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    Bahrain advances utility reform

      In September, Bahrain’s government referred a draft law to parliament to restructure the kingdom’s electricity and water sector. This proposes dissolving the Electricity & Water Authority (Ewa) and transferring its…read more

    Masdar and OMV sign 140MW green hydrogen plant deal

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access  Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has signed a binding agreement with Austrian energy company OMV to develop and operate a major green hydrogen production plant in Austria.…read more

Latest News
  • Firms submit Saudi customs warehouses PPP bids

    Administrator

    7 November 2025

     

    Three Saudi-based firms submitted bids on 29 September for a contract to build new customs warehouses in Saudi Arabia.

    The project is being tendered as a public-private partnership (PPP) on a design, build, finance, operate, maintain and transfer basis, with a contract duration of 15 years, including the construction period.

    The bidders include:

    • Al-Drees Petroleum & Transport Services Company
    • Lamar Holding
    • Mada International Holding

    The contract scope covers the development of 13 warehouses – including the design and construction of 12 new facilities and the renovation of one – across 13 different points of entry in the kingdom, along with the maintenance of all sites.

    The contract also includes the supply of equipment, as well as logistical support and cleaning services, for all new and existing warehouses at 38 points of entry across the kingdom.

    In January, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (Zatca), through the National Centre for Privatisation and PPP (NCP), prequalified five companies to bid, MEED reported.

    The client issued the expressions of interest (EOI) and request for qualifications (RFQ) notices for the project in October last year.

    PPP plans

    In April 2023, Saudi Arabia announced a privatisation and public-private partnership (P&PPP) pipeline comprising 200 projects across 16 sectors.

    The P&PPP pipeline aims to attract both local and international investors and ensure their readiness to participate in the schemes tendered to the market.

    The initiative supports the kingdom’s efforts to enhance the attractiveness of its economy and increase the private sector’s contribution to GDP.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15040496/main.gif
    Yasir Iqbal
  • KBR selected for Iraq gas project

    Administrator

    7 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    US-based KBR has been selected by Turkiye’s Enka to provide detailed design services for its part of the broader $27bn Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP) masterplan.

    KBR was selected to provide the detailed design services after successfully completing the front-end engineering and design (feed) work for Enka’s central processing facility (CPF) package, according to a statement issued by the company.

    The wider GGIP project is being developed by France’s TotalEnergies along with its partners Basra Oil Company (BOC) and Qatar Energy.

    In September, Enka signed a contract to develop a CPF at Iraq’s Ratawi oil field as part of the second phase of the field’s development.

    Enka did not give a value for the contract, but it is believed to be worth more than $1bn.

    The contract covers engineering, procurement, supply, construction and commissioning (EPSCC) of the CPF for the project known as ‘Associated Gas Upstream Project Phase 2 (AGUP2)’.

    The aim of the AGUP2 project, due to start in 2028, is to process oil and associated gas from the Ratawi oil field to increase production capacity to 210,000 barrels a day of oil and 154 million standard cubic feet a day of gas.

    GGIP masterplan

    The GGIP programme is being led by TotalEnergies, which is the operator and holds a 45% stake.

    Basra Oil Company and QatarEnergy hold 30% and 25% stakes, respectively. The consortium formalised the investment agreement with the Iraqi government in September 2021.

    The four projects that comprise the GGIP are:

    • The Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP)
    • The Ratawi gas processing complex
    • A 1GW solar power project for Iraq’s electricity ministry
    • A field development project at Ratawi, known as the Associated Gas Upstream Project (AGUP)

    The CSSP is designed to support oil production in Iraq’s southern oil and gas fields – mainly Zubair, Rumaila, Majnoon, West Qurna and Ratawi – by delivering treated seawater for injection, a method used to boost crude recovery rates and improve long-term reservoir performance.

    China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC) won a $1.61bn contract in May to execute EPC works to build the gas processing complex at the Ratawi field development.

    CPECC’s project team based in its office in Dubai is performing detailed engineering works on the project.

    In August last year, TotalEnergies awarded China Energy Engineering International Group the EPC contract for the 1GW solar project at the Ratawi field. A month later, QatarEnergy signed an agreement with TotalEnergies to acquire a 50% interest in the project.

    The 1GW Ratawi solar scheme will be developed in phases that will come online between 2025 and 2027. It will have the capacity to provide electricity to about 350,000 homes in Iraq’s Basra region.

    The project, consisting of 2 million bifacial solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers, will include the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the photovoltaic power station site and 132kV booster station.

    Separately, in June, TotalEnergies awarded CPPE an EPC contract worth $294m to build a pipeline as part of a package known as the Ratawi Gas Midstream Pipeline.

    Also, TotalEnergies awarded UK-based consultant Wood Group a pair of engineering framework agreements in April, worth a combined $11m, under the GGIP scheme.

    The agreements have a three-year term under which Wood will support TotalEnergies in advancing the AGUP.

    One of the aims of the AGUP is to debottleneck and upgrade existing facilities to increase production capacity to 120,000 b/d of oil on completion of the first phase, according to a statement by Wood.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15040492/main.png
    Wil Crisp
  • Turkish contractor wins Aldar Verdes by Haven project

    Administrator

    7 November 2025

     

    Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer Aldar Properties has appointed Turkish firm Nurol Construction as the main contractor to build its Verdes by Haven residential complex in the Wadi Al-Safa 5 area of Dubai. 

    Aldar is developing the project in partnership with Dubai Holding.

    Verdes by Haven is a multi-building complex featuring 1,050 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

    The broader Haven development will include 2,428 residential units and cover 1 square kilometre. The first phase comprises 462 residential units, including three- and four-bedroom townhouses and three- to six-bedroom villas. 

    Construction of the first phase began last year, and the project is slated for completion in the third quarter of 2027.

    The project is located opposite the Al-Habtoor Polo Resort on the Dubai-Al-Ain road.

    Dubai-based architectural firm Dewan Architects & Engineers is the lead design consultant for the project, working alongside US-based OBM International, the architectural design consultant.

    UK-based data analytics firm GlobalData predicts that the UAE construction sector will grow by 4.2% in real terms in 2025, driven by infrastructure, energy, utilities and residential construction projects. It is also estimated that projects worth more than $323bn are in the execution or planning stages in the UAE.

    The construction industry is expected to register an annual average growth of 3.8% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, housing and renewable energy projects. 

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15037432/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Procurement begins for Abu Dhabi light rail transit

    Administrator

    7 November 2025

     

    Abu Dhabi Transport Company (ADTC) has asked contractors to express interest in a design-and-build contract covering the construction of the first phase of the light rail transit network.

    The project's first phase will span 19 kilometres (km) and include 23 stations, connecting Zayed International airport (AUH) with nearby areas, including Yas Island, Al‑Raha Beach and Khalifa City.

    The key sections of the tram are:

    AUH to Yas Island: The tram will start from Terminal A at AUH and run through the Yas tunnel to Yas Gateway Park. It will serve areas including Yas Bay, Media Zone, Yas Plaza, Yas Drive, Yas Mall, Sea World and Water Edge.

    This section covers 13km and includes 13 at-grade stations and one underground station.

    Al-Raha: This section will stretch for 4.3km and run along Al-Raha Street. It will serve areas including Al-Zeina, Al-Muneera and Al-Bandar, towards the Aldar head office. The section will include seven at-grade stations.

    Etihad Plaza: This section will pass the Etihad Aviation Training Centre and span about 1.7km. It will feature a main depot near the Etihad Airways headquarters, along with two at-grade stations.

    The tender also covers the procurement of 25 trams, each with a capacity of 270 people, along with associated systems.

    The project was officially launched at the GlobalRail exhibition in Abu Dhabi in early October.

    Referred to as Abu Dhabi Tram Line 4, the project will be delivered in three phases.

    Construction of the first phase is expected to start next year. The tram is slated to begin operations by 2030.

    Future phases will extend towards Khalifa City and serve additional destinations across Yas Island.

    The project forms a key part of the recently announced AED170bn ($46bn) package of national transport and road projects to be implemented by 2030.

    The announcement was made by the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al-Mazrouei, while speaking at the UAE Government Annual Meetings in Abu Dhabi on 5 November.

    Al-Mazrouei said the projects are part of a comprehensive national strategy aimed at easing traffic congestion and enhancing mobility across the country.

    The initiatives include expanding major roads, upgrading public transport, and implementing high-speed and light rail projects.

    ADTC was established in 2023 to implement, operate and develop transport systems in rural and urban areas across the emirate.

    The company is responsible for developing rail systems and related services and operations, and providing integrated transport services, including vehicle and bus rental.

    ADTC was established by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15037199/main0652.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • UAE unveils $46bn road and rail spending plan

    Administrator

    6 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    The UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al-Mazrouei, has announced a AED170bn ($46bn) package of national transport and road projects to be implemented by 2030.

    Speaking at the UAE Government Annual Meetings in Abu Dhabi on 5 November, Al-Mazrouei said the projects form part of a comprehensive national strategy aimed at easing traffic congestion and enhancing mobility across the country.

    The initiatives include expanding major roads, upgrading public transport, and implementing high-speed and light rail projects.

    Road expansion projects

    Road projects include adding six lanes to Etihad Road – three in each direction – increasing its capacity by 60% to a total of 12 lanes.

    Emirates Road will be expanded to 10 lanes along its full length, raising capacity by 65% and reducing travel time by 45%.

    Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road will also be widened to 10 lanes, enhancing capacity by 45%.

    The plan further includes a study for a fourth federal highway, extending 120 kilometres with 12 lanes and a capacity of up to 360,000 trips per day.

    Work has already started on the AED750m Emirates Road upgrade, which is scheduled for completion within two years.

    In July, Kuwaiti contractor Combined Group Contracting Company (CGCC) announced that its local subsidiary had secured a AED685m contract to upgrade Emirates Road from the Al-Badea intersection in Sharjah to the E55 intersection in Dubai.

    Rail services

    For rail, Etihad Rail remains on track to launch its passenger transport services by 2026 and has received bids from contractors for the design-and-build contract covering civil works and station packages for the high-speed railway (HSR) line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

    The HSR trains will have a design speed of 350km/h and an operating speed of 320km/h.

    The proposed HSR programme will be developed in four phases, gradually extending connectivity across the UAE:

    The first phase involves constructing a railway line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is expected to be operational by 2030. The second phase will develop an inner‑city railway network with 10 stations within the city of Abu Dhabi. The third phase of the railway network involves constructing a connection between Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain. The fourth phase involves developing an inter-emirate connection between Dubai and Sharjah.

    Light rail projects include the Abu Dhabi tram scheme, which was announced by Abu Dhabi Transport Company (ADTC) in October. It will connect Zayed International airport (AUH) with nearby areas, including Yas Island, Al‑Raha Beach and Khalifa City.

    Referred to as Abu Dhabi Tram Line 4, the project will be delivered in three phases. The first phase will connect AUH with Yas Island and the residential areas of Al‑Raha Beach. Future phases will extend towards Khalifa City and serve additional destinations across Yas Island.

    Construction of the first phase is expected to start next year. The tram is slated to begin operations by 2030.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15032097/main.jpg
    Colin Foreman
  • Egypt awards contracts for 1,200MW solar plants

    Administrator

    6 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    A consortium of Egypt’s Hassan Allam Utilities Energy and Infinity Power has won contracts to develop two major solar projects with a combined capacity of 1,200MW and 720 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage.

    The agreements were signed with Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity & Renewable Energy and Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC).

    The consortium will develop a 200MW solar plant in Benban, including 120MWh of connected battery storage, which is scheduled to reach commercial operation by the third quarter of 2026.

    A second, larger 1,000MW solar plant will be built in Minya, incorporating 600MWh of storage and targeting completion by the third quarter of 2027.

    The projects will be developed under the Hassan Allam Utilities Energy Platform, a renewable energy investment vehicle co-owned by Hassan Allam Utilities, the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) and France-based investment firm Meridiam.

    The platform currently has 2.3GW of projects under development, with a total investment of about $2bn and commercial operation expected between 2026 and 2027.

    Its wider pipeline includes 1.65GW of additional projects, comprising 350MW of solar and 1.3GW of wind capacity valued at $1.5bn.

    Infinity Power, a joint venture of Egypt’s Infinity and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), said the new projects form part of its strategy to reach 10GW of renewable capacity across Africa by 2030.

    The company operates solar, wind and storage projects in Egypt, South Africa and Senegal.

    US/India-based Synergy Consulting is providing financial advisory services to the consortium for the project.

    The signing took place in the presence of Egypt’s Electricity Minister Mahmoud Esmat. The developments support Egypt’s goal of generating 42% of its total electricity from renewable sources by 2035.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15031708/main.JPG
    Mark Dowdall
  • Jordan to tender second phosphate rail line

    Administrator

    6 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Abu Dhabi’s National Infrastructure Construction Company (NICC), a subsidiary of Etihad Rail, is preparing to tender the second section of the phosphate railway line that will run from Ghor Al-Safi to Aqaba in Jordan.

    MEED understands that the tender is expected to be issued by mid-November.

    NICC received technical and commercial bids in September for a contract to construct the first section of the line, as MEED reported.

    The scope of work for the railway includes civil engineering, tunnel construction, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works.

    Bids were submitted on 22 September, according to MEED’s information.

    In April, a French-Swiss joint venture of Egis and Arx was awarded the design consultancy contract for the project.

    Etihad Rail announced in September last year that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth $2.3bn with Jordan’s Transport Ministry and local companies to develop the phosphate railway line.

    In an official statement, Etihad Rail said it had signed an agreement with Jordan to build, operate and maintain the project.

    The statement added that additional MoUs were signed with Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and Arab Potash Company to transport 16 million tonnes a year of phosphate and potash from mining sites to the Port of Aqaba via the Jordanian railway network.

    The MoUs also cover the manufacture and supply of rolling stock; the construction of terminals in Aqaba, Ghor Al-Safi and Shidiya; and the maintenance, repair and operation of the railway line. 

    Project history

    In 2015, Jordan’s Transport Ministry tendered a contract to construct the Shidiya rail link, intended to transport 6 million tonnes a year of phosphate from mines in Shidiya to Wadi Al-Yutum, near Aqaba.

    In November of that year, a joint venture of China Communications Construction Company and the local contractor Masar United was confirmed as the lowest bidder and was awaiting the formal award to build the 21-kilometre spur line.

    The project was subsequently put on hold due to funding issues.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15031475/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Libya makes little progress on new oil company in Benghazi

    Administrator

    6 November 2025

     

    Little progress has been made on plans for a new Libyan oil company headquartered in Benghazi, according to industry sources.

    In August, Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced plans to create a new company named Jalyanah for gas exploration and production, with its headquarters in Benghazi.

    The plans were announced in a letter written by NOC’s acting chairman Masoud Suleiman, who said that the company would focus on developing gas discoveries in concession MN 7.

    The concession is currently operated by Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco), which is a subsidiary of NOC.

    One source said: “There has been no progress on the planned formation of the new company. Like many things in Libya, the formation of this new company has been complicated by the country’s political situation.

    “It’s widely expected that there will be slow progress on the formation of the company, and some stakeholders believe that it may never be created because of political opposition from some quarters.”

    Libya has effectively had two rival governments since 2014, when power split between the country’s eastern and western regions following the collapse of national unity.

    In August, Suleiman said that negotiations were under way with an international consortium that included Italy’s Eni, France’s TotalEnergies, the UAE’s Adnoc and Turkey’s TPAO.

    Libya’s NOC said the new company would be responsible for projects to fast-track production from undeveloped gas fields to meet domestic electricity demand and reduce reliance on diesel.

    It warned that western Libya faces a sharp decline in gas supplies by the end of 2026 and said the formation of the company was intended to protect state finances, meet export commitments to Italy and avoid penalty payments.

    READ THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the November 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15029084/main.png
    Wil Crisp
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