Day: December 4, 2022

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RTA partners with ADNOC, Almutakamela to develop 3 trucks rest stops

DUBAI, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded contracts for constructing three all-inclusive Truck Rest Stops in partnership with the private sector.

The first contract was made with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and two contracts with Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration.

The contracts provide for the construction of three integrated Truck Rest Stops over a total area of more than 226,000 square metres with a capacity to accommodate about 500 trucks and heavy vehicles.

The three stations will provide an array of services to enhance the safety and wellbeing of drivers. They include residential quarters for drivers, maintenance workshops, restaurants, administrative buildings, prayer rooms, driver training centres, clinics, pharmacies, exchange shops, laundry and other support services for the safety and wellbeing of trucks and heavy vehicle drivers.

The three stations are situated in key areas nearby key roads and logistical cities that witness considerable numbers of trucks every day. International standards will be applied to ensure the safe entry and exit of these stations.

The Trucks Rest Stop undertaken by Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road is located near Jebel Ali Free Zone and Al Maktoum International Airport. It spans 100,000 square metres and has a capacity of 200 trucks and heavy vehicles.

The second station, which is undertaken by ADNOC, is situated near Emirates Road, next to the Al Tayy Racetrack. It has an area of 76 thousand square metres and a capacity of 150 vehicles.

The third station, which is also undertaken by Almutakamela, is located nearby the entry to the Dubai Industrial City (DIC) and covers 51,000 square metres and has a capacity of approximately 120 trucks and heavy vehicles.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, expressed his delight with this partnership with the private sector and the growing engagement of private businesses in infrastructure and services projects.

“The agreement concluded with ADNOC and Almutakamela to build and operate these three rest-stops, aims to enhance the safety and wellbeing of drivers by providing amenities and services they need in daily life. The total area of the three stations is about 226 thousand square metres, and their capacity ranges between 120 and 200 trucks and heavy vehicles each,” he said.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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UAE, Japan to sign MoU on establishing joint business council

DUBAI, The Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) and Japan External Trade Organisation in Dubai (JETRO Dubai) have agreed on establishing a UAE-Japan business council to promote cooperation and visits between the business communities in both countries.

The formation of the council is aimed at developing joint projects and exchange expertise. The two sides agreed on signing an MoU for setting up the proposed bilateral business council by Q1 2023.

This came during a meeting that brought together Humaid Mohammed bin Salem, Secretary General of FCCI, and Masami Ando, Managing Director of JETRO Dubai, in the presence of officials from both sides.

Bin Salem welcomed Japanese companies to invest in the UAE and take advantage of government incentives, as well as the favourable investment climate and legislation, calling on Emirati and Japanese businesses to explore business opportunities in the two countries and develop active partnerships to boost trade exchange.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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OPEC+ keeps oil output unchanged

VIENNA, OPEC+ agreed to keep to its oil output targets unchanged at the 34th Ministerial Meeting that took place by videoconference on Sunday, 4 December 2022.

“In line with the decision of the OPEC and non-OPEC Participating Countries in the Declaration of Cooperation at the 33rd OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 5 October 2022, which was purely driven by market considerations and recognized in retrospect by the market participants to have been the necessary and the right course of action towards stabilizing global oil markets; and adhering to the approach of being proactive and pre-emptive, the Participating Countries reiterated their readiness to meet at any time and take immediate additional measures to address market developments and support the balance of the oil market and its stability if necessary,” read an OPEC statement following the meeting

The participating Countries reaffirmed the decision of the 10th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 12 April 2020 and further endorsed in subsequent meetings, including the 19th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 18 July 2021 and the 33rd OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 5 October 2022, including the adjustment of the frequency of the monthly meetings to become every two months for the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) and the authority of the JMMC to hold additional meetings, or to request an OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting at any time to address market developments if necessary.

They reiterated the critical importance of adhering to full conformity and compensation mechanism taking advantage of the extension approved on the 33rd OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting.

The decision comes as oil markets wait to see how a slowing Chinese economy and a G7 price cap on Russian oil would affect demand and supply fundamentals.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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‘Big 5’ to explore future-proofing of construction industry

DUBAI, The 43rd edition of the Big 5, the largest and most influential construction event in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, will open tomorrow, 5th December, and start a four-day run at the Dubai World Trade Centre with an industry-altering and future-proofing agenda.

The annual event will feature six specialised events addressing the entire sector eco-system, namely the Big 5 Heavy, Middle East Concrete, HVAC R Expo, Middle East Stone, Urban Design & Landscape Expo, and FM Expo.

Also held alongside the Big 5 is the inaugural Everything Architecture, the only exclusive event for the architecture and design community in the Middle East.

More than 2,000 participants from 60 countries are taking part in the event, which will host 20 national pavilions, including newcomers Oman, Pakistan, and Singapore, bringing together the key stakeholders from across the full construction value-chain to network, learn and do business.

Boasting the strongest government support to date, including the UAE’s Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, Dubai Municipality, and Dubai’s General Directorate of Civil Defense, the Big 5 2022 features focused exhibits, high-level summits, industry talks, visitor experiences, and incubator pitching to address key sector challenges, spur technology adoption, and promote sustainability.

Ben Greenish, Senior Vice-President Construction of Big 5 organiser dmg events, said, “The Big 5 covers all sector touchpoints as the industry looks to step into the vanguard of sustainability to address climate change, encourage cross-sector collaboration, better cater to heightened societal expectations, improve diversity, and prove its willingness as a technology adopter.”

Opening the four-day programme is the Global Construction Leaders’ Summit, where local, regional, and global industry decision-makers will look for a collaborative pathway to industry transition. Distinguished delegates attending the summit will hear from David Grover, CEO at ROSHN – Saudi Arabia’s national real estate developer powered by the Public Investment Fund and headline sponsor of the summit; Adel Albreiki, CEO at Aldar Projects; Pierre Santoni, CEO Middle East at Parsons; Kez Taylor, CEO at ALEC; Ian Williamson, Chief Projects Delivery Officer at Red Sea Global; and Saeed Al Abbar, CEO at AESG, among others.

It is also on day one that the 2022 winners of The Big 5 Construction Impact Awards will be revealed. Seventeen categories ranging from “Carbon Net-Zero Initiative of the Year”, to “Best Use of Technology of the Year”, and “Workforce of the Future Initiative”, will recognise sustainable development, technological, and digital achievements in the construction industry.

Amongst 117 finalists are leading organizations including Turner & Townsend, Gensler, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East, Cundall, The Arab Contractors Company, and Mott MacDonald.

Elsewhere on the show floor, a busy schedule of free-to-attend CPD certified Industry Talks will cover topics across technology, facilities management, architecture & design, project management, and sustainable geotechnical engineering – a programme delivered by the event’s supporting association Deep Foundations Institute.

Notable speakers expected tomorrow include Dr. Marwan Alzaylaie, Senior Manager Geotechnical- Building Department at the Dubai Development Authority; Valentin Gaburov, Senior Manager, HSE at the Dubai Healthcare Authority; Eng. Anwaar Al Shimmari, Executive Director of Geospatial Information, Governance Sector at FGIC; Mark Graham, Executive Director – Design Engineering Management at ROSHN; Andrew Mason, Director of Contracts at Calatrava International; Marwa Al Taffag, Head of the Federal Buildings, Housing and Establishments Design at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure; and Phil Auguste, Major Account Manager at Autodesk Global.

Technology-afficionados can head down to Digital Construction World, a dedicated sector at the Big 5, to find the latest solutions in contech, proptech and infratech, and explore Dubai Municipality’s pavilion housing 3D printing companies focused on each stage of the construction cycle. Innovators in display include Saudi Arabia’s construction management software developer WhiteHelmet; Norway’s Rendra, offering a BIM-based collaboration platform; UAE’s PlanRadar, an award-winning, digital field management platform; and American OpenSpace, a global leader in reality capture and AI powered analytics.

The 55,000+ attendees expected at the Big 5 2022 will have the chance to discover a host of experiences curated to make their visit even more engaging. These include first-timers The Five Bar & Restaurant, an outdoor offsite modular unit display by BK Gulf, and an architectural student showcase by the American University in Dubai; as well as welcoming back the all-time favourite Selfie @ Height by Quality Equipment Rental.

Source: Emirates News Agency