Latest News

• 
  Teams prepare $5bn Asir-Jizan highway PPP bids

  Administrator

  5 May 2026

  

   

  Three groups are preparing to submit proposals for an estimated SR20bn ($5bn) contract to develop and operate the Asir-Jizan highway project.

  Saudi Arabia’s Roads General Authority, the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP and the Aseer Development Authority (Asda) have set a new deadline of 31 May for firms to submit bids.

  MEED understands the tender was issued in September last year, with bid submission previously due in March 2026.

  According to sources close to the project, the consortiums that are planning to bid include:

  • Shaanxi Construction Engineering / Safari / Lamar Holding (China/local/local)
  • Makyol / Shibh Aljazira Contracting / Tamasuk (Turkiye/local/local)
  • China Harbour Engineering Company / Vision Invest (China/local)
  • Alayuni / Limak Holding / Nesma & Partners / Plenary (local/Turkiye/South Korea/local/Australia)

  In August last year, five groups were qualified to bid for the contract. However, the consortium comprising Turkiye’s IC Ictas and local firm Algihaz Holding has decided not to pursue the project. South Korea’s Samsung C&T, previously part of the Plenary group, has also withdrawn.

  The 136-kilometre Asir-Jizan highway will have three lanes in each direction and include six intersections, 57 bridges totalling 18km and 11 tunnels totalling 9km.

  The project is one of four planned highway schemes in the kingdom’s privatisation and public-private partnership pipeline.

  The route begins in Al-Farah in Asir and extends to the Red Sea through Jizan.

  The 30-year contract will follow a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16683583/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Financing deal signed for Egyptian biofuels facility

  Administrator

  5 May 2026

  A financing deal has been signed for a planned biofuels facility to be developed at the Suez Canal Economic Zone in the Egyptian town of Ain Sokhna.

  Several regional companies are involved in the project, including Qatari conglomerate Al-Mana Holding and Vision Invest, a Saudi Arabian infrastructure investor and developer.

  The Arab Energy Fund, a multilateral impact financial institution, acted as the global structuring bank and co-mandated lead arranger for the financing deal, and is also the project’s largest lender.

  Under current plans, the facility will be constructed on a 100,000-square-metre site and is expected to produce up to 200,000 tonnes a year of biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrotreated vegetable oil, as well as biopropane and bionaphtha.

  Commercial operations are scheduled to start by the end of next year.

  In a statement, Green Sky Capital, one of the signatories to the financing deal, said that the project reinforces the region’s role in global energy transition value chains.

  A long-term offtake deal has been agreed with the London-headquartered oil and gas company Shell.

  Green Sky Capital has also entered into a technology agreement with France’s Axens and an engineering procurement and construction contract with Paris-headquartered SeaOwl.

  The investment firm Rothschild & Co acted as financial adviser to Green Sky Capital on the transaction.

  Ali Shaikh, chief executive of Green Sky Capital, said: “The signing of this financing marks a defining step in the development of our SAF platform and underscores the strategic importance of this project for the region.”

  In December last year, the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority signed a preliminary deal with Al-Mana Holding relating to the biofuels facility.

  In a statement released last year, Egypt’s cabinet said the project would be implemented in three phases, with a $200m investment covering the first phase.

  The planned facility forms part of Egypt’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on traditional fuels, enabling the country to export more of the hydrocarbons it produces.

  ---

  MEED’s March 2026 report on Egypt includes:

  > COMMENT: Egypt’s crisis mode gives way to cautious revival
  > GOVERNMENT: Egypt adapts its foreign policy approach
  > ECONOMY & BANKING: Egypt nears return to economic stability
  > OIL & GAS: Egypt’s oil and gas sector shows bright spots
  > POWER & WATER: Egypt utility contracts hit $5bn decade peak
  > CONSTRUCTION: Coastal destinations are a boon to Egyptian construction

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16683538/main.jpg

  Wil Crisp
• 
  Hassan Allam awarded Egypt urea plant contract

  Administrator

  5 May 2026

  Egypt’s Hassan Allam Construction has been awarded a contract focused on overhauling three urea plants, according to a statement released by its parent company, Hassan Allam Holding.

  The contract covers civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation works for a larger project to revamp the three urea plants of Misr Fertilisers Production Company (Mopco) and develop a new carbon dioxide recovery unit in the Damietta Free Zone.

  The upgrade project is expected to increase production capacity at the three urea plants from 1,940 metric tonnes a day (t/d) to 2,150 t/d.

  In its statement, Hassan Allam Holding said that the upgrade would “boost production efficiency”.

  It also said that it would reinforce Mopco’s position “as a leader in Egypt’s industrial landscape”.

  In November last year, Mopco announced plans to invest up to $250m to increase its production capacity by 10%.

  Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company is the largest shareholder, holding a 31.47% stake.

  ---

  MEED’s March 2026 report on Egypt includes:

  > COMMENT: Egypt’s crisis mode gives way to cautious revival
  > GOVERNMENT: Egypt adapts its foreign policy approach
  > ECONOMY & BANKING: Egypt nears return to economic stability
  > OIL & GAS: Egypt’s oil and gas sector shows bright spots
  > POWER & WATER: Egypt utility contracts hit $5bn decade peak
  > CONSTRUCTION: Coastal destinations are a boon to Egyptian construction

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16683342/main.jpg

  Wil Crisp
• 
  Parsons wins role on Elon Musk-backed Dubai Loop project

  Administrator

  4 May 2026

  US-based Parsons Corporation has been appointed to deliver programme management services for the Dubai Loop transportation system.

  The contract was awarded by Elon Musk-backed firm The Boring Company, which signed a construction agreement with Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) in February.

  Parsons’ scope of work includes independent design verification, stakeholder management, permitting and no-objection certificate (NOC) support, and multidisciplinary design reviews for the project’s first phase.

  The first phase comprises a 6.4-kilometre route with four stations, linking the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai Mall.

  Stations will be located at DIFC 2, ICD Brookfield Place, Dubai Mall Zabeel Parking and Burj Khalifa.

  The first phase is expected to cost about AED565m ($154m) and to be delivered within one year after design work and other preparations are completed. Tunnelling is expected to begin in the second half of this year.

  Next phase

  The second phase will connect Dubai World Trade Centre and DIFC with Business Bay.

  The tunnels will extend up to 22km and include 19 stations.

  The total cost across both phases is expected to be around AED2bn ($545m), with completion scheduled within three years.

  The pilot route is expected to serve around 13,000 passengers a day, while the full route is projected to have a capacity of about 30,000 passengers a day.

  The RTA and The Boring Company signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February last year to explore the development of the Dubai Loop transportation system.

  The Dubai Loop is expected to be similar to The Boring Company’s Las Vegas Convention Centre (LVCC) Loop project. The LVCC Loop is a 2.7km underground tunnel system that connects different convention centre halls, reducing walking time across the site to about two minutes.

  The LVCC Loop has been in operation since 2021. It uses Tesla Model 3 cars to carry passengers between five stations. The Boring Company began construction in November 2019 at an estimated cost of $49m.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16672074/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Humain tenders infrastructure for 6GW data centre campus

  Administrator

  4 May 2026

  Saudi artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure company Humain, owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has issued a tender inviting firms to develop infrastructure for its planned 6GW hyperscale AI data centre campus in Riyadh.

  The project will be delivered on an early contractor involvement (ECI) basis. Under the ECI process, selected contractors are required to submit methodologies and design proposals, after which one team will be selected to deliver the construction works.

  Firms have until 8 May to submit proposals.

  The development will be built on a 24-square-kilometre site in the Al-Saad area in east Riyadh. It will be delivered in two phases across six plots, each with a capacity of 1GW.

  The scope of infrastructure work covers:

  • Construction of 380kV/132kV/33kV electrical distribution network, two substations with a capacity of 500MVA and 200MVA, bulk supply point (2,000MVA)
  • Water network and fire protection systems
  • Sewage treatment plant and wastewater network
  • Stormwater systems
  • Roads
  • Underground cable and fibre optic networks
  • Landscaping works

  The client is being supported by Canadian engineering firm Hatch, France’s Egis and US-based firm JLL.

  Humain was launched in May last year to operate and invest across the AI value chain.

  Humain is building full-stack AI capabilities across four core areas: next-generation data centres, hyper-performance infrastructure and cloud platforms, and advanced AI models, including Allam.

  Also in May 2025, Humain signed preliminary deals with US chipmakers AMD and Nvidia to build multibillion-dollar advanced digital infrastructure in the kingdom.

  AMD said it will invest up to $10bn to deploy 500MW of AI compute capacity in Saudi Arabia over the next five years.

  In October, PIF and Saudi Aramco signed a non-binding term sheet setting out key terms under which Aramco would acquire a minority stake in Humain, with PIF retaining majority ownership.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16671267/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Abu Dhabi selects consortium for 2.5GW Taweelah C IPP

  Administrator

  4 May 2026

  

   

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  A consortium of Al-Jomaih Energy & Water Company (Saudi Arabia) and Sembcorp Industries (Singapore) has been selected to develop the Taweelah C independent power producer (IPP) project in Abu Dhabi.

  The consortium will sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) in mid-May, a source told MEED.

  The combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant will have a capacity of 2.5GW. It will be located at the Al-Taweelah power and desalination complex, about 50 kilometres northeast of Abu Dhabi city.

  It is understood that China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) will be the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

  Last September, MEED reported that state offtaker Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) had received three bids for the facility.

  The bidders included:

  • Al-Jomaih Energy & Water Company / Sembcorp Industries
  • Sumitomo Corporation (Japan) / Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation / Korean Midland Power
  • Korea Western Power Company / Etihad Water & Electricity (UAE) / Kyuden International (Japan)

  At the time, Mohamed Al-Marzooqi, chief asset development and management officer at Ewec, said the bids would make Taweelah C “one of the lowest tariff CCGT projects in the region”.

  The carbon-capture-ready facility had been scheduled to begin commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2028.

  This was based on the initial timeline for a PPA to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2025.

  Taweelah C is part of Ewec’s wider programme to support the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035.

  Ewec plans to raise solar power capacity to 18GW and wind capacity to 2.6GW by 2035, while reducing the carbon intensity of its power generation by more than half compared to 2019.

  Ewec is also expanding its low-carbon water desalination capacity, with the Taweelah reverse osmosis (RO) plant already operating as the world’s largest RO facility and additional projects, such as the Mirfa 2 RO and Shuweihat 4 RO, under way.

  By 2030, it expects 95% of Abu Dhabi’s installed water capacity to come from RO technology.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16670622/main0858.jpg

  Mark Dowdall
• 
  Dubai launches Blue Line metro tunnelling works

  Administrator

  4 May 2026

  Dubai has announced the launch of tunnelling works for the Dubai Metro Blue Line extension project.

  In a post on X, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, announced the start of operations of the tunnel boring machine (TBM), which the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has named ‘Al-Wugeisha’.

  The TBM is 163 metres long, weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and will operate around the clock. The post added that its average excavation rate ranges from 13 to 17 metres a day.

  The Blue Line will connect the existing Red and Green lines. It will be 30 kilometres (km) long, with 15.5km underground and 14.5km above ground.

  The line will have 14 stations, seven of which will be elevated. There will be five underground stations, including one interchange station, and two elevated transfer stations connected to the existing Centrepoint and Creek stations.

  In December 2024, the RTA awarded a AED20.5bn ($5.5bn) main contract for the construction of the project to a consortium comprising Turkiye’s Limak Holding and Mapa Group, along with the Hong Kong office of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC).

  The consortium is responsible for all civil works, electromechanical works, rolling stock and rail systems. After completing the project, it will assist with maintenance and operations for an initial three-year period.

  According to an official statement, the Blue Line will have a capacity of 46,000 passengers an hour in both directions.

  The project is scheduled for completion in September 2029.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16670584/main.jpeg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Firms submit Jeddah distribution centre bids

  Administrator

  4 May 2026

  

   

  Contractors submitted bids on 26 April for an estimated SR140m ($37m) contract to build a distribution centre in Jeddah.

  Saudi Logistics Services Company (SAL) launched the tender on 11 March, as previously reported by MEED. The project will cover an area of about 37,000 square metres. Egyptian firm Cosmos-E Engineers & Consultants has been appointed as the project consultant.

  This tender follows the start of construction by Egyptian contractor Rowad Modern Engineering, a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric Group, on the expansion of SAL’s facilities at King Khalid International airport in Riyadh. The scope of work includes rehabilitating and upgrading existing infrastructure, as well as constructing new supporting facilities and services.

  SAL also launched the tendering process in September last year for its SR4.2bn ($1bn) logistics zone in northern Riyadh, MEED previously reported. UAE-based Global Engineering Consultants is the consultant for that development.

  The logistics hub aims to meet demand for customised warehouses near King Khalid International airport and the Riyadh Metro. The project aligns with Vision 2030 and the National Transport & Logistics Strategy, which aims to strengthen the kingdom’s logistics sector and enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a global logistics hub.

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  Yasir Iqbal