgrading works. Closing date: 17 September 2009

  • Algeria: Tipper trucks

    Supply of two tipper trucks. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Algeria: Water and sewage tanks

    Supply of a drinking water tank, a sewage tank and refrigeration equipment. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Al-Gosaibi resigns as Samba chairman

    Saudi bank makes announcement on Takaful

  • Al-Habtoor Leighton appoints managing director

    Voyer relocates to Dubai for senior role

  • Al-Habtoor Leighton wins Qatar infrastructure work

    Contractor to build six concrete reservoirs and water pipeline at Duhail project

  • Al-Hassan wins Oman gas construction deal

    Local contractor secures $50m contract on Kauther gas project

  • Aljaber Engineering secures Ras Laffan infrastructure work

    Qatar Petroleum plans to build industrial zone

  • Almarai raises capital

    Saudi-based Almarai, the Gulf's largest dairy firm, will raise its capital by 37.6%, increasing its Hail Agricultural Development's (Hadco) stake by six million shares, Reuters has reported. Almarai will increase its capital to SR1.15bn ($307m) from SR1.09bn. Hadco, based in the north of Saudi Arabia, is the fourth largest poultry producer in the kingdom.

  • AMD to boost regional staff size

    Advanced Micro Devices has said it is increasing its workforce in the region by 50% as it expects 'wonderful' growth in 2009 despite the recession and a sales slump in the PC sector, Emirates Business has reported. The supplier of microprocessors is bolstering its sales and marketing plans in the Middle East and is looking at a significantly larger market share by the end of this year, according to Dr. Gaith Kadir, AMD's General Manager for Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.

  • Angsana Dubai to be closed

    Damas Hotels LLC and Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts have agreed to terminate the hotel management contract for the five-star Angsana Dubai Hotel and Suites, according to Gulf News. The hotel will cease to operate as of September 30 and will be converted into residential units that are expected to be sold on a vacant possession basis. Staff will also be compensated and helped to find new jobs, Bernold Schroeder, Senior Vice-President and Managing Director, Hotel Operations said.

  • Aptec signs Dell in Saudi

    Regional technology distributors, Aptec has announced that its Saudi branch, Aptec Saudi has signed distribution agreement with Dell in the kingdom. Under the agreement, Aptec Saudi will now offer Dell's commercial line of products to its resellers in Saudi, which includes PowerEdge servers, Dell/EMC and EqualLogic storage solutions, Latitude laptops, Precision workstations and OptiPlex desktops.

  • Aqua takes UAE desalination project

    Federal authority awards Al-Zawra water contract

  • Aqua wins Egyptian desalination contract

    Cairo awards water plant project to Austrians

  • Arab Intellectual Property Centre launched

    The League of Arab States, Microsoft Corp. and Khasawneh & Associates have launched the Arab Intellectual Property Centre, an online portal that will provide a central hub for best practice sharing and legal resources on intellectual property in the Arab region. The site aims to promote the protection of intellectual property by providing a central database on intellectual property and internet crime issues.

  • Arabian Bemco and Hyundai Doosan secure Al-Qurrayah deal

    Saudi Electricity Company to expand combined-cycle power plant

  • Arabtec launches concrete firm in Saudi

    The board of Dubai-based Arabtec Holding's board has approved plans to set up a new subsidiary that will provide concrete for the Saudi market. The new firm, the Austrian Arabian Ready Mix Concrete LLC (AAC), is being established as Arabtec continues to seek business outside its domestic market and secure new contracts in the kingdom.

  • Arabtec’s ready mix company to expand into Saudi Arabia

    Another Dubai companies looks for project opportunities in the kingdom

  • Arafa's reports $4.83m profit in quarter to July

    Egypt's biggest garment exporter, Arafa Holding, has said its consolidated net profit had declined to $4.83m for the three months to July 31, Reuters has reported. The firm, which makes and retails garments in Egypt and Europe, said sales to its key British market had been hurt by a fall in the value of the British pound and by recession.

  • Arcapita plans to invest in regional infrastructure

    Investment firm plans to start placing funds in regional projects

  • Archirodon wins Ras Laffan port work

    Qatar Petroleum awards $62m contract to build berths

  • ASAS to launch Qatar glass factory

    ASAS, a Qatar-based newly established local promoter of small and medium industrial ventures with a capital of QR44.75m, is to establish Zujaj Company to manufacture laminated glass for use in the construction industry, Gulf Times has reported. The new plant, with an initial production capacity of 600,000 sq m of various types of glass, is estimated to cost QR30m and expected to start production by Q3 2010. Of the initial total production capacity, laminated glass will constitute 200,000 sq m

  • Aurigo signs tie up in Middle East

    India-based Aurigo Software Technologies has formed a partnership with Right Group and Synergy Software System in an effort to boost its presence in the Middle East. The new partnership will allow the partners to market, implement and support Aurigo's construction management and inspection system, BRIX 2009, across the region. BRIX 2009 is an industry add-on to Microsoft Dynamics AX and the combined solution makes an industry-ready ERP solution for architecture, engineering and construction i

  • Austrian firm wins Tunisian wastewater scheme

    VA Tech Wabag to build Enfidha plant in partnership with MTT

  • Baghdad allocates $200m extra funds to Basra

    Government provides supplementary budget

  • Baghdad awards power plant deals

    SNC Lavalin and Uruk Engineering Services win Hilla and Al-Taji projects

  • Baghdad finalises $500m reconstruction loan

    Officials to travel to Jordan to negotiate funding from bank

  • Baghdad to open air links to Manama, Doha

    Iraq's Ministry of Transportation has said that state-owned Iraqi Airways is preparing to launch flights between Baghdad and both the Bahraini capital Manama and the Qatari capital Doha, Aswat al-Iraq news agency has reported. 'A company delegation has left the country to conclude agreements and to develop mechanisms with flight agents,' the ministry was quoted as saying.

  • Bahrain Air trims Airbus order

    Budget airline Bahrain Air plans to conclude the purchase of three Airbus planes this year but has cancelled plans to buy a fourth one, Reuters has reported. 'Due to the current international financial issues there is a delay in the purchasing process and a reduction in the number to three airplanes,' Ibrahim Abdulla Al-Hamer, the airline's managing director, was quoted as saying by Al Waqt newspaper.

  • Bahrain Business Machines to partner with Cisco

    Bahrain Business Machines, a division of Gulf Business Machines, has won a contract to support an agreement between Cisco Systems and the eGovernment Authority of Bahrain. Under the contract, BBM will partner with Cisco to fulfil the infrastructure requirements for the communications and IT sections of Bahrain's government. Additionally, BBM's Integrated Network and Site Services division will offer a range of communications, security and networking solutions and a dedicated, Bahrain-based te

  • Bahrain economy predicted to grow 2.6 per cent by IMF

    IMF report says Bahrain’s finance sector has “withstood the global turbulence” but recommends government moves ahead with tax reform to diversify income base

  • Bahrain Hawar resort to open after Eid

    Bahrain's refurbished Tulip Inn Hawar Beach Resort on Hawar Islands will re-open to tourists after the Eid holiday. The resort was due to restart operations on September 15 before a formal opening during the Eid holiday. "We still cannot say how long it will take, but hope to open shortly after the Eid holidays," Tulip Inn operations manager Mustapha Chatila said told Gulf Daily News. "There are some issues that we are working on in consultation with the contractors. These will be finalised s

  • Bahrain in talks to raise funding for power network

    Electricity & Water Authority seeks $500m to upgrade transmission lines

  • Bahrain lowers interest rate to boost lending

    Central bank cuts rate by 25 basis points and expands dinar-dollar swap facility

  • Bahrain receives administrators report on troubled banks

    Administrators present reports on assets and liabilities of Awal Bank and The International Banking Corporation to the Central Bank of Bahrain

  • Bahrain TRA names security advisor

    Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced the appointment of Nick Truman as its Specialist ICT Security Advisor to lead the activities of TRA, the government and industry in developing internet safety and security policies. Truman was formerly Head of Internet Security at the UK's British Telecom.

  • Bahrain: Export department training

    Provision of training in an export department. Closing date: 11 November 2009

  • Bahrain: Insulation services

    Provision of insulation services. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Bahrain: Marketing and purchasing training

    Provision of training and employment in marketing and purchasing. Closing date: 11 November 2009

  • Bahrain: Medical equipment

    Supply of medical equipment. Closing date: 9 September 2009

  • Bahrain: Radiology materials

    Supply of medical equipment. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Bahrain: Spectrum management system

    Supply of a spectrum management system. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Bahrain: Transportation services

    Provision of transportation services. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Bahrain: Working stage development

    Provision of developmental services in working stages. Closing date: 11 November 2009

  • Baker Hughes set to win Saudi drilling project

    Saudi Aramco contract covers construction of 145 oils wells

  • Bandar Abbas refinery stalls as Iran faces cash shortfall

    Condensates facility delayed after $1bn funding issue

  • Banks express interest in financing Jubail refinery

    Bankers claim Aramco and Total deal is oversubscribed

  • Banks' plan for Saudi power scheme not contravening bidding rules

    Samba, Al-Rajhi and Alinma plan to offer up to $1bn for project

  • Banks to bid on Salalah at end of October

    Chinese banks dominate Omani power project funding

  • Basra awards projects worth $520m

    Investment Commission issues licences for eight schemes in Iraqi province

  • Beirut airport passengers up 25%

    Lebanon's Rafiq Hariri Beirut International Airport has reported a 25% increase in overall passenger traffic to 3.3 million passengers during the first eight months of 2009, according to the Arab Air Carriers Organisation. Total volume of the shipped cargo via the airport had amounted to 47,221 tons in the first eight months of 2009, an increase of 9.6% compared with the same period last year, and the total number of the operated flights via the airport amounted to 37,114 flights with an incr

  • Beirut charges Lebanese businessman with fraud

    Six other people also accused of writing bad cheques and breaking financial laws

  • Bids in for Bahraini housing work

    Local contractors compete for deal to build 1,000 homes

  • Bids submitted for Jahra road

    Kuwait Arab Contractors is the low bidder

  • Bids submitted for Kuwait border post contract

    Contractors compete for Al-Abdaly buildings

  • Bing.com to offer visual search

    Microsoft has introduced visual search for its new search engine, Bing.com. that will let users browse results using pictures instead of text. The company said visual search will concentrate on four main areas: travel, health, leisure and shopping. 'The whole concept is that the world of search is going to change,' Microsoft's senior vice president of online services was Yusuf Mehdi, was quoted as saying by BBC News. 'There will be a more graphic way people will search, and it will pivot how

  • Black Cat wins $110m Qatar gas pipeline deal

    Qatar Petroleum awards construction project to local contractor

  • BMC and McAfee sign data centre product deal

    BMC Software and McAfee have signed an alliance to deliver jointly developed products for data centres. They will produce a product that integrates BMC's BladeLogic Client Automation with McAfee's Policy Auditor, ePolicy Orchestrator and security content from McAfee Labs. The products can identify, report, patch and fix policy violations. The pair said it was to solve the problem of IT operations and IT security acting independently of one another in many data centres.

  • BNP Paribas to launch $300m Gulf private equity fund

    Private equity fund will aim to raise $150m by October

  • Bourse forces banks to reveal exposure to Saad and Al-Gosaibi

    Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange threatens to suspend trading of shares

  • BP set to complete Libyan offshore seismic work

    Drilling scheduled to start in June 2010

  • Building construction contract awarded at Tiger Woods Dubai

    Dutco Balfour Beatty wins golf course work

  • Cement trucks to be banned on Saudi causeway

    Saudi Arabia is set to issue a ban on transporting cement and sand to Bahrain via the King Fahad Causeway in an effort to ease traffic congestion, Saudi Gazette has reported. The move, expected to be implemented from October 1, is expected to lead to the absence of over 200 trucks a day. The decision would not affect Bahrain's construction industry, as the entire amount of 25,000 tonnes weekly quota would still be transported via the sea route between the two countries. The decision would not

  • China National Petroleum withdraws Verenex offer after Tripoli interference

    Chinese state energy giant withdraws $500m offer for Canadian exploration firm

  • Chinese firm wins Abu Dhabi oil rig deal

    Adnoc awards $218m contract to China National Petroleum Corporation subsidiary

  • Citadel launches microfinance lending

    Egyptian private equity firm establishes microfinance lending group

  • Client prepares to open Sharjah fuel project prices

    Contractors will be told who the low bidder is by end of September

  • Commercial bids submitted for Masdar headquarters

    Four groups bid for positve-energy building

  • Concerns grow over Kuwaiti law for foreign workers

    Overseas employees can change jobs more easily but will increase sponsorship firms’ costs

  • Consortium bids low for Ruwais expansion deal

    Samsung and Uhde submit competitive price for $1bn construction work

  • Consultants submit bids for Salalah hospital

    Oman seeks firm to provide engineering consultancy services

  • Contractor picked for Dubai’s Pentominium

    Arabian Construction Company wins high-rise contract

  • Contractors given more time for Marasy tender

    Tender extended until after Ramadan

  • Contractors prequalify for presidential palace in Abu Dhabi

    Government complex to be built in Ras al-Akhdar

  • Currency speculators withdraw $46bn from Emirates in 2008

    Foreign currency assets drop 59 per cent

  • Dabur to build second manufacturing unit in Egypt

    Dabur, India's the fourth largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) firm, plans to set up its second manufacturing facility in Egypt to cater to the growing demand in Africa and neighbouring markets, according to India's daily Business Line. The proposed unit, which is likely to be completed by this year, would make personal care products, the company said.

  • Dammam 7 Petrochem inks Aker deal

    Dammam 7 Petrochemicals has signed a programme management agreement with Aker Solutions for the Dammam 7 acrylic acid and acrylates complex to be built in the Jubail 2 Industrial area in Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, Aker Solutions will provide pre-front end engineering and design and programme management services for the project. The complex will include a world scale acrylic acid plant, plants for the production of syngas, butanol, acrylic esters, together with integrated utilities and

  • Danieli wins Abu Dhabi steel plant expansion work

    Italian firm to build section rolling mill at Emirates Steel Industries’ facility

  • Dar al-Dhabi extends deadline on Reem island project

    Contractors given more time to bid for Abu Dhabi scheme

  • Deadline set for Shah sulphur handling construction deal

    October closing date set for engineering proposals on key export terminal deal

  • Debt defaults at Saad and Al-Gosaibi hit Jubail financing

    International banks cautious over making loans to Saudi Arabia

  • Defaults create challenges in sukuk market

    Enforcing US and UK court decisions in Islamic jurisdictions causes concern

  • Depa wins Dubai Conrad Hotel interiors deal

    Local contractor to finish work by 2011

  • Developer issues tenders for Al-Raha Beach Hotel work

    International Capital Trading invites select firms to bid for construction contract

  • Disi Water awards consultancy deal to Halcrow

    Pipeline project to supply 30 per cent of Amman’s water requirements

  • Dnata looks into Kabul expansion

    Airport service company Dnata has said Kabul, Afghanistan is one of the locations it is looking for international expansions, Gulf News has reported. The report mentioned Dnata is close to secure a deal, taking over the operation and management of Kabul International Airport. The timeframe on when the deal could materialise was not given.

  • Dow Chemical appoints head of Kuwaiti operations

    US firm seeks to repair damaged relations with emirate

  • Dow to open Middle East research centre

    US-based Dow Chemical Company, in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), plans to establish the Dow Middle East R&D Centre at KAUST's adjacent Research Park and Innovation Cluster. Initial research at the will focus on water and water treatment technologies, eventually expanding its scope to oil and gas, processes research and development, and infrastructure materials. The R&D centre is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010.

  • DP World ends talks with regional firm over potential sale

    Port operator makes statement to stock exchange

  • DP World pulls out of stake sale talks

    Dubai-based port operator DP World has said it is not in negotiatons sell a stake in the firm, and talks between its parent company and a regional private equity player were no longer ongoing, Reuters has reported. DP World issued the statement following a media report that private equity firm Abraaj Capital's five-month old talks to buy a stake in the firm collapsed after both companies failed to agree terms.

  • Du launches Wi-fi on Dubai Metro

    Du has announced that it has built a WiFi network on the new Dubai Metro line, in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The Du WiFi service is available to all visitors and residents using Dubai Metro with a WiFi enabled device such as laptop, smart phone or PDA, the company said. Customers can pay for the service using a credit card or Du WoW recharge cards.

  • Dubai adds new bus routes to serve metro

    The Public Transport Agency of Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority has said it is launching 17 new bus routes on September 1 as feeder services for Dubai Metro. The new routes will serve the metro stations of Rashidiya, Financial Centre, Mall of the Emirates and Nakheel Harbor and Tower at Dubai Marina, the agency said. The new routes of bus feeder service of Dubai Metro stations will bring the overall total to 25.

  • Dubai airport open to having foreign anchor

    Dubai's new Al-Maktoum International Airport is open to having a non-home airline as the anchor carrier, according to a Dubai International Airport senior executive. 'It does not have to be on of our home-grown carriers,' Anita Mehra Homayoun, VP for marketing at Dubai International Airport told website Flightglobal. 'It could be an Asian or European airline that feels that Dubai will be a good base to be in, and we will welcome that.'

  • Dubai airport records 11 per cent passenger growth in August

    Traffic increase linked to economic recovery

  • Dubai Airports forecasts 14 per cent traffic growth in 2010

    Al-Maktoum airport is expected to drive recovery

  • Dubai considers issuing licences for new taxis

    Transport authority tries to encourage public to use metro

  • Dubai expects 13.6% passenger growth in 2010

    Dubai's location and advancements in aircraft technology will help passenger traffic through the emirate's two airports to grow to 13.6% in 2010, the Dubai Airports Company has predicted. Total passenger traffic through the Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International Airport is expected to reach 40.5 million by the end of 2009 and top 46 million in 2010. Dubai International is ranked the world's fifth busiest airport in terms of international passengers, and f

  • Dubai Holding to repay $300m loan

    Emirates NBD set up financing for subsidiary of state firm

  • Dubai hotels aim to boost safety

    Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has signed a deal with the Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence that aims to improve the safety facilities of hotel establishments in the emirate. The deal entails a comprehensive check of the preparedness of security teams in all hotels in dealing with emergencies and evacuation in addition to checking out the fire fighting equipments installed at hotel establishments, DTCM said.

  • Dubai launches energy council

    Sheikh Mohammed creates authority to oversee development of oil and gas sector

  • Dubai Metro deploys more trains to meet demand

    Total daily passengers reaches 97,000 on first day of Eid festival

  • Dubai metro Green line to open three months after deadline

    Rail route to start operating in June 2010 because of extension work

  • Dubai Metro hits one million passengers

    Dubai Metro marked the one million passenger milestone on September 26, according to the statistics compiled by the Rail Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). 52,956 passengers have been lifted between the 10 operating stations on the Red Line on Saturday pushing the total number of passengers who travelled on Dubai Metro to 1,018,030 passengers in 16 days only, the figures showed.

  • Dubai Metro kickstarts mass public transport in the Gulf

    Dubai Metro, the Gulf’s first mass transport urban railway, has opened with high hopes and some glitches. However it is the start of something big

  • Dubai Metro opens to public

    Dubai's Metro service has opened to the public, with 10 stations along the inaugural Red Line open. Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, bought the first ticket during a ceremony at 9pm on 09/09/09, after which the first train left Mall of the Emirates station. The system cost an estimated Dhs28bn.

  • Dubai Metro sees nearly 100,000 riders on Sunday

    Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has announced that almost 100,000 passengers used the emirate's new metro on Sunday, the first day of the Eid holidays, making it by far the busiest day on the metro since it was launched on September 10. A total of 97,527 passengers travelled between the 10 stations on the Red Line, RTA said, nearly 60,000 more than on the previous Sunday when 38,841 people used the rail service.

  • Dubai Metro to see Dhs17bn profit in 10 years

    Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority is expecting the Metro to generate up to Dhs17bn ($4.6bn) within the next ten years, Gulf News has reported. Most the projected income will come from the sales of tickets, fines, and the rent and sale of retail outlets within the Metro stations, RTA said.

  • Dubai Metro transports 110,000 commuters in two days

    Roads & Transport Authority aims to ease traffic congestion

  • Dubai needs a long-term plan to tackle the debt mountain

    Dubai’s debts may be much more than people think and is set to enter a new phase. It now needs a long-term debt management strategy

  • Dubai passenger growth climbs 10.7%

    Dubai International Airport saw a nearly 11% jump in passenger traffic in August, following double digit growth the previous two months. Passenger traffic climbed 10.7% last month, compared to growth of 10.3% in June and 12.6% in July, Dubai Airports Company said. Dubai International handled a total of 3,729,879 passengers in August compared to 3,368,260 during the same period last year.

  • Dubai Police delays training college tender

    Contractor gives more time to bidders to prepare proposals

  • Dubai room rates drop 26% in H1

    Room rates in Dubai hotels fell by 26% in the first six months of 2009 for guests paying in US dollars, according to a new report by Hotels.com. Globally, hotel rates fell by an average of 17% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2008, the report found. For UK visitors paying for hotel rooms in pounds sterling, room rates in Dubai dropped a more modest 4% year on year.

  • Dubai room rates drop 26% in H1

    Room rates in Dubai hotels fell by 26% in the first six months of 2009 for guests paying in US dollars, according to a new report by Hotels.com. Globally, hotel rates fell by an average of 17% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2008, the report found. For UK visitors paying for hotel rooms in pounds sterling, room rates in Dubai dropped a more modest 4% year on year.

  • Dubai room rates drop 26% in H1

    Room rates in Dubai hotels fell by 26% in the first six months of 2009 for guests paying in US dollars, according to a new report by Hotels.com. Globally, hotel rates fell by an average of 17% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2008, the report found. For UK visitors paying for hotel rooms in pounds sterling, room rates in Dubai dropped a more modest 4% year on year.

  • Dubai set to become world's fourth biggest aviation hub

    As per the latest projections by Airbus, Dubai is expected to become the world's fourth biggest aviation hub after Hong Kong, London Heathrow and Beijing. According to the Airports Council International (ACI), Dubai has already become the world's sixth biggest aviation hub, overtaking Singapore's Changi last year. Combined aircraft orders by UAE-based carriers have already crossed the 400 mark with a book value exceeding $128bn including $72bn placed by Emirates and $43bn announced by Etihad

  • Dubai Stargate theme park opens

    The Stargate theme park has opened in Zabeel Park, Dubai, after taking four years to build. The Dhs280m park features state-of-the-art interactive play with an element of education. Westech, a Swiss leisure services provider, supplied the project with all leisure equipment and the installation of rides and games. The park was due to open in November, but that date was brought forward because the park's Space Mall hit 70% occupancy.

  • Dubai to issue fines for metro offences

    A list of fines has been approved for offences by Dubai bus and metro riders, including a Dhs200 ($54) penalty for any passenger who tries to use the metro without paying the appropriate fare, Gulf News has reported. Customers caught eating or drinking on the metro will be fined Dhs100, while fines of Dhs500 will be issued for offences such as destroying, damaging or tampering with devices, equipment or seats of public transport facilities and services.

  • Dubai to prequalify firms for Al-Jalila hospital work

    Health authority plans to build 200-bed children’s hospital

  • Dubai to unveil new cruise terminal

    The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has announced the new cruise terminal is expected to open next January, The National has reported. The official announcement of the opening of the new terminal will be made at the Seatrade exhibition in Hamburg on September 15. The terminal will have the capacity to handle up to four ships simultaneously, and will be the world's first to be operated by a government department of tourism, according to the DTCM..

  • Dubai World appoints new management posts

    Dubai World has announced two new senior posts , created to streamline the group's operations, Khaleej Times has reported. Jamal Majid bin Thaniah has been appointed as group chief executive officer and Maryam Sharaf as group chief operating officer of Dubai World. Bin Thaniah would help oversee restructuring measures and take charge of managing the holding company's business. Other group companies will report directly to Bin Thaniah. Maryam Sharaf, the group's chief financial officer (CFO)

  • Dubai World to hire 12,000 for Las Vegas project

    Dubai World and MGM Mirage have announced that they plan to hire 12,000 staff for their joint CityCenter hotel and leisure project in Las Vegas, The National has reported. The recruitment drive for jobs at ARIA Resort and Casino, Vdara Hotel and Crystals retail district would be the 'single largest hiring effort in the nation', the company said. The jobs range from bartenders and cooks to prop handlers, slot operators and manicurists.

  • Dubal expects 2009 profit

    Abdulla Kalban, President and Chief Executive of Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) has said the company expects to be profitable this year, despite decreasing sales and weaker prices. As a result, it will continue its overseas expansion plans, focusing on Asia and the Middle East. Last year Dubal reported a profit of Dhs2.2bn, but Kalban did not indicate what profit level he was expecting this year. He told Emirates Business has reported since aluminium hit its bottom price of $1,253.50 in late Februar

  • Egypt appoints investment authority chairman

    Prime Minister hires former head of Mortgage Finance Authority

  • Egypt lowers interest rates

    Inflation falls to lowest level in 20 months

  • Egypt may issue more cement licenses

    Egypt's Ministry of Trade and Industry is considering extending additional licenses for cement production in an effort to boost local supply in the face of increased domestic demand, the Daily News Egypt has reported. The country's cement production stands around 43 million tonnes per year, with analysts predicting this figure to grow to around 48 million in 2010.

  • Egypt sees 8.5% dip in visitors in H1 2009

    Egypt's state-run statistics agency has said that the number of tourists visiting the country had dropped 8.5% in the first half of 2009, compared to the same period last year, Reuters has reported. 5.4 million tourists had departed in the first half of 2009, compared with 5.9 million in the first half of 2008, the agency said.

  • Egypt to cut Hajj pilgrims numbers

    The Egyptian Higher Committee for Hajj has decided to reduce the number of Hajj pilgrims by 40% this year as a precaution against the spread of the H1N1 virus, Arab News has reported. A final decision on the number of Hajj pilgrims or cancellation of Hajj for all Egyptians is being considered and will be taken ahead of Hajj, after monitoring the spread of the virus, the committee said.

  • Egypt to expand power capacity

    Egyptian Electricity Holding to build plants in Sinai, Red Sea and Qena

  • Egypt to invest $10.8bn in transport projects

    Egypt will invest £E60bn ($10.9bn) in its transport infrastructure over the next three years.

  • Egypt: Flow measurement equipment

    Supply of flow measurement equipment as part of an integrated irrigation project. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • Egypt: Irrigation equipment and data processing

    Supply of equipment and data processing for an irrigation project. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • Egypt: Pollution abatement consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for assessing the impact of public disclosure on pollution abatement initiatives. Closing date: 9 October 2009

  • Egypt: Sanitation and sewerage infrastructure consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services comprising management and technical assistance for an integrated sanitation and sewerage infrastructure project. Closing date: 28 October 2009

  • Egyptair launches mobile information portal

    Egypt's national carrier, Egyptair has launched its mobile portal with Star Alliance. The portal provides information and services to Egyptair customers, including flight schedules, real time of Egyptair flight departures and arrivals, lounge information, currency converter, and weather for next five days in the arrival destination, baggage tracing and information on destinations. More interactive services will be launched in the coming weeks, the airline said.

  • Egyptian inflation declines to 9 per cent

    Egyptian inflation continues downward trend

  • Emal smelter 60% complete

    Yousuf Abdulla Bastaki, the project director of Emal Emirates Aluminium (Emal), a 50-50 joint venture between Dubai Aluminium Co. (Dubal) and Mubadala Development Co., has said that the smelter is 60% completed, Reuters has reported. 'Construction works are ongoing according to plan and the budget allocated by the company,' he has said. Dubal had said in March that it aims to bring the first phase of the aluminium smelter online in December with a capacity of 700,000 tons per year.

  • Emirates Airline signs deal with Australian carrier

    Codeshare agreement to allow easy transfer of passengers

  • Emirates delays shortlisting bidders for nuclear project

    Energy corporation plans to award deal for power plant on 16 September

  • Emirates expects return of A380 flights to New York

    Emirates Airline expects its Airbus 380 flights will return to New York in the first six months of 2010, as passenger demand is anticipated to recover by then. The Dubai-based carrier is also eyeing expansion to other US cities including Washington, Seattle, Boston and Chicago, Emirates CEO, Tim Clark told the Associated Press. The airline had started New York service with the double-deck aircraft in April of last year, but had pulled it two months later and replaced it with the smaller Boein

  • Emirates Extrusions to launch thermal break production

    Emirates Extrusions Factory (EEF), a subsidiary of M'Sharie LLC, the private equity arm of Dubai Investments, has launched a new thermal break production line which aims to improve efficiency, and increase the production and productivity of thermal broken profiles. The new thermal break production line, made by Belgium-based ALURO, comprises two knurling machines, one strip feeding machine, one rolling machine and one testing machine. The line is also equipped with an automatic CNC control to

  • Emirates Glass' new coating facility goes online

    Emirates Glass, a subsidiary of Glass LLC, wholly owned by Dubai Investments, has commenced operations of its new Dhs100m ($27.2m) glass coating line. The Terra G coating line is expected to boost EGL's manufacturing capacity threefold up to 3.5 million square metres of flat glass products per annum. The upgrade is part of an overall Dhs175m expansion programme, as the company relocates its entire operations to the Dubai Investments Park.

  • Emirates prepares for Durban route

    Emirates Airline is preparing to launch its new non-stop service from Dubai to Durban, South Africa next October. The airline will be the only carrier flying international routes on a daily basis out of Durban.

  • Emirates Steel bridge extension delayed until end of September

    State-owned steel company delays deadline to attract new lenders to $700m loan extension

  • Emirates Steel inks $474m deal with Danieli

    Emirates Steel Industries has signed a $474m contract with Italy-based Danieli Corporation for construction of phase II B of the company's overall $2.45bn expansion plan, Reuters has reported. Phase II B will produce heavy section beams, columns and sheet piles. According to the agreement, Danieli will be responsible for construction of a heavy section rolling mill with a production capacity of 1 million tonnes per year, which will add to Emirates Steel's total capacity by the end of 2011.

  • Emirates Steel to seek extra funding

    Emirates Steel, owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, has said that the company seek $600m in the first quarter of next year, to fund expansion and consolidate debt. The company expects to complete a $700m bridge loan extension by mid-October, pushing it back to August 2010.

  • Emirates Steel to sign loan extension

    State-owned producer will launch long-term financing in 2010

  • Emirates, V Australia ink code share deal

    Dubai-based Emirates and Virgin Blue Group's new international airline, V Australia, have announced a code share partnership on the trans-Tasman route, effective 25th October 2009. The code share agreement - Emirates' first with an Australian carrier - will provide V Australia guests seamless connections when travelling between New Zealand and the USA.

  • Empire Aviation takes delivery of Hawker 4000

    Dubai-based Empire Aviation Group has announced it has taken delivery of the latest Hawker Beechcraft Corporation business jet, the Hawker 4000. The eight-seater, twin-engine H4000 super-midsize aircraft, was acquired from the manufacturer following the sale by EAG to an owner in the region and will be managed by EAG as well as offered for charter. A further two H4000 aircraft sales have already been completed by EAG for delivery to the region in 2009-2010.

  • Etihad appoints senior managers for Japanese service

    Etihad Airways has announced the appointment of Masatsugu Nishiyori and Juan Torres to head up its offices in Japan. Based in Tokyo, Nishiyori will serve as the airline's vice president - general manager in Japan, while Mr Torres will take up the position of commercial manager. Etihad is scheduled to start a five-flights-a-week service from its Abu Dhabi home base to the Japanese capital Tokyo, from March 2010.

  • Etisalat runs internet upgrade plan

    Etisalat is upgrading customers on its Al Shamil package to internet speeds of up to 16Mbps broadband, provided they have a fibre to the home (FTTH) connection. The teclo said slower speed upgrades are available to those customers who do not have FTTH. The free upgrade lasts only for two months, after which customers must decide if they want to start paying for the faster service, pick an intermediate speed or return back to the original service. Etisalat has been upgrading homes in the UAE t

  • EU investigates Oracle's Sun takeover

    The European Union has begun its investigation into the planned Oracle takeover of Sun Microsystems. The commission is concerned that the $7.4bn deal could result in reduced competition in the computer database market and therefore higher prices. Oracle is the market heavyweight for propriety databases, while Sun develops the popular open source MySQL database. Last month the US Department of Justice cleared the way for the deal to go ahead.

  • Extreme Networks expands regional base

    US-based Extreme Networks has added AwalNet, a Saudi Arabia-based Internet Service Provider to its regional base of channel partners. Extreme Networks' regional channel base, which now includes 36 partners, also includes Kuwait's Al Alamiah Technology Group, Jordan-based Computer & Communications Systems Limited, and Amik Online, a Lebanese integrator and turn-key solutions provider.

  • Extreme Networks reports growth

    Dubai-based Extreme Networks EMEA has reported a 5% increase in net revenue at $81.3m for its fiscal fourth quarter and year ended June 28, 2009, compared to $77.2m in the previous quarter and a 17% decline compared to $98.3m in fourth quarter of last year. Fourth quarter non-GAAP net income stood at $2.3m, compared to non-GAAP net income of $3.0m in the fourth quarter last year.

  • Facebook Lite open to Middle East users

    Facebook Lite, the new stripped-down version of the popular social networking website, is now available to Middle East users. The site is not completed yet, and most of its settings are still inaccessible, but is open for users and anyone can access it.

  • Fairmont to manage Abu Dhabi hotel

    Fairmont Hotels and Resorts will manage a newly-built five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi when it opens on October 1, Gulf News has reported. The Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, which is owned by the Al Fahim Group unit Rmal Hospitality, is located near the Abu Dhabi International Airport and has 369 guest rooms, a variety of restaurants, in addition to a private beach, two outdoor swimming pools, a fitness centre and a spa.

  • Firms bid for Kuwait airport contract

    Kuwait's General Directorate of Civil Aviation has received bids from six companies for a contract to build administrative buildings and a fire station at Kuwait International airport, MEED has reported. The low bidder is the local Alamiah Building Company, with a price of KD42m ($146m). The list of bidders included the local Combined Group Contracting Company and the local Mohammed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi & Sons General Trading & Contracting.

  • Firms from Emirates to discuss Iraqi port investment

    Baghdad plans to develop facilities at Umm Qasr

  • Firms set to prequalify for oil scheme in Divided Zone

    Khafji Joint Operations seeks contractor to project manage expansion scheme

  • Firms submit bids for Kuwait airport buildings

    Local contractor is low bidder for administration buildings and fire station

  • Fitch reaffirms Nakilat bond to 'A+'

    Qatar-based Nakilat Inc.'s Series A senior secured bonds due 2033, has been re-affirmed by credit ratings agency Fitch, at 'A+', and its subordinated second priority secured bonds, due 2033, at 'A-', both with stable outlooks. The ratings were attributed to Nakilat's stable performance, with vessel delivery expectations and construction schedule. The bonds are part of a debt programme that will finance 90% of the $7.4bn estimated delivered costs of 25 large LNG tankers that will be chartered

  • Fluor completes $1.5bn RasGas contract

    Project covers construction of utilities, loading facilities and tanks

  • Fluor completes Qatar Ras Laffan project

    Fluor Corporation, an engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance services firm, has completed the RL3 Common Offplot Projects in Ras Laffan City, Qatar. The company's $1.5bn engineering, procurement and construction management scope for the common offplot facilities included power distribution, pipelines, storage tanks utilities and related equipment required to provide common storage and loading operations supporting numerous new LNG, gas-to-liquids and gas sales projects.

  • FlyDubai adds more flights to Beirut for Eid

    Low-cost carrier FlyDubai has announced that it is adding extra flights to its Beirut route during Eid Al Fitr. The additional flights are scheduled on September 17, 18, 19 and 25 departing from Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 at 7.40pm and arriving in Beirut at 10.15pm (local time), while return flight will take off from Rafic Hariri International Airport, Beirut, at 11pm (local time), arriving in Dubai at 3.20am.

  • flyDubai adds second route in Africa

    Dubai-based low-cost airline flyDubai has added a second African destination to its network with the launch of service to Djibouti Ambouli International Airport. The new service will operate three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, departing Dubai at 0800hrs arriving at 1015hrs local time. The return flight will leave 45 minutes later at 1100hrs and arrive back in Dubai at 1515hrs local time.

  • FlyDubai knocks 40% off ticket prices

    Low-cost airline FlyDubai has cut 40% off its ticket prices for all destinations for those booking flights from today for 10 days. Tickets will be valid for travel only between October 1 and November 15. This is the second time the recently launched airline has held such a sale, the first being in June. CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said on that occasion, it helped boost sales, with 2,000 tickets bought in the first seven hours of the offer.

  • Flydubai plans rapid growth

    Low-cost carrier Flydubai will add eight new destinations by the year's end and plans to expand at a faster pace until 2011, Gulf Times has reported. The airline will focus not only on destinations covered by full-service airlines such as Emirates and Etihad, but also on smaller, secondary cities in the region, Flydubai's CEO, Ghaith al-Ghaith said. The airline carried its 100,000th passenger in August, three months after launching.

  • Flydubai to launch Azerbaijan route

    Dubai's low-cost airline, Flydubai is preparing to start direct flights between Dubai and the Azeri capital, Baku, according to local site abc.az. The only current flights between UAE and Azerbaijan are served by Azerbaijan Airlines.

  • Foreign investment in Saudi Arabia rises 57 per cent

    Kingdom attracts $38bn in foreign capital during 2008

  • Free wi-fi at Abu Dhabi International Airport

    Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has launched free wi-fi and internet access throughout Abu Dhabi International Airport. In addition to the 65 touch screen walk-up kiosks offering 20 minutes of free internet access per session, the wi-fi service provides one hour of free access per session, with users able to reconnect for subsequent sessions, ADAC said.

  • Freecom to sell first USB 3.0 device

    Dutch computer peripherals manufacturer Freecom has brought out one of the first devices based on the USB 3.0 standard - a portable hard drive that provides far faster data-transfer rates then drives based on the older USB 2.0 standard. The portable hard drive can transfer data at approximately 130MB (megabytes) per second. That compares to the existing USB 2.0 standard, which transfers data at a rate of up to 480Mbits per second. The drive can move a 5GB file to a host device in just 38 seco

  • GAC expands operations in Dubai

    Dubai-based shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC has expanding the company's facilities in Jebel Ali Free Zone's south zone to more than 160,000 sq.m by acquiring a 42,000 sq.m warehouse. GAC's facility in JAFZA is one of the group's largest worldwide and its logistics centre there is the region's biggest.

  • Gasco sets final bid date for $100m pipeline deal

    Firms prepare price proposals for deal to build 100km plus pipeline in Abu Dhabi

  • Gaza/West Bank: Power transformers and switchgear

    Supply and installation of power transformers and associated switchgear, and protection and control equipment. Closing date: not stated

  • Gaza/West Bank: Wastewater treatment plant equipment

    Supply of plant and equipment for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • German contractor expects hefty losses on Doha road project

    Dispute is the second between an international contractor and Ashghal

  • GetThere rolls out in Middle East

    GetThere, an online travel procurement solution, has launched in the Middle East, through Sabre Travel Network Middle East (STNME). GetThere has self-booking deployments in 76 countries and generates more than $9bn in business travel bookings alone. The latest GetThere release contains 15 enhancements, now available to clients using GetThere either directly or via a travel agency reseller, including live hotel availability and mobile access to trip and flight status information on any WAP-ena

  • Global leaders set the scene for the next bubble and crash

    While the G20 nations agree on a new global financing plan, Saudi Arabia needs to keep pushing for finance reforms

  • Global sukuk issuance falls to $9bn in 2009

    Moody’s predicts sukuk market to remain positive for the remainder of 2009

  • Google expands presence in Jordan

    Google has become a member of the Information Technology Association of Jordan and is seriously considering making the kingdom a hub for its regional centre, the association's chairman has said. By joining the association, Google will become more familiar with the Jordanian market and companies operating in the sector, which he said is likely to enhance chances of the Internet giant exploring investment opportunities with local companies in improving Arabic content, Marwan Jumaa told Jordan T

  • Gulf Air begins service to Najaf

    Gulf Air, Bahrain's national announced the beginning of its new four times weekly service to Najaf in Iraq. The new service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays until October 25, after which it will go daily, the airline said.

  • Gulf Air expands Iraq flights

    Bahrain-based Gulf Air has said it is expanding its network in Iraq this September. Flights will commence four times per week to Najaf from 26 September, and will become a daily service from 26 October. Services to Erbil will begin on 26 October with three flights per week, which will also become a daily service in due course. Flights to Najaf will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using an A320 aircraft.

  • Gulf Air to expand Iraqi network by end of 2009

    Airline chief confirms carrier will fly to four more cities

  • Gulf Air to launch Iraqi Kurdistan route

    Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air will begin flying to the Kurdish region of Iraq from the end of October. It will fly between the kingdom's capital Manama and Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, although a schedule has yet to be announced. Tahir al-Horami, director of Arbil International Airport, said that the route was the start an important channel links the Kurdish region to the rest of the world.

  • Gulf Air to sell aircraft

    Loss-making Bahrain's Gulf Air has commissioned Monaco-headquartered Avinco, an aircraft trading, remarketing and sourcing firm, to sell or lease five of its A340-300s aircraft, according to web site Flight Global. The airline also has a further four A340-300s on lease. The decision marks the first major fleet decision since former Royal Jordanian CEO Samer Majali took over at the airline.

  • Gulf Air ups baggage allowance

    Gulf Air, Bahrain's national carrier plans to increase its free checked baggage allowance in all three classes starting from October 1. The carrier's First, Business and Economy baggage allowances will all increase by 10kgs taking them to 50kgs, 40kgs and 30kgs respectively. Gold and Silver members of Gulf Air's frequent flyer programme are also entitled to an additional baggage allowance of 15kgs for silver members and 20kgs for gold card members,

  • Gulf airlines defy global losses

    Region posts modest second-quarter profits

  • Gulf Energy Maritime receives tanker

    Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), a Dubai-based independent shipping company, has taken delivery of the 'Gulf Coral,' its seventh Panamax tanker and the fleet's 16th vessel. The 75,000 dwt product oil tanker is the last but one vessel to be delivered this year by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD). It is also the third of four new Panamax vessels scheduled for delivery in 2009.

  • Gulf Investment Corporation to build Bahraini steel plant

    Bankers close to finalising $750m financing for Sulb project

  • Gulf Keystone plans legal action to withdraw from Algerian deal

    UK company aims to focus on Kurdistan operations

  • Gulf premium air travel sector fails to recover

    Passengers continue to shun first and business class

  • Gulf Projects 21 September 2009: Index remains unchanged

    The MEED Projects-CMI index remained unchanged at $2.57 trillion in the week to 21 September as the month of Ramadan ended

  • Gulf Projects 24 August 2009: Index rises 14.2 per cent

    For the second consecutive week, the UAE was the only market to record a change in the value of projects planned or under way.

  • Gulf Projects 28 September 2009: Index rises 0.3 per cent

    The MEED Projects-CMI index rose by 0.3 per cent to nearly $2.58 trillion in the week to 28 September

  • Gulf Projects 7 September: Index falls 1.7 per cent

    The value of projects across the Middle East which are on hold stood at $541bn on 7 September, following a 1.7 per cent fall in the value of the MEED Projects index over the week.

  • H1N1 clearance required for Hajj Visa

    The UAE's General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments has said that this year's pilgrims will need to furnish a health certificate to show they are free of the H1N1 virus in order to obtain entry visa for Hajj, Khaleej Times has reported. 'The authority will not allow any person to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this season without submitting this certificate,' Mohammed Obeid Al Mazrouie, head of the UAE Official Haj Mission and executive director of the authority said.

  • Hanwha wins Samra power expansion work

    First turbine to start operating before end of 2010

  • Hilton rebrands

    Hilton Worldwide, formerly Hilton Hotels Corporation, has announced launch of its new corporate name and logo. According to the group, Hilton Worldwide signifies the company's global reach, and the logo incorporates key design elements reflecting Hilton's heritage, vision for the future and commitment to excellence in service. 'The changes have also been mirrored by the internal launch of a refreshed company vision, mission, values and key strategic priorities, which are intended to communica

  • Holiday Inn opens on Jordan's Dead Sea

    InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the opening of its second Holiday Inn property in Jordan and its first on the Dead Sea. The Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea has 78 rooms and 128 chalets, a choice of restaurants and lounges, sports facilities and a swimming pool.

  • IATA forecasts deeper losses for airlines

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced a revised global financial forecast predicting airline losses totaling $11bn in 2009, raising an earlier loss forecast of $9bn due to rising fuel prices and exceptionally weak yields. Industry revenues for the year are expected to fall by $80bn (15%) to $455bn compared with 2008 levels. However, IATA has improved its outlook for Middle East carriers by reducing its earlier losses forecast by $1bn to only $500m. Middle East carri

  • IBM launches Cognos Express

    IBM Middle East has launched a suite of mid market offerings including IBM Cognos Express, an all-in-one business intelligence and planning solution specifically built and priced for midsized clients, the company said in a statement. The new solution provides pre-configured business intelligence and planning capabilities in a single offering, allowing clients to build reports, analyses, dashboards and multi-dimensional plans on their own. The new IBM Cognos Express also comes with an in-memor

  • Intel launches Core i7 mobile processors

    Intel is bringing into the mobile market its Nehalem micro-architecture, introducing its latest Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor and Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor Extreme Edition. The new mobile processors include two-channel DDR3 1333 MHz memory support and full 1 x16 or 2 x8 PCI Express 2.0 graphics. These processorsare catered for intense gaming, digital media, photos, music, business applications and other multi-threaded software.

  • Intel to distribute branded ESET software

    Starting in Q1 2010, Intel has announced that it will distribute ESET security software products with Intel-branded desktop motherboards, which will include either a 45-day or one-year product licence for ESET Smart Security. ESET will ship exclusively with the new Intel Executive Series Boards and will be the primary antivirus solution on Intel's new Media Series motherboards shipping worldwide.

  • Intel unveils new processors in Gulf

    Intel Corporation Middle East has launched several new desktop and server processors in the Middle East. The new line-up includes the Intel Core i5 processor family, two new Intel Core i7 processors and the Intel Xeon processor 3400 series, bringing Intel's latest Nehalem microarchitecture to mainstream desktop and entry server markets. The new processors are Intel's first to integrate both a 16-lane PCI Express 2 graphics port and two-channel memory controller, enabling all input/output and

  • Intercontinental Dubai sees demand rising

    The head of sales at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City said he is seeing signs of a recovery, reported Gulf News. Christian Pertl said conference tourism and executive travel in particular are on the rise at the complex, which comprises the five-star Intercontinental Hotel, Crown Plaza and Intercontinental Residence Suites. Rather than excessively cutting room rates during the summer months the hotels offered value added benefits such as shopping vouchers, free stay and free meals for

  • International Finance Corporation to supervise Jordanian rail project

    Transport scheme will link Amman and Zarra

  • Investment Dar signs standstill agreement with lenders

    Kuwait firm agrees with creditors to suspend claims while it restructures its debt

  • Ipoque inks deal with First Video Communications

    Ipoque, European vendor of Internet traffic management solutions, has appointed UAE-based First Video Communications Incorporation as its authorized distributor for the Middle East and North Africa region. Under the agreement, FVC will provide Ipoque's comprehensive portfolio of enterprise and carrier grade network solutions, besides being Ipoque's authorized training and support partner throughout the region.

  • Iran and Venezuela sign Syrian refinery deal

    Contract covers construction of $1.5bn oil project

  • Iran appoints oil minister

    Majlis approve appointment of Mirkazemi to top post

  • Iran invites interest in Abouzar oil field deal

    Offshore company invites contractors to prequalify for wellhead platforms tender

  • Iran plans five new airports

    Government to spend $70m to connect remote areas

  • Iran plans South Pars gas funding deal by December

    Parliament set to approve bond regulations

  • Iran tenders Qom water plant consultancy deal

    Dodahak project will have capacity of 570,000 cm/d

  • Iran to increase production at Aghajari oil field

    Company launches contract to install production units

  • Iran: Benefication plant electromotor

    Supply of an electro-motorfor a benefication plant. Closing date: 3 November 2009

  • Iran: Bunkering contracting services

    Provision of bunkering contracting services. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Canal and drainage system construction

    Construction of canals and drainage systems. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Iran: Catalyst

    Supply of the catalyst cobalt/molybdenum. Closing date: 9 October 2009

  • Iran: Cement

    Supply of cement. Closing date: 26 September 2009

  • Iran: Chock valves

    Supply of chock valves. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Coiled tubing reel

    Supply of coiled tubing reel. Closing date: 19 September 2009

  • Iran: Coring operations

    Provision of coring operations and related services. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Elevator weight compensator

    Supply of a single joint elevator weight compensator. Closing date: 31 October 2009

  • Iran: Ethyl mercaptan

    Supply of 20,000 kilos of ethyl mercaptan. Closing date: 15 September 2009

  • Iran: Gas compressors

    Supply of reciprocating gas compressors. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: H2O monitoring services

    Provision of H2O monitoring  services.  Closing date: 11 November 2009

  • Iran: Imaging system

    Supply of a digital drill core imaging system, gas detector and gas chromatograph. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Iran: International airport development

    Provision of investors for the implementation of the second phase of development of an international airport project. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Nitrogen pumping unit trailer

    Supply of a nitrogen pumping unit trailer. Closing date: 1 November 2009

  • Iran: Online evaluation systems

    Supply and installation of online evaluation systems and stack pollutant monitoring.  Closing date: 26 September 2009

  • Iran: Para-menthane hydroperoxide

    Supply of the chemical para-menthane hydroperoxide (PMH). Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Iran: Petroleum coke

    Supply of calcined petroleum coke. Closing date: 5 November 2009 

  • Iran: Raw materials

    Supply of raw materials. Closing date: 24 October 2009

  • Iran: Safety equipment

    Manufacturing, shipping and delivery of safety equipment.  Closing date: 9 November 2009

  • Iran: Storage dam construction

    Construction of a storage dam. Closing date: 10 October 2009

  • Iran: Submersible pump services

    Provision of electrical submersible pumps services. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Tamol-n chemicals

    Supply of the chemical Tamol-n. Closing date: 3 October 2009

  • Iran: Tin ingot

    Supply of tin ingot for a tinning line/cold rolling mill. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Water treatment plant consultancy

    Provision of project management consultancy services for the construction of two new modules for a water treatment plant. Closing date: not stated

  • Iran: Well testing burner

    Supply of a well testing burner. Closing date: 31 October 2009

  • Iran: Wellhead platforms

    Building two wellhead platforms connected to an oil field. Closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Iran: Gas turbine parts

    Supply of parts for Nuovo Pignone gas turbine. Closing date: 13 October 2009

  • Iraq completes 2010 budget

    Parliament set to debate and approved bill

  • Iraq projects fuelling increased charter demand

    UK-headquartered Chapman Freeborn Aviation Services said that demand for passenger charter flights to and from Iraq over the past six months has seen a sharp increase. Requests for tailored charter flights to Iraqi cities such as Basrah, Baghdad, Najaf, Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk rose month-on-month in 2009 as the reconstruction projects in the country are stepped up, the firm said. The aircraft charter specialist has also reported growing demand for cargo charters in and out of Iraq.

  • Iraq starts planning 2010 budget

    Finance ministry to submit proposals for parliamentary approval by October

  • Iraq to negotiate debt repayment for aluminum firm

    Iraq's Ministry of Finance has been authorized to negotiate a debt repayment schedule with the Bahrain-based Gulf Aluminum Rolling Mill Company, Aswat al-Iraq news agency has reported. The ministry will negotiate a schedule to repay $532.96m within 5 to 10 years.

  • Iraq: Asphalt mixing plant

    Supply of an asphalt mixing plant. Closing date: 8 October 2009

  • Iraq: Bank audit and compliance unit consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services comprising the restructuring of the internal audit and compliance units of two state-owned commercial banks. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Iraq: Bank capacity building consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services comprising the organisation structure and capacity building of two state-owned commercial banks. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Iraq: Bank financial restructuring

    Provision of consultancy services comprising the financial restructuring of two state-owned commercial banks. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Iraq: Base oil

    Supply of 500 tonnes of base oil. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Court administration/operations management

    Provision of court administration/operations management expertise. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Crude oil pipeline Scada system

    Replacement of a supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) system for a crude oil pipeline. Closing date: 12 November 2009

  • Iraq: Crude oil processing control systems

    Supply and start-up of control systems for crude oil processing. Closing date: 12 October 2009

  • Iraq: Di-ethanol amine

    Supply of di-ethanol amine (DEA). Closing date: 28 September 2009

  • Iraq: Digital temperature indication system

    Supply of a digital temperature indication system. Closing date: 28 September 2009

  • Iraq: Distillation unit and viscosity meter

    Supply of a distillation unit for water and a viscosity meter for crude oil. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Iraq: Enforced iron

    Provision of enforced iron for concrete casting works. Closing date: 28 September 2009

  • Iraq: Environmental laboratories

    Supply of two environmental laboratories. Closing date: 13 September 2009

  • Iraq: Field instrumentation

    Supply of field instrumentation. Closing date: 16 September 2009

  • Iraq: Gas compressor

    Supply of a gas compressor. Closing date: 11 October 2009

  • Iraq: Gas pressure regulator

    Supply of a gas pressure regulator. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Iraq: Gas station safety valves

    Provision of gas station safety valves. Closing date: 28 October 2009

  • Iraq: Generator unit spares

    Supply of spare parts for generator units. Closing date: 12 October 2009

  • Iraq: Governmental capacity-building training courses

    Provision of governmental capacity-building training courses. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Iraq: Housing construction

    Construction of 4,545 houses. Closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Iraq: Laboratory equipment

    Supply of 20 items of laboratory equipment. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Legal research units and library

    Provision of legal research units and library. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Legal training components

    Provision of training components for legal institutions and judges. Closing date: 10 September 2009

  • Iraq: Linepipe

    Supply of linepipe for water pipelines. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Iraq: Linepipe, heat shrinkable sleeves and crossing materials

    Supply of linepipe, heat shrinkable sleeves and crossing materials for a multi-products pipeline. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Main and booster pump spares

    Supply of spare parts for main and booster pumps. Closing date: 24 September 2009

  • Iraq: Microwave radio link system

    Supply of a microwave radio link system. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Iraq: National energy strategy consultancy

    Provision of strategic energy consultancy services. Closing date: 23 September 2009

  • Iraq: Oil purifier

    Supply of oil purifier. Closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Iraq: Power station flame sensors

    Supply of flame sensors for a power station. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Iraq: Prison reform and management project

    Strengthening of the capacity to reform and manage prisons and juvenile detention facilities. Closing date: 10 September 2009

  • Iraq: Protection relays and control boards

    Supply of protection relays and control boards. Closing date: 1 October 2009

  • Iraq: Radar tank gauge systems

    Supply of 40 radar tank gauge systems. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Ship

    Supply of a ship for an oil company. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Iraq: Substation works (1)

    Carrying out works at a substation. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Iraq: Substation works (1)

    Carrying out works at a substation. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Iraq: Substation works (2)

    Carrying out works at a substation. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Iraq: TBN booster

    Supply of 240 tonnes of TBN booster. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Thermodyne centrifugal gas compressors spares

    Supply of spare parts for thermodyne centrifugal gas compressors. Closing date: 24 September 2009

  • Iraq: Transducer

    Supply of a transducer. Closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Iraq: Trucks

    Supply of two light-duty trucks. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Tube bundle

    Provision of tube bundle. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Tube bundle

    Provision of tube bundle. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Iraq: Turbine master meters

    Supply of turbine master meters. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Iraqi Airways resumes Doha flights

    Iraqi Airways has resumed its flights from Baghdad to Doha, Qatar after 18 years, AFP has reported. Iraq's national carrier plans two flights a week initially to Qatar, one from Baghdad and the other from Najaf. Iraqi Airways was grounded by the international embargo following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

  • Iraqi cabinet approves Islamic finance corporation accession

    Country to benefit from trade funding

  • Iraqi parliament to focus on economic legislation

    Returning MPs to discuss Investment Law changes

  • Jacobs Engineering secures Ruwais expansion contract

    US firm to provide engineering and design services at Borouge 3 complex

  • Japanese firm eyes acrylic plant in Saudi

    Japanese synthetic fibre maker Asahi Kasei Corp has said it is planning to build acrylonitrile plant in Saudi Arabia with other firms including Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), Reuters has reported. The plant will make products used in resin and acrylic fibre. The plant would use propylene and propane gas as feedstock to produce acrylonitrile.

  • Jazeera adds two flights to Jeddah

    Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has added two more weekly flights to its schedule for the Kuwait-Jeddah route due to increased demand for the service. Starting September 16, 2009, it will fly to Jeddah five days a week, on Monday to Thursday, and Saturday. The extra flights to Jeddah also complement the airline's existing twice-weekly service to the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

  • Jazeera Airways to add cabin classes

    Low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways plans to add additional cabin classes as part of an effort to build revenues by attracting business and leisure travellers, The National has reported. New management is implementing changes at the Kuwait-based airline, including the new cabin classes as well as targeting other travel segments and adding more bases of operation throughout the region, in a bid to become one of the top regional carriers.

  • Jazeera is largest operator at Kuwait airport

    Four-year old Jazeera Airways has reported that it had the largest number of aircraft movements of any carrier in July at Kuwait International Airport. The airline said it had 1834 take-offs and landings in the month, overpassing the second largest carrier in aircraft movements by 4%.

  • Jeddah Islamic Port eyes for 4th terminal

    Authorities at the Jeddah Islamic Port may build a fourth terminal, depending on the outcome of how its 3rd terminal, MEED has reported. Jeddah port's director general Saher Tahlawi has said, the port already has a study for the location of a new terminal and is in discussion on how to issue tenders to the private sector. The port is expected for construction by 2015 and full operations by 2020.

  • Jeddah port gets new cranes

    Global marine terminal operator DP World Jeddah has bought three new Super Post Panamax cranes, which can handle Super Post Panamax vessels for Jeddah South Container Terminal. The newly delivered cranes are designed to lift 65 tonnes each and were manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry, China, the company said.

  • Jet strike ends

    Pilots of India's Jet Airways have ended their strike yesterday, which had forced the airline to suspend flights to various destinations including the UAE over the past five days, Reuters has reported. The standoff had ended after talks between the two sides late on Saturday, the airline has said.

  • Jordan calls for consultants on Zarqa power project

    Amman pushes ahead with third independent power project

  • Jordan names IFC as rail project consultant

    The Jordanian government has appointed the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, as a lead transaction consultant to help attract investors to implement the Amman-Zarqa Light Railway Project. Under the deal, the IFC will review, assess and update the economic, technical, legal and environmental studies that were conducted previously for the project. The project involves putting into service a commuter train running on a 26-kilometre dual-track rail

  • Jordan to buy rocket systems from US

    Defence agency submits proposed deal to Congress for approval

  • Jordan: Fibre optics

    Supply of fibre optics. Closing date: 26 September 2009

  • Jordan: Gas-oil

    Supply of 180,000 tonnes of gas-oil. Closing date: 15 September 2009

  • Jordan: Gasoline

    Supply of 56,000 tonnes of gasoline. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Jordan: IPP consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for an independent power project (IPP). Closing date: 15 September 2009

  • Jordan: LPG

    Supply of 180,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Jordan: Overhead transmission line supports

    Supply of supports and accessories for overhead transmission lines. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • Jordan: PPP consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for a public private partnership (PPP) project. Closing date: 12 October 2009

  • Jordan: Reactor lifting and transportation

    Lifting, loading and transportation of old reactors and heat exchangers. Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Jordan: School construction

    Construction of a school. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Jordan: School construction (Irbid)

    Construction of a multi-storey basic school in Irbid. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Jordan: School construction (Maan)

    Construction of a multi-storey basic school in Maan. Closing date: 26 October 2009

  • Jordan: Schools construction and rehabilitation

    Construction and rehabilitation of schools. Closing date: 28 October 2009

  • Jordan: Solid waste compactors

    Supply of 21 solid waste compactors. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Jordan: Solid waste management project

    Carrying out a solid waste management project. Closing date: 9 November 2009

  • Jordan: Trunk sewer construction

    Construction of a trunk sewer for pollution prevention. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Jordan: Wastewater treatment plant consultancy

    Provision of technical and legal consultancy services for the expansion of a wastewater treatment plant. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Jotun wins Egypt paint contract

    Jotun Paints has secured a one million Egyptian pounds contract with Alexandria Governmental Bureau and Arab Contractors Company. The contract involves the delivery of 40 tonnes of white and yellow road marking paint, which are intended for the streets of Alexandria in Egypt. At present, Jotun Egypt has already supplied a total of 35 tonnes of paint, and is expecting to complete the delivery and paint works by the end of the year.

  • Kanoo and Amex launch luxury travel partnership

    Bahrain-based Kanoo Travel has partnered with American Express Vacations to launch luxury travel destinations for Middle East customers, Gulf Daily News has reported. Potential customers will be offered a range of cities and resorts throughout the world. The company said each destination has been hand-picked.

  • Kentz Group secures Qatar gas contract

    UK firm to replace glycol regeneration trains at Dukhan plant

  • King Abdullah university opens

    Education ministry and Saudi Aramco builds $2.6bn institution

  • Kurdistan government holds talks over Norwegian share sale dispute

    Oslo bourse says Iraqi authorities are not under investigation

  • Kuwait approves award of Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah hospital deal

    Arab Kuwait Contractors and Arab Contractors set to build project in Surra

  • Kuwait approves Gulf monetary union

    Countries still need to ratify Gulf Co-operation Council proposals

  • Kuwait delays $500m oil and gas deals

    Oil company gives contractors more time to arrange financing

  • Kuwait delays bids for Al-Zour water complex deal

    Ministry postpones drinking water scheme until 29 December

  • Kuwait delays bids for water work

    Electricity & Water Ministry plans pipelines from Mina Abdullah 2 to West Funaitees

  • Kuwait Energy signs $50m World Bank loan

    Financing plan to develop assets in Egypt and Yemen

  • Kuwait government reaches a deal over oil projects

    Parliamentary committee to approve major oil and gas projects

  • Kuwait issues tenders for airport hangars

    General Directorate of Civil Aviation invites firms to bid for construction work

  • Kuwait issues tenders for infrastructure work

    Contractors prepare bids for public housing projects

  • Kuwait issues tenders for oil and gas pipelines

    State oil company plans network from Mina al-Ahmadi to power plants

  • Kuwait makes $50m loan to develop Yemeni and Egyptian oil assets

    International Finance Corporation hopes deal will improve economies

  • Kuwait receives bids for Jahra road contract

    Mohammed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi bids low for project

  • Kuwait sets up temporary wastewater pumping station

    Repairs on flooded Mishref plant continue

  • Kuwait tenders judicial building work

    Contractors prepare to submit bids for construction deal in November

  • Kuwait: Aircraft parking hangars

    Construction of civil aircraft parking hangars for new air cargo at an airport. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Ball valves

    Supply of ball valves. Closing date: 13 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Building construction

    Construction, completion and maintenance of an institute building. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Building construction and maintenance

    Construction and maintenance of an immigration building. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Catalyst agent

    Supply of a catalyst agent for desulphurisation and metals. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Kuwait: Digital microwave devices

    Supply and installation of digital microwave devices for the television sector. Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Fuel

    Supply of fuel. Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Ground cable extension and welding

    Extension and welding of 11kV medium-tension ground cables. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Hospital generators

    Supply and installation of emergency generators at a hospital. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Hospital rehabilitation

    Rehabilitation and preparation of operation rooms at a hospital. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Induction bends

    Supply of induction bends. Closing date: 13 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Integrated distribution units

    Supply of integrated distribution units with electrical oil transformers. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Kindergarten construction

    Demolition, reconstruction, completion and maintenance of a kindergarten building. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: LPG plant EPC

    Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant at a refinery. Closing date: 13 December 2009

  • Kuwait: Ministry rehabilitation works

    Carrying out rehabilitation, overhauling and maintenance works for a ministry’s buildings. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Music building expansion

    Carrying out a music building expansion project. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Patrol vehicles

    Supply of patrol vehicles. Closing date: 7 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Pumping stations, oil and gas pipelines

    Construction of pumping stations, and oil and gas pipelines. Closing date: 7 February 2010

  • Kuwait: Road construction

    Construction of a new dual link road. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Roads, residential services and transformer substations (Jaber)

    Construction of roads, and provision of residential services and transformer substations. Closing date: 1 December 2009

  • Kuwait: Roads, residential services and transformer substations (Sabah)

    Construction of roads, and provision of residential services and transformer substations. Closing date: 24 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Rotating air heater parts

    Supply of parts for rotating air heaters at power and water distillation plants. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Kuwait: School construction (Qurtuba)

    Completion of design, licensing, construction, completion and maintenance of a primary school. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: School construction (Sabah al-Salem)

    Completion of design, licensing, demolition, construction, completion and maintenance of a primary school. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: School construction (Shaab)

    Completion of design, licensing, demolition, construction, completion and maintenance of a primary school. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: School construction (Sulaibikhat)

    Completion of design, licensing, demolition, construction, completion and maintenance of a primary school. Closing date: 20 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Sewerage services

    Provision of sewerage services. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Specialised gardens

    Construction, completion, maintenance, implementation and cultivation of a specialised garden. Closing date: 22 December 2009

  • Kuwait: Steam boiler water heater spares

    Supply of spare parts for water heaters for steam boilers. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Stores construction

    Construction, completion and maintenance of confiscated and seized stores. Closing date: 22 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Supermarket expansion

    Carrying out a supermarket expansion project. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Al-Ahmadi)

    Carrying out tile works at the Al-Ahmadi governorate. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Capital)

    Carrying out tile works at the Capital governorate. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Farwaniya)

    Carrying out tile works at the Farwaniya governorate. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Hawally)

    Carrying out tile works at the Hawally governorate. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Jahra)

    Carrying out tile works at the Jahra governorate. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Kuwait: Tile works (Mubarak al-Kabeer)

    Carrying out tile works at the Mubarak al-Kabeer governorate. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Kuwait: Transformer poles

    Supply of 150kVA transformer poles. Closing date: 11 October 2009

  • Kuwait: University buildings maintenance (Kaifan)

    Carrying out maintenance works for university buildings. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwait: University buildings maintenance (Khaldiya)

    Carrying out maintenance works for university buildings. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Kuwaiti firm bids low for port work at Shuwaikh

    KGL Ports International submits price of $157m

  • Kuwaiti money supply growth remains static

    Rate remains at 18.7 per cent in August, says central bank

  • Kuwaiti power demand to grow 9 per cent by 2014

    Emirate is one of the highest electricity consumers in the world

  • Lamprell secures $52m oil rig orders

    Local company will complete work at Jebel Ali free zone in Dubai

  • Laying the foundations for growth in the Gulf

    Oil prices and production are likely to rise in 2010. And the GCC will probably be the world’s fastest growing region

  • Lebanon: City upgrade works

    Upgrading of city services. Closing date: 16 November 2009

  • Lebanon: Grade separation works

    Carrying out grade separation works as part of an urban transport development project. Closing date: 17 November 2009

  • Lebanon: Road intersection

    Construction of a road intersection. Closing date : 11 November 2009

  • Lebanon: Sewer networks and pumping station

    Construction of sewer networks and pumping station. Closing date: 22 October 2009

  • Lebanon: Sewer networks, pumping stations and treatment plants (1)

    Construction of sewer networks, pumping stations and treatment plants. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • Lebanon: Sewer networks, pumping stations and treatment plants (2)

    Construction of sewer networks, pumping stations and treatment plants. Closing date: 21 October 2009

  • Lebanon: XLPE and pilot cables

    Supply of high voltage cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables and pilot cables. Closing date: 13 October 2009

  • Lebanon's Uniceramic declares bankruptcy

    Lebanon's largest ceramics manufacturer, Uniceramic, declared bankruptcy on September 17 after having incurred $10.18m in losses and being unable to fund its liquidity shortage, The Daily Star has reported. The company, which was founded in 1973, shut down operations and laid off the bulk of its staff in April 2008 due to the high cost of energy and tough competition. According to reports, Uniceramic's bankruptcy was mainly caused by failing to compete with imported products whose manufacturi

  • Libya approves $10bn plan for oil fields

    Government corporation to finance development using bank loans

  • Libya: Casing

    Provision of casing. Closing date: 28 October 2009

  • Libya: Charter aircraft

    Provision of fixed-wing charter aircraft as part of a project to drill exploration wells. Closing date: 8 October 2009

  • Libya: Communications equipment and services

    Provision of communications equipment and services. Closing date: 1 October 2009

  • Libya: Coring services

    Provision of coring services for onshore exploration wells. Closing date: 22 September 2009

  • Libya: Drill bit supply and services (offshore)

    Provision of drill bit supply and services. Closing date: 31 October 2009

  • Libya: Drill bit supply and services (onshore)

    Provision of drill bit supply and services. Closing date: 31 October 2009

  • Libya: Drilling and road engineering services

    Provision of engineering and project management services for drilling and roads. Closing date: 13 September 2009

  • Libya: Drilling bits

    Provision of drilling bits. Closing date: not stated

  • Libya: Drilling operation energy package insurance

    Provision of an energy package insurance for drilling operations. Closing date: not stated

  • Libya: Drilling rig and water well drilling

    Provision of civil engineering services for a land drilling rig and water well drilling. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Libya: Exploration drilling civil works

    Carrying out civil works as part of an exploration drilling campaign. Closing date: 16 September 2009

  • Libya: Exploration well cementing services

    Provision of cementing services for onshore exploration wells. Closing date: 21 September 2009

  • Libya: Exploratory well drilling bits

    Provision of PDC bits for well drilling. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Libya: Mud logging services

    Provision of mud logging services. Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Libya: Offshore cementing and services

    Provision of offshore cementing, accessories and services. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Libya: Offshore floating rig

    Provision of an offshore floating rig and related marine services. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Libya: Sweep test services

    Provision of sweep test services for 3D seismic surveys Closing date: 17 September 2009

  • Libya: Workover rig

    Provision of a workover rig. Closing date: 20 September 2009

  • Libya: Workover rig services

    Provision of workover rig services for wells. Closing date: 6 October 2009

  • Libyan desalination plants begin operating

    Sidem plants produce first water

  • Libyan economy grows 4 per cent in 2008

    Higher international commodity prices and public spending cause rise in inflation

  • Logicom to be APC distributor in Middle East

    Dubai-headquartered Logicom, a Microsoft, Cisco and HP regional authorized distributor, has signed a distribution agreement with American Power Conversion (by Schneider Electric for the Middle East region. The agreement covers all major APC products and services, and will enable Logicom to distribute APC products across Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen.

  • Major UAE airlines back CO2 emission cuts

    Dubai' Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi's Eithad Airways are backing the the move of the international airline industry to significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions, Gulf News has reported. Emirates has said it is investing in eco-efficient aircraft fleets as part of its contribution to environmental protection, while Etihad has said it has a combination of initiatives such as fuel efficiency measures and the adoption of new technologies, such as bio-fuels. The airline added it is supportive

  • Makyol wins Omani road deal

    Turkish firm to build first phase of Batinah carriageway

  • Marriott expands in Dubai

    Marriott International, which operates six hotels in Dubai, is planning to further expand its presence in the emirate, The National has reported. The company has signed agreements with developers to operate two hotels at Lifestyle City, one in the Marina, one on Sheikh Zayed Road, another two at Healthcare City, one at Jebel Ali and two at Motor City, across its portfolio of brands including Courtyard and Renaissance, according to Jeff Strachan, the area director of sales and marketing for Ma

  • Marriott to manage Harbour Hotel in Dubai

    Marriott International has announed that it will be taking over management of the Harbour Hotel & Residence in Dubai Marina on September 15 under an agreement with Emirates. The 52-storey property will be rebranded the Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites following modifications to bring the number of rooms in the hotel to 232 later this year. The agreement is the second contract Marriott has reached with Emirates this year, following a deal to operate the 1,614-room JW Marriott Marquis Hote

  • Masdar shortlists Shams 1 solar power sites

    Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company to make final selection by end of 2009

  • Microsoft on Word sales ban delayed

    A Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has upheld the request by Microsoft that the permanent injunction that will stop Microsoft from selling the main version its Word program be delayed until it rules on the merits of the software company's appeal,the Financial Times has reported. A Texas court has earlier ruled barring Microsoft from allowing Word 2003, Word 2007 or forthcoming versions of the program to open files that contain what is known as custom XML.

  • Microsoft releases Windows 7 to manufacturing

    Microsoft has released to manufacturing (RTM) the latest versions of its flagship desktop and server operating systems, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The software giant is preparing for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 worldwide general launch on October 22. Individuals purchasing new computers with Windows Vista will receive a guaranteed upgrade to Windows 7 for a limited time, the firm has said.

  • Microsoft to offer visual search on Bing

    Microsoft Corp is set offer a visual feature for its Bing search engine which will let users scan images instead of text, Bloomberg has reported. The Bing software will allow users to see a deck of images once they click 'visualise' when searching for terms, for instance 'digital camera'. About 50 queries will be available, such as movies, handbags and Major League Baseball players.

  • Middle East airlines recover as passenger traffic rises

    Air transport association forecasts increasing losses for global sector

  • Middle East contracts awarded: September 2009

    Almost $7.7bn worth of contracts have been awarded across the Middle East up to 30 September 2009, according to this selected checklist compiled from MEED reports

  • Middle East Specialised Cables wins $25m contracts

    Deals cover work at Saudi university and Sonatrach

  • Middle East Specialised Cables wins cable contracts

    Saudi Arabia-based Middle East Specialised Cables Company has said it has won five contracts worth SR95m ($25.4m) to supply cables to Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach, MEED has reported. The company has also secured a SR40m contract through its Jordanian subsidiary MESC Fujikura Cable Company, to provide medium-voltage cables to the Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University for Women project in Riyadh. MESC has also won a SR15m contract from Italy's Saipem to supply cables to th

  • Middle East to lead air traffic growth

    A new study predicts that international air passenger traffic in the Middle East will grow 6.6% over the next decade, which would be faster than any other region in the world. The latest Global Market Forecast by Airbus also said it expects the number of planes serving the region to nearly triple by 2028.

  • Mideast air transport activity grows

    Majdi Sabri, Regional VP of the International Air Transport Association, has said that air transport activity in the Middle East and North Africa region had improved during the first seven months of this year compared to the same period last year, the Jordan Times has reported. The improvement may be attributed to the limited impact of the global economic downturn on the region, as well as the improved air transport services, he said. The region is the only part of the world which had recorde

  • Mideast passenger demand up 10.8% in August

    Air passenger demand in the Middle East rose 10.8% in August compared to Aug 2008, making it the only region in the world where carriers showed year-on-year growth, according to a new report by the International Air Travel Association (IATA). The report said the August figure for the region is below the 13.2% recorded in July due to a distortion resulting from the earlier start of Ramadan compared with last year. Middle East carriers continue to win market share on long-haul travel via their

  • Millennium Hotels debuts in Yemen

    The Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has signed its first hotel in Yemen. The five-star Millennium Gold Mohur Beach Resort Aden hotel, with 124 rooms and suites, is located on the shore of the Gulf of Aden with private beach and recreational facilities as well as a variety of food and beverage outlets.

  • Millennium to open five new hotels in UAE

    Hospitality firm, Millennium and Copthorne Hotels is planning to open five new properties in the UAE to increase the number of hotels it runs in the country to 11 by 2012, Emirates Business has reported. The five new hotels include two in Abu Dhabi, one of which, the Abu Dhabi Grand Hotel, is regarded as one of Abu Dhabi's biggest with 850 rooms and is due to open in March. Six out of the eight hotels currently run by the chain in the MENA region are in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The other

  • Mobily signs fibre deal with Rafal

    Saudi Arabia's Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has signed an agreement with real estate company Rafal to provide a range of services via fibre-optics for Blncyah development in Riyadh. Under the agreement, Bayanat Al Oula, a subsidiary of Mobily, will design and build a fibre-optics network infrastructure to provide smart teleco technologies and value added smart services, as well as facilitate IPTV, CCTV and wired and wireless broadband.

  • Momentum Logistics opens Sharjah container wash and repair services

    Momentum Logistics, the third-party logistics provider and subsidiary of international port management company Gulftainer, has finished building its new container wash and repair depot at the Sharjah Inland Container Depot. The facility offers a range of services, including container inspections, CSC plate renewals, structural repairs to all types of containers and a full set of services for reefer containers.

  • Monorail to be ready for Hajj in 2010, says report

    According to a report issued by Saudi Arabia's Supreme Hajj Committee, the SR6.5bn monorail project linking Mecca with the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah will be ready for use by pilgrims for the Hajj next year, Arab News has reported. The project is being implemented by a consortium of companies led by China Railway Company.

  • More taxis for Dubai metro

    Dubai Taxi Corporation at the Roads and Transport Authority is adding new taxis to enhance the integration of the metro with various transport modes as part of a comprehensive plan to be carried out in several phases. Abdul Aziz Malik, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation said 300 taxis would be deployed initially. 'Drivers of about 300 taxis have so far undergone field planning to acquaint them with the Metro stations, and practical training has been arranged for 1,531 drivers, as well as theoretic

  • More than 200,000 travel cards sold for Dubai Metro

    First day of operations for $7.6bn project has sold enough passes to serve one-sixth of Dubai population

  • Morocco set to buy military jets from US

    Rabat plans to sign $187m contract for F-16 planes and equipment

  • Morocco: Electromechanical counters

    Provision of electromechanical counters. Closing date: 16 September 2009

  • Morocco: Literacy and vocational training consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services comprising functional literacy and vocational training activities. Closing date: 25 September 2009

  • Morocco: Power plant equipment (Jorf Lasfar)

    Supply of electrical equipment for a plant at Lawamar. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Morocco: Power plant equipment (Kenitra)

    Supply of electrical equiment for a plant at Lawamar. Closing date: 16 September 2009

  • Morocco: Power plant equipment (Lawamar)

    Supply of electrical equipment for a plant at Lawamar. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Morocco: Thermal plant project consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for a thermal plant project. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Morocco: Water pumping and discharge works

    Carrying out water pumping and discharge works. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Morocco: Water purification works

    Carrying out water purification works. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Mubadala delays Rosewood Abu Dhabi hotel tender

    Project covers construction of hotel and retail park

  • Mubadala posts 39 per cent fall in profits

    Abu Dhabi’s state owned investment company posts fall in first half but doubles assets in past 12 months

  • Nasair adds Sana'a to network

    Saudi Arabia's budget airline, Nas Air, has added the Yemeni capital, Sana'a to its network of international destinations. The first of 4 weekly flights will take-off from Jeddah to Sana'a on September 2, 2009. The Jeddah-Sana'a-Jeddah route will start with three weekly flights until September 19, 2009, after which it will increase to four flights per week taking off to Sana'a each Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

  • National Bank of Abu Dhabi completes $850m bond

    Abu Dhabi bank secures over $4bn of orders for first Middle East bank issue since 2007

  • NBAD and DVB launch aviation fund

    National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) and specialist transport financiers DVB Bank (DVB) have signed a 50:50 joint venture to launch an aviation investment fund. The fund, which is expected to reach $1bn in assets over the coming two years, will invest in aviation assets - mainly aircraft and engines on lease to international airlines. The pair will manage the fund and as co-sponsors, will also proportionately invest in the fund alongside the investor base, which will primarily be from GCC countr

  • Netgear launches digital entertainer

    Netgear, provider of networking and storage products, has unveiled its Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000), a router with live internet-television browsing capabilities to Internet Services Providers (ISPs) in the Middle East. Designed to be connected directly into the TV, 'EVA2000' allows users to watch internet videos in a big screen, browse for news, sports, and homes videos from popular video-uploading sites; watch music videos, enjoy personal pictures, music and videos on the TV by pluggi

  • New closing date for Abu Dhabi pumping station tender

    Bids due in mid-October for $572m contract

  • New Dell laptop uses wireless battery charger

    Dell has unveiled its Latitude Z business laptop, which includes a new wireless charging technology. The new laptop can be placed on a special stand that generates an electromagnetic field to recharge laptop batteries wirelessly. The technology, which Dell calls inductive charging, takes the same amount of time to recharge laptop batteries as an AC adapter, according to Steve Belt, VP of business client engineering at Dell.

  • Nico International secures Fujairah Port deal

    Topaz Engineering subsidiary to build industrial facilities at four berths of oil terminal

  • No launch date yet for Air Arabia Egypt

    Air Arabia Egypt, the newly established joint venture between Egypt's Travco Group and Sharjah-based Air Arabia, has not yet determined whether it will launch operations this year or in 2010, Air Arabia's CEO Adel Ali told Emirates Business. 'I do not have a date for the launch yet,' he told Emirates Business. 'There is still too much logistics involved in setting up the company.'

  • North Cement needs $70m to boost production

    Iraq's Ministry of Industry and Minerals has said that state-run North Cement Company is seeking $70m to increase its production at its new Hamam al-Aleel factory, Aswat al-Iraq news agency has reported. The North Cement Company has developed a five-year plan to increase its production to meet the demands of the local market and to reduce imports, the ministry said.

  • Norwegian firm's shares frozen after disagreement over Iraqi oil field

    Kurdistan Regional Government bans DNO International operations for six weeks

  • Obama prepares to launch history’s most feeble Middle East peace plan

    It’s almost 100 days since US President Barack Obama promised a change in approach to the Middle East. We will soon seen how little progress he has made.

  • Obeikan to build largest float glass plant in Gulf

    Saudi Arabia-based Obeikan Glass has anounced plans to set up the largest float glass plant in the Gulf, Saudi Gazette has reported. Located in Yanbu, the fully integrated facility will produce 800 tonnes per day of clear and tinted glass feature, with on-line coatings. The plant's design and the supply of the main process equipment were awarded to the French engineering firm, Fives Stein.

  • October date set for Shah gas pipeline deal

    Joint venture partners set 11 October date for product pipelines package

  • Oil India approaches firms for Libyan drilling deals

    Contractors to drill four exploratory wells in Sirte Basin

  • Oil price drops below $70 after stock markets falter

    Bourses lose value after concerns over credit cutbacks in China

  • Oil price increases as dollar weakens

    Inventories in US at lowest level since January

  • Oil prices fall below $70 after increase in US stocks

    Contract values tumble below $70 a barrel on the back of data released in US

  • Oil Search finds oil in Kurdistan

    Drilling campaign yields 750 barrels a day of oil from Shakal-1 well

  • Oman Air inks IT network deal

    Oman Air has signed a five-year agreement with air transport IT specialist SITA to implement and maintain a hybrid network solution for the carrier. The $4.6m project is aimed at boosting productivity and delivering cost savings for the airline across its expanding route network, as it migrates from legacy connections for all its business operations.

  • Oman Air receives new aircraft

    Oman Air has taken delivery of the first of seven ordered Airbus A330-200s, as part of the airline's international network expansion. The new aircraft, which was acquired through a lease agreement with Dublin-based AWAS, is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines and is configured with 20 business-class and 196 economy-class seats. By the end of this year, the Sultanate's national carrier's fleet will feature two A330-200s and two A330-300s. During 2010-11, the airline will take an extra thr

  • Oman approaches architects for Khasab hotel

    More investment planned for the Musandam peninsula

  • Oman awards Duqm power deals

    State firm selects WorleyParsons and KPMG as advisers for coal-fired plant

  • Oman awards solar power deal to WorleyParsons

    Public Authority for Electricity & Water to develop plant as independent power project

  • Oman invites bids for Musandam airport masterplan

    New airport planned for remote peninsula

  • Oman releases oil recovery construction tenders

    Petroleum Development Oman plans to build steam-injection project at Amal

  • Oman tenders ferry terminals at Seeb and Salalah

    Transport & Communications Ministry invites firms to bid for construction projects

  • Oman tenders road project

    Prospective bidders emerge for highway from Teetam to Qafout

  • Oman to build Salalah and Seeb ferry facilities

    Muscat redeveloping infrastructure to attract tourists

  • Oman to see 2m tourists in 2009, says official

    The head of development at Oman's tourism ministry said he expects the country to see an increase of about 11% in tourists this year, taking it to the two million mark for the first time. 'The global crisis has forced Gulf nationals to travel closer from home and Oman is hugely benefiting from it,' Khalid al-Ghassan told Reuters.

  • Oman: Airport masterplan consultancy

    Provision of consultany services for the masterplan of a proposed airport. Closing date: 12 October 2009

  • Oman: Drinking water meters

    Supply and delivery of drinking water meters. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Oman: Fast ferry facilities

    Provision of fast ferry facilities at a fisheries harbour. Closing date: 19 October 2009

  • Oman: Hospital building extension

    Construction, completion and maintenance of an extension to a hospital building. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Oman: Hospital design and supervision consultancy

    Provision of consultancy engineering services for the design and supervision of a general hospital. Closing date: 16 November 2009

  • Oman: Port and ferry terminal (Ash-Shuwamiyah)

    Provision of consultancy services for a port, ferry terminal and marina port. Closing date: 19 October 2009

  • Oman: Port and ferry terminal (Dibba)

    Provision of consultancy services for a port, ferry terminal and marina port. Closing date: 19 October 2009

  • Oman: Port and ferry terminal (Lima)

    Provision of consultancy services for a port, ferry terminal and marina port. Closing date: 19 October 2009

  • Oman: Reservoir and transmission facilities

    Expansion of a reservoir and transmission facilities. Closing date: 30 November 2009

  • Oman: Road construction

    Construction of a road. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Oman: Road rehabilitation works

    Rehabilitation of a road. Closing date: 16 November 2009

  • Oman: Road works

    Carrying out road works. Closing date : 9 November 2009

  • Oman: School ICT infrastructure

    Provision of ICT education and infrastructure for a school. Closing date: 7 October 2009 

  • Oman: Seawater supply project EPC

    Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of a seawater supply project. Closing date: 16 November 2009

  • Oman: Underground electrical works

    Rendering underground an electrical network. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Oman's Muscat Festival cancelled due to H1N1

    Oman has declared the cancellation of its annual event Muscat Festival due to fears about H1N1 swine flu, according to news reports. The month-long festival is due to be held in January and attracts foreign visitors every year. Oman has reported nearly 2,000 cases and 18 deaths from the H1N1 virus so far, Reuters has reported.

  • Opec oil revenues to drop 42 per cent in 2009

    Lower production and prices set to hit international cartel

  • Orange Jordan sets up security centre

    Orange Jordan has set up the Orange Information Security Operation Centre (OSOC) to provide managed security services. OSOC aims to provide enterprise customers with a range of managed secure services, starting from the very basic through to sophisticated secure integrated networking technologies and services, the company said.

  • Orascom launches construction of holiday resort in Alps

    Egypt-based Orascom Development Holding has announced the beginning of construction of the Andermatt resort, the first integrated holiday resort in the Swiss Alps. The first development phase, during which the company will construct the Chedi hotel, basic infrastructure as well as an 18-hole championship golf course, is expected to be operational by winter 2013/2014. The entire project will comprise six hotels with 844 rooms, 490 apartments, 20-30 villas as well as considerable infrastructur

  • Pakistan buys 75,000 tonnes of sugar from Dubai firm

    Pakistan bought 75,000 metric tonnes of white sugar from Dubai's Al-Khaleej Sugar to help boost local supplies and lower prices, Bloomberg has reported. Trading Corp. of Pakistan bought the sugar at $638 a tonne, including freight costs, according to a spokesman for the state-run agency.

  • Palestinian economy recovers in second quarter

    Unemployment decreases to 22 per cent

  • Petroceltic discovers gas in Algeria

    Irish firm makes third find at Isarene concession

  • Petrochemicals prices decrease after demand drops

    Buyers delay orders while waiting for plants to begin production in the region

  • Petrocon Arabia and Al-Mojil complete Ras Tanura upgrade

    Three islands provide berths for oil tankers

  • Police probe Norwegian firm after share sale

    DNO International’s deal with Turkish firm hits its Kurdistan operations

  • Premier Inn opens at Dubai International airport

    Premier Inn has announced it has opened a new hotel at Dubai's International airport. The new hotel at Dubai International Airport has 281 rooms, with en-suite bathrooms, and could accommodate a family of up to four. The hotel also offers a contemporary restaurant (Bedouinns), a bar (The Retreat), and a Costa Coffee outlet. The company has also recently inaugurated their hotel in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the company has said.

  • Prequalification starts for Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

    Contractors approached for another Saadiyat island museum

  • Proclad's $400m manufacturing facility begins production

    FTV Proclad, an engineering, manufacturing and service provider for the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, has announced that production is underway at its new manufacturing complex based in Dubai's Technopark. The project is set to triple the company's annual capacity worldwide, the company said. Investment in the Phase I facility's four manufacturing plants had amounted to $400m. The complex also includes a research and development centre and a training academy that will offer co-bra

  • Q2 profits rise at Mideast airlines

    According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle Eastern airlines recorded $20m (Dhs73.4m) profits in the second quarter of 2009, compared to $7m profit recorded in the first quarter of the year, despite the $2bn losses posted by airlines across the globe in the second quarter. The aviation trade body had forecast the industry losses for the full year to reach about $9bn.

  • Qatalum awards vacuum sewarage contract to Corodex

    Dubai-based Corodex Electromechanic has won the contract to build a vacuum sewerage system for the world's largest aluminium plant in Qatar. On completion, QatalumQatalum's smelter will be the largest aluminium plant ever constructed in a single phase. The project involves design, supply, and supervision of installation of vacuum sewerage system, supplied by Roediger Vacuum Gmbh.

  • Qatar Airways expands India routes

    Qatar Airways has said it is expanding to more routes and increasing its frequencies across its destinations, Gulf News has reported. Two new destinations will be launched this October to India, offering flights to Amritsar on October 11 and the second will be Goa on October 25. Meanhwile, European destinations such as Madrid, Athens, Stockholm and Zurich will have daily flights from twice weekly, while Paris will have two daily flights starting next month.

  • Qatar Airways secures loans for new aircraft

    Qatar Airways has secured two loans worth $700m to buy four new Boeing 777 aircraft due for delivery this year, Reuters has reported. Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and SMBCE have agreed to a $350m, 12-year finance lease deal for the airline to purchase two new Boeing 777 aircraft, both a 777-300ER and a 777-200LR version. The carrier has also agreed to a $350m deal for the financing of two more new Boeing 777 aircraft. The Boeing 777-300 air

  • Qatar Airways to add more flights to Nepal

    Qatar Airways has announced it will increase its weekly flights to Nepal from 11 to 28 trips, in addition to seven cargo trips, The Peninsula has reported. The increase comes as a result of an agreement that was signed yesterday between aviation authorities of the two countries. The two sides have also agreed to update provisions of the air transport agreement, signed earlier between the two countries, especially the air safety provision.

  • Qatar awards offshore exploration licence to Chinese firm

    China National Offshore Oil Corporation to conduct seismic surveys and drill wells

  • Qatar cement firm to supply limestone to desalination plants

    Agreement covers 25-year period and is worth $2m a year

  • Qatar freight growth driven by gas exports

    A report by Business Monitor International (BMI) has said that Qatar's freight transport business will grow by 8.7% a year over the next five years, driven by a gas-led export boom, Gulf Times has reported. The country's maritime cargo volume will grow on average by 8.9% annually over the same period. The report said various factors support its predictions, the most important being the size of new LNG production, which is expected to come on-stream over the next few years, including the Qatar

  • Qatar money supply drops 5 per cent

    Figures indicate inflation will continue to fall

  • Qatar National Bank extends Doha tower tender deadline

    Building to be built on Doha Corniche will be 101 floors high

  • Qatar plastics plant cost up 44%

    Industries Qatar has said its new plastics plant scheduled for completion in 2012 will cost 44% more than previously reported, Bloomberg has reported. The low-density polyethylene plant will need QR700m more. The total cost of the plant will amount to QR2.3bn, according to Mohammed Sharif Mohammed al- Sherawi, IQ's chief coordinator. Industries Qatar has listed the project's price tag as QR1.6bn in its 2008 annual report. The new plant is set to be built at Qatar's Mesaieed Industrial City so

  • Qatar Shipping to sell unit for $110m

    The board of Qatar Shipping, a marine freight transportation company, has approved an agreement to sell its unit Qatar Engineering and Construction for $110m to a group led by Qatar America Asia. The agreement will be signed shortly, Qatar Shipping said in a statement today.

  • Qatar tenders Doha South wastewater consultancy

    Ashghal seeks project manager for wastewater plant expansion

  • Qatar: Coring equipment and service

    Supply of coring equipment and services. Closing date: 13 September 2009

  • Qatar: Road construction

    Construction of public roads. Closing date: 13 October 2009

  • Qatar: RPS and pipelines

    Construction of RPS and associated pipelines. Closing date: 8 November 2009

  • Qatar: Sewage treatment project consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for a sewage treatment project. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Qatar: Wet utilities distribution network

    Provision of EPIC services for a wet utilities distribution network. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Qatargas starts Laffan refinery production

    Facility to produce 146,000 barrels a day of condensate gas

  • Qatari Diar to develop Egyptian tourist projects

    Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment is planning to develop tourist projects in a number of cities in Egypt, the Peninsula has reported. The developer is currently working on its $1bn St Regis Cairo hotel, which will be operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts and is scheduled to open in 2014, as well as a $450m resort at Sharm El Sheikh.

  • Qtel completes $2bn loan

    Debt pays a margin of 250 basis points over London interbank offered rate

  • Qtel increases loan after strong response from banks

    Financing of deal to be completed at end of September

  • Rashidiya Metro bridges to open

    Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said that the bridges leading to the parking areas for Rashidiya Metro station will open on the same day at the Metro itself - September 9. The bridges are designed to ease the traffic flow to and from the multi-storey parking lot, which can handle up to 2,700 cars.

  • Ratings agency downgrades Dubai electricity authority

    Dubai’s creditworthiness is weakening, claims Fitch

  • Recession creating aircraft oversupply

    Switzerland-based investment bank, UBS has predicted that there will be a surplus of 1,400 aircraft by the end of this year. It said the upshot will be production cuts at both Airbus and Boeing, according to website FlightGlobal. It would mean Airbus production rates could fall by about 40% by 2012 and in order to avoid the cuts, passenger traffic would have to grow at an estimated rate of 14%, far higher than the expected growth of 5%, UBS said. Plane lessor AWAS believes the surplus will be

  • Rezidor to open Park Inn at DAFZ

    The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced it will open a Park Inn hotel at the Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ). The property will feature 312 rooms and is set to open in 2012. The new Park Inn will be located 1.8km from Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport, catering to the 1,300 companies present within the area, covering a wide array of firms; including aviation, pharmaceutical, logistics and IT.

  • RHI gets UAE glass sector contract

    Emirates Float Glass, wholly owned by Dubai Investments, has awarded Austria-based RHI a contract for the construction and supervision of a second float glass manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi. The furnace will have a production capacity of 600 tonnes per day, destined for the automobile and mirror industries.

  • Rotana opens its Makkah hotel

    Rotana Hotel Management Corp. has announced the opening of its new hotel property in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, the Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana. The new hotel is the first to open under the brand 'Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts' by Rotana. The new hotel is situated at the right side of Al Bayt Towers complex and has an overview of the Holy Mosque and the Ka'aba. Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana offers 400 rooms and suites.

  • Royal Jordanian, S7 ink codeshare deal

    Royal Jordanian (RJ) has signed a unilateral Free Sale Code-share Agreement with the largest Russian domestic carrier, Siberia airlines (S7), where S7 will place its code on RJ flights operated on Amman-Domodedovo-Amman route. The agreement will enable RJ to operate three flights a week, which will run on on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The carriers plan to expand the agreement to be bilateral once the necessary approvals for the Moscow, St Petersburg sectors.

  • RTA signs bus advice deal with Investment Park

    The Public Transport Agency at Roads & Transport Authority in Dubai has signed an agreement with Dubai Investment Park (DIP) to advise it on plans to deploy commuter buses. The bus services would be for employees working at DIP to travel between work and home. It is hoped that by providing buses to exclusively transport employees to and from their places of work it will reduce the number of private vehicles on Dubai roads, the agency said.

  • Rubber World launches new products

    UAE-based manufacturer of closed-cell rubber insulation 'Gulf-O-flex', Rubber World Industries (RWI) has launched its latest range of heating, ventilation and air conditioning products in the Middle East. The new products include non-adhesive sheets, self-adhesive sheets, aluminium foil plated sheets, PVC tapes, aluminium tapes and foam tapes.

  • Saad Group reaches agreement with Saudi creditors

    Family groups in kingdom default on $20bn debts

  • Saad Group reduces stake in Samba bank

    Saudi company held 7.8 per cent share of local institution

  • Samsung Engineering wins Saudi contract

    US-based Air Products and Chemicals and Samsung Engineering have won a contract for an air separation unit to supply National Industrial Gases Co. (NIGC), a subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). The ASU will produce 3,550 tonnes per day of oxygen, 3,600 TPD of nitrogen, and 150 TPD of argon. It will be located at NIGC's facility in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and is to be on-stream in 2011.

  • SAS to up Dubai services

    The multinational airline of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, SAS Scandinavian Airlines plans to expand in the Middle East and to South Asia by using Dubai as its regional hub, Gulf News has reported. The carrier plans to increase the frequency on its current Dubai flights because 'Dubai is a good and increasing market and the region is becoming more and more important for us,' according to Albert Henschel, the airline's UAE manager.

  • Saudi Arabia, India ink expanded air services agreement

    Saudi Arabia and India have amended their air services agreement to allow for more airlines to serve the two countries and to increase the weekly capacity. Currently, only Saudi Arabian Airlines and Air India operate services between the two countries. The new amendment enables both sides to 'designate any number of airlines as they wish' to operate services, according to India's aviation ministry. The two countries have also agreed to an open skies agreement for all cargo services with full

  • Saudi Arabia: Ductile iron pipes

    Supply of ductile iron pipes for a water transmission system. Closing date: 28 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Electrical distribution system expansion

    Carrying out expansion works for an electrical distribution system. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Housing construction

    Carrying out construction works for a new housing compound. Closing date: 24 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Medical centre expansion

    Expansion of a medical centre. Closing date: 10 November 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Mosques construction

    Construction of two Juma mosques. Closing date: 15 November 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Pipelines and pumping stations

    Construction of pipelines and pumping stations for a transmission system. Closing date: 8 December 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Road asphalting

    Carrying out road asphalting works. Closing date: 5 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Scientific institution

    Implementation of a scientific institution for a university. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Solid waste and sanitation services

    Provision of solid waste collection, disposal and general sanitation services. Closing date: 18 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Steel pipes

    Supply of steel pipes without coating for a water transmission system. Closing date: 6 December 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Wastewater networks

    Implementation of wastewater networks. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Saudi Arabia: Water purification plants

    Construction of water purification plants. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Saudi Aramco awards gas work to Canadian firm

    Font-end engineering and design deal covers plant development in Eastern Province

  • Saudi Aramco awards Manifa oil work to Sumitomo

    Deal covers engineering, procurement and construction of communications systems

  • Saudi Aramco awards Shaybah contract

    Deal covers natural gas liquids project in Empty Quarter

  • Saudi Aramco boosts security systems

    State oil giant will use firearm simulation technology to train staff

  • Saudi banks faces increasing risks from slowdown

    Institutions able to absorb losses and sector remains stable, says ratings agency

  • Saudi Electricity awards major contracts

    Locals win SR220m contracts

  • Saudi Electricity plans to boost capacity

    State utility to add 10,000MW of power capacity to grid

  • Saudi Emaar to develop port with Binladin

    Saudi-based Emaar Economic City, which is leading the development of King Abdullah Economic City on the Saudi Red Sea coast, has signed a deal with Saudi Binladin Group to finance, develop and operate a major port on the Red Sea coast. The first phase of the port will cost SR4bn with operations expected to start in 2012 and have a capacity of 1.7 million containers, the company said. The company did not say if the agreement with SBG meant the cancellation of another initial agreement signed i

  • Saudi firm sells surplus olefins

    A spokesman for Saudi industrial group Tasnee has said the company has started selling surplus olefins from its Saudi Ethylene and Polyethlene Company (SEPC) into the domestic market. The plant, which is currently running between 80 and 100%, is a joint-venture between Tasnee and Sahara Petrochemical Company, with Dutch firm LyondellBasel holding a 25% stake, the spokesman said.

  • Saudi hotels suffer swine flu losses

    Hajj and Umrah businesses in the two Saudi holy cities of Makkah and Madinah have suffered financial losses of approximately $240m as a result of swine flu fears, according to Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat. The owner of Amjad Al-Salam Hotel in Madinah, Ali Jaballah has said that more than 300 hotels in the central area of the holy city have incurred losses of more than SR400m when their occupancy fell below 10% during Ramadan.

  • Saudi industrial authority awards district cooling deal

    National Tri-Generational to provide cooling on build-operate-transfer basis

  • Saudi inflation falls to 4 per cent

    Slowing economy hits real estate prices

  • Saudi issues guidelines for Haj pilgrims

    A guideline for Haj pilgrims has been issued by the Saudi foreign ministry in the context of swine flu, The Peninsula has reported. The guideline requires pilgrims to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza before their departure to Saudi Arabia, with a certificate as a proof for vaccination and should have been administered within a period that does not exceed more than two weeks prior to their departure. If the vaccine is made available before the pilgrimage, pilgrims are also required to

  • Saudi most competitive country in Middle East

    World Bank report names Saudi Arabia as region’s easiest place to do business

  • Saudi navy receives bids for port expansion

    Contractors submit prices for construction of quay wall, berths and wharfs

  • Saudi pension fund increases stake in Samba

    Public Pension’s Agency ups Samba stake following acquisition of Kingdom Holding stake in early 2009

  • Saudi petrochemicals plant to produce 8 million tonnes of petroleum products

    Ras Tanura complex will be the largest of its kind in the world

  • Saudi venture wins $720m North-South rail contract

    Last main civil works package awarded

  • Saudis award Riyadh railway contract

    Saudi Arabia's Railway Organisation (SRO) has awarded a SR2.7bn contract to a consortium to build the main railroad linking Riyadh with Qassim. The project is part of the kingdom's north-south railway, linking the northern mineral belt with Riyadh and the industrial city of Jubail. It is due to be ready for freight movement next year and passenger traffic within two years. The consortium includes China Civil Engineering Construction, which will build the track, as well as Al Ayuni Trading and

  • Saur to manage Mecca water networks

    National Water Company awards technical assistance contract to French firm

  • Scandinavian low-cost carrier to up Dubai flights

    Europe's fifth-largest low-cost airline and the second-largest airline in Scandinavia, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA has announced that it will increase its four-days-a week timetable for flights from Scandinavia to Dubai to a daily service during the winter season 2009-10, Gulf News has reported. The privately-owned carrier, which launched Dubai flights last autumn, will fly three times weekly from Oslo and Stockholm each and once weekly from Copenhagen starting from October 15.

  • Scottish firm secures Gulf oil and gas deals

    Range of contracts cover drilling equipment

  • Seven to bid for Baghdad subway project

    Seven international firms have been selected to bid for the construction of Baghdad, Iraq's subway project in January 2010, Aswat al-Iraq news agency has reported. The companies have been given six months to submit their bids for the project, which is expected cost around $3bn.

  • Sheikh Khalifa announces railway board

    Directors to serve three-year term

  • Shipping warned of pirate attacks

    William Tobin of the non-profit organisation Shipowners' Protection Ltd has warned that pirate attacks off the Somali coast may make a vigorous comeback in the coming weeks after the end of the current monsoon, the Khaleej Times has reported. 'When weather conditions improve, we expect an increase in activity over and above what we have witnessed in the recent past. The deterioration of law and order in Somalia continues undeterred,' he said.

  • Shuaiba joins venture in Sudan

    Shuaiba Industrial Company, a Kuwait-based paper materials manufacturer, has signed an $11m deal to acquire a 33% stake in Sudan-based cement sacs manufacturer, Atbra Cement Company, KUNA has reported.

  • Siemens wins Dubai transmission project

    Dubai Electricity & Water Authority awards Al-Mazmar substation contract

  • Sofregaz wins Algerian gas pipeline deals

    French firm to design sections of Sonatrach distribution network

  • SolarWorld to buy stake in UAE plant

    Germany's third-biggest solar company by revenue, SolarWorld plans to take an up to $500m stake in a polysilicon plant in the UAE, Reuters has reported. The decision on the plant's location and the size of the stake would be decided by the end of the year, the firm's CEO, Frank Asbeck has said.

  • Sorouh chief executive resigns

    Abu Dhabi developer has no plans to replace head of company

  • Start of Qatar-Bahrain causeway delayed

    The start of construction on the $3bn Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Causeway, which was originally supposed to take place in May 2008, has been delayed for a second time and is now scheduled for 2010, Bahrain's Works Minister Fahmi al-Jowder told Gulf Daily News. He said it will take four-and-a-half years to complete work on the 40km causeway, which will incorporate a 13-metre wide railroad bridge.

  • Study warns of severity of rear-seat injuries

    Injuries suffered by rear-seat occupants of cars were just as severe as those of drivers and front-seat passengers, according to a study, published in the journal Injury, which collected data from Al Ain Hospital's trauma registry over a three year period. The authors said the results were a surprise because crashes with severe injuries are often head-on collisions, and front-seat passengers would be expected to fare worse because of being closer to the point of impact.

  • Sudan: Drug kits

    Supply and distribution of essential drug kits. Closing date: 14 October 2009

  • Sudan: Road development consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for a feeder and community access road development study. Closing date: 2 November 2009

  • Sudan: Road improvement works

    Improvement of roads as part of a national emergency transport rehabilitation project. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Sudan: Station wagon vehicles

    Supply of 10 four-by-four station wagon vehicles. Closing date: 22 September 2009

  • Sudan: Travel management services

    Provision of travel management services. Closing date: 4 October 2009

  • Suez Canal revenues fall 26 per cent in August

    Decline follows July 2009 high of $382.6m

  • Suez revenue drops

    Egypt's Suez Canal Authority has said that revenue from the waterway had dropped 26% to $371.8m in August compared to the same month last year, the first monthly drop in revenue since May, Reuters has reported. A total of 1,453 vessels passed through the Suez Canal in the month, compared to 1,521 in July and 1,993 a year earlier, the authority has said.

  • Syria delays power plant expansion bids

    Winning firm will design and build two gas turbines at Al-Nassirieh

  • Syria: Cement equipment

    Supply of cement equipment. Closing date: 8 October 2009

  • Syria: Corrosion inhibitor

    Supply of 300 tonnes of corrosion inhibitor. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Syria: Oil base mud products

    Supply of oil base mud products. Closing date: 22 October 2009

  • Syria: Oil well stimulation productivity increase

    Increasing the stimulation productivity of oil wells. Closing date: 29 September 2009

  • Syria: Power distribution transformers

    Supply of power distribution transformers. Closing date: 1 November 2009

  • Syria: Power line materials

    Manufacture and supply of materials for 400kV power lines. Closing date: 30 September 2009

  • Syria: Power plant extension

    Extension of a power plant. Closing date: 7 September 2009

  • Syria: Power plant extension supervision (Alzara)

    Supervision of the extension of a power plant project. Closing date: 1 October 2009

  • Syria: Power plant extension supervision (Tishreen)

    Supervision of the extension of a power plant project. Closing date: 12 October 2009

  • Syria: Soda ash

    Supply of 1,200 tonnes of soda ash. Closing date: 25 October 2009

  • Syria: Underground cable (closing date extension)

    Implementation of 230kV double-circuit underground cable. New closing date: 17 September 2009

  • Syria: Valves

    Supply of steel gate, globle and check valves. Closing date: 27 October 2009

  • Tabreed faces lawsuit over nonpayment

    Abu Dhabi-based National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) is facing possible legal action by contractors for non-payment. Contractors have said Tabreed has withheld payments, seeking discounts for some completed projects. However, Sujit Parhar, the company's CEO said that the company faced liquidity issues and weaker than expected profitability in the current economic climate and is working towards a solution. 'I can assure you that Tabreed is paying and will continue to pay its contractors,

  • Talaat Moustafa to build Four Seasons hotels

    Egyptian firm invites contractors to prequalify for construction contracts

  • Taqa completes further North Sea acquisition

    Abu Dhabi investment vehicle buys four exploration blocks from international oil companies

  • Taqa sells $1.5bn bonds in first of new wave of issuance

    Taqa issue demonstrates continued appetite for Middle East bonds

  • TDIC to launch corporate Sukuk

    Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development & Investment Co (TDIC) is set to launch an Islamic bond issue for general corporate purposes, Reuters has reported, citing two bankers familiar with the deal. 'TDIC is aiming for something between $500m and $1bn,' one of the bankers has said. HSBC, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Standard Chartered have been mandated for the Sukuk sale, the bankers said.

  • Telecom Egypt appoints chief financial officer

    Helmy joins state firm from KPMG Hazem Hassan

  • Tethys Oil and Consolidated Contractors plan Omani exploration

    Firms to conduct work in concessions in southeast of sultanate

  • The Address Dubai Mall opens for business

    The Address Dubai Mall, a newly built five-star hotel linked directly to The Dubai Mall, has opened its doors to guests today. The hotel marks the third property in the portfolio of The Address Hotels + Resorts, the hotel brand owned by Emaar Hospitality Group. The Address Dubai Mall has 244 rooms and suites, all offering views of Downtown Burj Dubai.

  • The Open Group, Shift ink franchise deal

    The Open Group, a vendor- and technology-neutral consortium has signed a franchise agreement with Shift Technologies, an IT and business consulting firm of the AW Rostamani Group. Shift Technologies will serve as The Open Group Arabia, and will provide localized access to information such as TOGAF and forums in the field of information security and enterprise architecture provided by The Open Group.

  • Topaz wins Port of Fujairah contract

    Topaz Energy and Marine, through its subsidiary Nico International, was awarded a contract for the construction of facilities at Oil Terminal 2, Port of Fujairah. Topaz's scope of work includes design, supply, fabrication, installation, testing and pre-commissioning of four berths Topside Facilities. (Mac Capital Advisors)

  • Towell takes Musanah water supply scheme

    Six other contractors, including four Omani firms, miss out on job

  • Tractebel to conduct study for Jordanian nuclear power plant

    Engineering company signs $12m consultancy deal

  • Travco in talks to launch budget airline

    Egyptian travel group Travco is in talks with a UAE firm to launch a new budget airline, Gulf News has reported. 'It's going to be a joint venture with another UAE-based budget airline and we will soon announce its launch,' Travco Chief Operating Officer Osama Bushra was quoted as saying. The airline venture is part of the company's continuing expansion in the hospitality business. Last month travco bought Germany's Steigenberger Hotels.

  • Tunisia: Brass wire gas accessories

    Supply of brass wire gas accessories. Closing date: 7 October 2009

  • UAE and Iran most connected Mideast nations

    The UAE and Iran have the most internet users per head of population in the Middle East and North Africa, with 56.4 and 57 users per 100 inhabitants respectively. According to market research firm Euromonitor, Iran had the highest number of internet users at 41.1 million in 2008, followed by Egypt with 12.6 million. When looked at per head of population Iran led the Mena region, followed by the UAE. As a region, there were around 85.5 million internet users last year, accounting for 5.2% of w

  • UAE closes quarries for environmental violations

    The UAE's Ministry of Environment and Water has shut down two stone quarries in Ajman, with 13 more quarries in the Northern Emirates and Fujairah facing closure for non-adherence to green regulations and causing pollution, Khaleej Times has reported. The quarries were given time to rectify shortcomings, but did not improve their environmental performance in line with the ministry's guidelines, the ministry said.

  • UAE: Power and desalination plant consultancy

    Provision of engineering consultancy services for a power and desalination plant. Closing date: 15 September 2009

  • UAE: Substation water proofing

    Carrying out water proofing works at a substation. Closing date: 14 September 2009

  • UAE: XLPE cables

    Supply of 11kV cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) power cables. Closing date: 24 September 2009

  • UAE's Ajman to build waste recycling plant

    Ajman Municipality and Planning Department in the UAE is expected to select a company within the next six weeks to build the emirate's waste recycling plant. Once built, the plant will recycle a range of materials, with plans to handle 80% of Ajman's waste in its first year of operation, rising to 90% from the second year.

  • UIA opens Kiev to Abu Dhabi route

    In cooperation with Etihad Airways, the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flew direct from Kiev to Abu Dhabi for the first time yesterday. The airline will fly the route twice a week - on Mondays and Fridays - which will increase to three times a week from late November, adding a Wednesday flight.

  • UK consultants secure Bahraini race circuit deals

    Mace and Davis Langdon to manage development work

  • UK firms boost Syrian oil output

    Emerald Energy and Gulfsands Petroleum increase production

  • US and South Korea sign Subiya power deal

    Kuwait awards $3bn contract to GE and Hyundai Heavy Industries

  • US developer delays deadline for power plant bids

    Firms need more time to conduct due diligence on assets

  • Vegas Oil starts commercial production in Egypt

    Northwest Gemsa concession operator links wells to export pipeline network

  • VIPs only on Dubai Metro on September 9

    The launch of the Dubai Metro on September 9th will be limited to a select group of VIPs, Gulf News reported today. The general public will be able to use the rail network beginning at 6am on September 10, an RTA official told the paper. The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will inaugurate the Metro operations on September 9 with the launch ceremony being held at Mall of the Emirates. After the ceremony, Shaikh Mohammad, along with other dignitaries, VIPs and invited gue

  • Vopak Horizons delays terminal expansion bid

    Fujairah-based company pushes submission date back by more than a month

  • Wared Logistics to set up cold storage in Mena

    Wared Logistics has announced its partnership with Preferred Freezer Services, provider of cold storage warehouses, to construct and manage refrigerated warehouses throughout Mena. Warehouse facilities are intended for Cairo, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi. Wared Logistics will provide refrigerated trucking services in each region for delivery to customers, and global trade management, importation, and drayage services to the distribution centers from the Ports-of-Entry.

  • Wataniya Mobile threatens to leave West Bank

    Company blames Israeli refusal to supply bandwidth

  • Weatherford wins Kuwait well testing deal

    US oil company signs $70m contract

  • Weekly Dubai, Ukraine route posted

    Ukraine-based Donbassaero Airlines Company will launch its winter season flights to Dubai from the city of Donetsk will start in October 2009, Interfax news agency has reported. The route will be served by an Airbus A320 which will fly weekly on a Tuesday starting from October 27, 2009 until March 23, 2010, the airline has said.

  • Work begins on Bahrain Sri Lankan six-star JV hotel

    Sri Lanka's Department of Government Information has said that work on the island nation's first six-star hotel - a joint venture with Bahrain - has begun in the northern Kappitiya area. It is expected to begin operations from November 2011, Xinhua news agency reported. The hotel will cost $130m to develop, have 420 rooms and aims to be environmentally friendly.

  • Work on eight marine e-fare collection systems complete

    The Marine Agency at Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has completed work on the electronic fare-collection system at 8 stations of the water bus. The automated fare collection service is operated through two specialized systems; the first is installed at the eight stations and operated by customer service employees for issuing Nol Silver Cards, while the second is an e-gate fitted with mechanical rods and interfaced with the Nol Card Reader.

  • Yansab ships first ethylene glycol

    Saudi-based Yanbu National Petrochemical Company (Yansab), an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation has announced it has shipped its first ethylene glycol (EG) production of 5,000 metric tons from its EG plant in Yanbu Industrial City, being sold to European customers. The Yansab complex has eight plants with a total annual capacity of about 4 million metric tons of petrochemical products, the company has said in a statement.

  • Yemen currency reserves at fresh four-year low

    Central bank’s reserves can only cover eight months of imports - a record low

  • Yemen Gas City deal agreed

    GasCities, a joint venture between Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, has reached an agreement with the Yemeni government to investigate the development of its proprietary Gas City Concept within Yemen. The Yemen Gas City will comprise a chemistry park containing methanol and fertiliser factories; a utilities hub that will make the project completely self-sufficient for all utilities, and will provide additional power that can be utilised by the Yemen National Electricity Grid, industrial clust

  • Yemen gas project set to begin production

    Multinational scheme to start commercial operations after technical delays

  • Yemen oil production and revenues continue to slide in July

    Revenues down 75 per cent year to date

  • Yemen: Flood protection consultancy

    Provision of consultancy services for a flood protection and emergency reconstruction project. Closing date: 3 October 2009

  • Yemen: Groundwater soil conservation equipment

    Supply of equipment for a groundwater and soil conservation project. Closing date: 29 November 2009

  • Yemen: Laboratory benching equipment

    Supply and installation of laboratory benching equipment. Closing date: 1 November 2009

  • Yemen: School maintenance tool kits

    Provision of school maintenance tool kits. Closing date: 7 October 2009

  • Yemen: Transformers and ring main units

    Supply of package unit transformers and ring main units. Closing date: 9 September 2009

  • Yemen: Water transmission pipelines

    Supply of water transmission pipelines. New closing date: 27 September 2009

  • Zamil Air Conditioners wins Saudi contract

    Saudi Arabia-based Zamil Air Conditioners has won a $13.6m contract to supply the kingdom's Ministry of Education with window type air conditioning units, to be used in the educational expansion initiative now underway at several girls' schools around the kingdom. The company will manufacture and supply more than 25,500 RAC 2-ton units according to MOE's specifications, and expects to complete delivery of the products by the end of November 2009.

Newsletter Sign-up

More sector and country newsletters

Subscribe to MEED to receive your choice of premium newsletters

Find out more

Knowledge Bank

Company Profiles

Biographies

Databank

Top 100 projects

Top 100 listed companies

Qatar Projects 2012

Order your copy here

Read sample chapter

Follow MEED on

Linkedin     Twitter     RSS Newsletter