Read the August 2025 MEED Business Review
29 July 2025
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The world’s two largest airport construction projects are taking shape in the heart of the GCC, highlighting the region’s bold ambitions to lead global aviation.
Topping the list, according to UK-based analytics firm GlobalData, is Dubai’s Al-Maktoum International airport, followed closely by Riyadh’s King Salman International airport.
These massive undertakings not only reflect the sheer scale of investment in infrastructure but also signal the GCC’s strategic push to solidify its status as a premier global travel hub.
With air travel bouncing back strongly post-Covid, 2024 data shows passenger traffic at many airports reaching – or even surpassing – pre-pandemic levels. This momentum has carried into 2025 and is expected to fuel continued growth in the years ahead.
Our August issue Agenda section takes an in-depth look at the giant airports being built in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. While these airports are making headlines, we also explore the quieter but equally significant story unfolding elsewhere: the substantial investments being made in expanding airport infrastructure across the broader region.
This month’s Maghreb market focus covers Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, and finds that resilience is key as the region navigates complex political and economic dynamics.
MEED's latest issue also includes a comprehensive Gulf banking report. Despite global volatility and tightening liquidity, regional institutions continue to expand assets and profits. Read more here.
This issue is packed with analysis. We investigate Syria's fragile security situation; outline the construction plans at Saudi Arabia's Soudah Peaks; find out why plastic is not the enemy; and present a 14-page special report on MEED's Mena Banking Excellence Corporate & Investment Awards.
In the August issue, the team also speaks exclusively to several executives from Sets about how the firm is playing a crucial role in ensuring heritage is integrated into Saudi Arabia’s rapid development.
We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the August 2025 issue of MEED Business Review.

Must-read sections in the August 2025 issue of MEED Business Review include:
> AGENDA:
> Middle East invests in giant airports
> Broader region upgrades its airports
> Global air travel shifts east
> CURRENT AFFAIRS:
> Syria wrestles fragile security situation
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INDUSTRY REPORT: |
> BANKING: Strategic planning enters a new era of volatility
> CONSTRUCTION: Soudah Peaks outlines project construction plans
> INTERVIEW: SETS leads Saudi heritage preservation charge
> LEADERSHIP: From plastic leakage to leadership in the Gulf
> MAGHREB MARKET REPORT:
> COMMENT: Maghreb pushes for stability
> GOVERNMENT: Pursuit of political stability dominates Maghreb
> ECONOMY: Maghreb economies battle trading headwinds
> OIL & GAS: Oil company interest in Libya increases
> INDUSTRY: Algeria’s industrial strategy builds momentum
> POWER & WATER: Slow year for Maghreb power and water awards
> CONSTRUCTION: World Cup 2030 galvanises Morocco construction
> DATABANK: Maghreb economies stabilise
> MEED COMMENTS:
> Riyadh Expo appointments are the launchpad for construction
> Dubai South real estate faces airport noise concerns
> Aramco offshore contract awards set to rebound
> Latest Iraq oil supply deal will test Baghdad
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects maintain growth streak
> JUNE 2025 CONTRACTS: Activity picks up but fails to reach 2024 levels
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: The economics of long war
> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts
Exclusive from Meed
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Saudi Arabia’s Misk tenders residential package17 April 2026
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Saipem wins $400m of Safaniya field work from Aramco17 April 2026
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Ora Developers adds land bank to its Bayn masterplan17 April 2026
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Firms prepare best offers for Riyadh Metro Line 717 April 2026
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Kuwait prepares to tender LNG project17 April 2026
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Related Articles
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Saudi Arabia’s Misk tenders residential package17 April 2026

Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation (Misk Foundation) has floated two tenders for the construction of a residential community in District 5 of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City in Riyadh.
The first tender is split into two packages, one that covers the construction of 237 villas and the other covering 223.
The second tender covers the construction of a community centre, swimming pool, mosque and school.
The bid submission deadline for both tenders is 27 April.
Misk Foundation is jointly developing the project in collaboration with local real estate developer Kinan.
The estimated SR900m ($240m) project will span an area of about 121,692 square metres.
In March 2022, the Misk Foundation released the masterplan for Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud said in November 2021 that the Misk Foundation development in Riyadh will be the world’s first non-profit city.
“Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, which implements the digital twin model, will host academies; colleges; Misk schools; a conference centre; a science museum; and a creative centre offering a space to support the ambitions of innovators in sciences and new-generation technology, such as AI [artificial intelligence], IoT [Internet of Things] and robotics,” he said.
“It will also feature an arts academy and art gallery, a performing arts theatre, a play area, a cooking academy and an integrated residential complex.
“In addition, the city will host venture capital firms and investors to support and incubate innovative enterprises to drive community contributions from around the world.”
The consultants working on the project include Germany’s Albert Speer + Partner as master planner and architect, and UK-based Buro Happold as the engineer. The project manager for the first phase of construction is UK-based Mace.
MEED’s April 2026 report on Saudi Arabia includes:
> COMMENT: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift
> GVT &: ECONOMY: Riyadh navigates a changed landscape
> BANKING: Testing times for Saudi banks
> UPSTREAM: Offshore oil and gas projects to dominate Aramco capex in 2026
> DOWNSTREAM: Saudi downstream projects market enters lean period
> POWER: Wind power gathers pace in Saudi Arabia
> WATER: Sharakat plan signals next phase of Saudi water expansion
> CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction enters a period of strategic readjustment
> TRANSPORT: Rail expansion powers Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure pushTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16440697/main.png -
Saipem wins $400m of Safaniya field work from Aramco17 April 2026
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Italian contractor Saipem has announced winning two offshore engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contracts in Saudi Arabia, worth approximately $400m, which represent Saudi Aramco’s next expansion phase of the Safaniya offshore oil field development.
MEED recently reported that Aramco had selected Saipem for the two contracts – numbers 154 and 155 on its Contract Release and Purchase Order (CRPO) system.
Fabrication activities for the two contracts will be executed at Saipem’s Saudi fabrication yard in Dammam, Saipem Taqa Al-Rushaid Fabricators Company, the Milan-listed company said in its statement.
Prior to winning the contracts for CRPOs 154 and 155, Saipem also secured the contract for CRPO 156, valued at about $500m, which forms the third package in Aramco’s latest Safaniya expansion phase.
Aramco issued the three CRPOs to its Long-Term Agreement (LTA) pool of offshore contractors in February last year, with an initial bid submission deadline of 31 July. Aramco later extended the deadline to 28 August and then again to 31 August, with LTA contractors submitting bids on that date.
The brief scope of EPCI work on the three tenders is as follows:
CRPO 154:
EPCI of a water injection tie-in platform; two production deck modules (PDMs)/wellhead platforms; approximately 5 kilometres (km) of associated pipeline, with diameters of 24 inches, and approximately 15km of 15kV cables at Safaniya; hook-ups; and subsea valve skids.
CRPO 155:
EPCI of four PDMs; intra-field and main trunklines to shore; and jackets.
CRPO 156:
EPCI of a 48-inch trunkline, covering a distance of about 65km offshore and 12km onshore, from the Safaniya offshore oil field to the onshore processing facility; and associated structures such as subsea hook-ups.
The Safaniya field is the world’s largest offshore oil field, with a production capacity of nearly 1.2 million barrels a day. Discovered in 1951, the field is located in the Gulf waters, approximately 265km north of Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran.
READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFEconomic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
> AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire> GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift> MARKET FOCUS: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift> QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race> LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle EastTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16439869/main5806.jpg -
Ora Developers adds land bank to its Bayn masterplan17 April 2026
Egyptian firm Ora Developers has signed a land acquisition agreement with Abu Dhabi-based developer Modon Holding to acquire an additional 4.8 million square metres (sq m) of land in the Ghantoot area between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Ora Developers said that the land acquisition will increase the existing Bayn masterplan from 4.8 million sq m to 9.6 million sq m.
The firm added that the total investment in the masterplan upon completion is expected to reach AED30bn ($8bn).
In January, Ora Developers appointed six engineering consultancies to lead the development of the first phase of its Bayn residential community project.
The developer appointed UK-based firm Mace to lead the overall project management.
Canadian firm WSP will serve as the masterplan, infrastructure, landscape and water bodies design consultant, as reported by MEED in May last year.
Another US firm, Aecom, will provide construction supervision services.
Hong Kong’s 10 Design is the project’s architectural concept design consultant.
Local firm Dewan Architects & Engineers is the project’s design consultant and architect of record.
The UK’s Currie & Brown is the cost consultant.
The first phase will offer 805 villas and townhouses, and the project is expected to be completed in 2028.
The project will also include a neighbourhood park, sports facilities, a water park, a five-star hotel and a shopping mall.
In December last year, Abu Dhabi government-owned contractor NMDC Group won a AED142m ($39m) contract from Ora Developers.
The contract scope covers the execution of enabling works on the Bayn masterplan.
The main construction works on the project's first phase are expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16439214/main.jpg -
Firms prepare best offers for Riyadh Metro Line 717 April 2026

Consortiums are preparing to submit best and final offers on 21 April for the design and build of Riyadh Metro’s Line 7.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) opened the commercial proposals for the contract earlier this month, as MEED reported.
Contractors submitted their commercial proposals on 31 January.
In February, MEED reported that the RCRC had started post-tender clarifications with bidders for the project.
The project involves constructing a metro line linking the Qiddiya Entertainment City development, King Abdullah International Gardens, King Salman Park, Misk City and Diriyah Gate.
The line will be about 65 kilometres (km) long, of which 47km will be underground and 19km will be elevated. It will have 19 stations, 14 of which will be underground and five above ground.
According to sources close to the project, the consortiums are:
- Alstom (France) / Webuild (Italy) / Nesma (local) / China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
- Siemens (Germany) / FCC (Spain) / Orascom Construction (Egypt) / Shibh Al-Jazira Contracting Company (local)
- Hitachi Rail (Japan) / Larsen & Toubro (India) / Albawani (local) / Kalyon (Turkiye) / Cengiz (Turkiye)
- CRRC (China) / Mapa (Turkiye) / Limak (Turkiye)
Earlier this month, MEED exclusively reported that firms have submitted bids for a contract covering the project management consultancy services for the construction of Riyadh Metro Line 7.
Riyadh Metro’s first phase features six lines with 84 stations. The RCRC completed the phased roll-out of the Riyadh Metro network when it started operating the Orange Line in January this year.
Construction has also begun on the next phase of Riyadh Metro, the Line 2 extension.
In July last year, MEED exclusively reported that the RCRC had awarded an estimated $800m-$900m contract for the project.
The contract was awarded to Arriyadh New Mobility Consortium, led by Italy’s Webuild.
The group also includes India’s Larsen & Toubro, Saudi Arabia’s Nesma & Partners and France’s Alstom.
The Orange Line, also known as Line 3, stretches from east to west, from Jeddah Road to the Second Eastern Ring Road, covering a total distance of 41km.
The line covers 8.4km, of which 1.3km is elevated and 7.1km is underground. It includes five stations – two elevated and three underground.
It will run from the current terminus of Line 2 at King Saud University (KSU) and continue to new stations at KSU Medical City, KSU West, Diriyah East and Diriyah Central – where it will interchange with the planned Line 7 – before terminating at Diriyah South.
MEED’s April 2026 report on Saudi Arabia includes:
> COMMENT: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift
> GVT &: ECONOMY: Riyadh navigates a changed landscape
> BANKING: Testing times for Saudi banks
> UPSTREAM: Offshore oil and gas projects to dominate Aramco capex in 2026
> DOWNSTREAM: Saudi downstream projects market enters lean period
> POWER: Wind power gathers pace in Saudi Arabia
> WATER: Sharakat plan signals next phase of Saudi water expansion
> CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction enters a period of strategic readjustment
> TRANSPORT: Rail expansion powers Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure pushTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16438898/main.jpg -
Kuwait prepares to tender LNG project17 April 2026
Kuwait's Central Agency for Public Tenders (Capt) is preparing to issue a tender for the construction of an LNG reliquefaction unit at Al-Zour LNG import terminal.
The client on the project is state-owned Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (Kipic).
The project is focused on the development of a boil-off-gas unit at the import terminal, according to a report in Kuwait’s Al-Anba newspaper.
The project scope include engineering, procurement and construction works, along with pre-commissioning, commissioning and performance testing services.
The list of pre-qualified companies is:
- Fluor (US)
- GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
- Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
- Larsen & Toubro (India)
- Hyundai Engineering (South Korea)
- CTCI Corporation (Taiwan)
- Daewoo Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
- Saipem (Italy)
- Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
- Sinopec Engineering (China)
- JGC Holdings (Japan)
- KBR (US)
- China National Petroleum Corporation (China)
- Technip (France)
Kuwait’s LNG import terminal is currently not operating due to disruption caused by the US and Israel’s war with Iran.
READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFEconomic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
> AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire> GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift> MARKET FOCUS: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift> QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race> LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle EastTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16426605/main.png

