The Middle East Transport

According to recent industry reports, GCC states are in the process of adding some 17m twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of new container capacity to the Arabian Peninsula’s port facilities. While some of this will go towards meeting domestic demand, there is also significant regional competition. Yet this logistics race comes at a time of...

For those with a stake in Oman’s proposed railway system, 2015 quickened the pulse. After several years of deliberations, the authorities began tendering for four separate stages of the proposed nine-segment national rail network. The network is anticipated to eventually comprise a total of 2135 km of standard-gauge track, with a total...

Leveraging the country’s strategic position adjacent to one of the world’s major seaborne trade routes, the government has identified Oman’s transport and logistics sector as a priority area with considerable potential for growth. To capitalise on that promise, public authorities are in the midst of a multi-billion-rial investment programme...

Hopes are high for the transport sector in Jordan, as a range of initiatives will soon come to fruition. The prime minister announced that 2015 would be “the year of the transport sector”, and signs point to greater prioritisation of the industry.

The arrival of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment from Qatar at Aqaba Port in May 2015 signalled a major step forward for Jordan’s energy sector, while also putting the country’s plans for developing transport infrastructure firmly in the spotlight. The heightened activity at Aqaba has underscored the need to boost connectivity...

In recent years, Aqaba’s port complex has been undergoing major redevelopment and expansion. At the same time, as Jordan’s sole seaport and main import-export funnel, Aqaba has been responding to the challenges posed by regional security issues, while remaining a major charger for the kingdom’s economic growth. Indeed, the most recent...