The big picture

01 UNITED STATES Vertiv Holdings acquires E&I Engineering Group

Vertiv Holdings Co (Vertiv), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced that through its subsidiaries, it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire E&I Engineering Ireland Limited and its affiliate, Powerbar Gulf LLC (“E&I”) for approximately $1.8 billion in upfront consideration plus the potential for up to $200 million in cash, based on achieving certain 2022 profit milestones.

The upfront consideration consists of $1,170 million in cash and approximately $630 million of Vertiv common stock.

04 UNITED KINGDOM DP World to build fourth berth at London logistics hub

DP World will begin construction work next month on a fourth berth at its London Gateway logistics hub. The upgrade is being built at an investment of $415m in a bid to increase supply chain resilience and create more capacity for the world’s largest ships.

The investment builds on the $2.76bn investment DP World has already made in Britain over the last decade.

The new fourth berth will raise capacity by a third and completion will coincide with the delivery of a new wave of 24,000 TEU vessels in 2023/2024, which will all be operated between Asia and Europe.

02 UNITED KINGDOM UK’s Penspen signs $70m in MEA energy contracts

Penspen, the UK-based engineering, project management, asset management and integrity services specialist, has said that it has recorded a highly successful year to date in the Middle East and Africa, with a strong performance forecast for the rest of the year.

The company added that its Project Management Consultancy (PMC) service line alone has secured more than $50 million from five new, longterm contracts from entities such as ADNOC, ADNOC Onshore, ADNOC Offshore and ADOC during 2021.

05 TUNISIA Metito-led consortium wins tender to build Tunisian seawater desalination plant

Metito has announced that its consortium with Orascom and Cobra has won the tender to build a seawater desalination plant in Sfax. The tender was raised by the Société Nationale d’Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE).

The project is fully funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Organization (JICA) and is set to begin operations in February 2024. Metito will carry out the design, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the project which is estimated to be complete within 30 months.

03 UNITED KINGDOM AESG acquires Commetch Europe

AESG, the specialist consultancy, engineering and built environment advisory firm with headquarters in Dubai, London and Singapore, has announced the acquisition of Commtech Europe, an established provider of commissioning and technical services throughout Europe.

AESG said that the rapid expansion of the data centre and pharmaceutical sectors alongside the ever-increasing complexity of building systems, meant that Commtech Europe’s reputation and strength in commissioning critical facilities and systems would perfectly align with AESG.

Commtech Europe will be fully integrated into AESG.

06 EGYPT Alstom delivers first two trains for Cairo Monorail

The first two Innovia 300 trains for the Cairo Monorail project have been delivered, Alstom has announced. The trains were completed at the firm’s Derby UK factory, with propulsion systems application led by Alstom’s site in Trapaga, Spain.

The dispatch of the first eight fully automated, driverless cars out of 70 trains (a total of 280 cars) is a major milestone in the Cairo Monorail project, Egypt’s first two monorail lines. The lines link the New Capital City and 6th October City to Greater Cairo.

Both lines of the project are expected to open in 2023.

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07 KUWAIT Two workers die in accident at KIA Terminal 2 worksite

Two Nepali nationals have been killed in a work site accident during the construction of the Kuwait International Airport Terminal 2.

The two workers died after being buried under sand while working at the construction site for the new terminal building. A third worker was also trapped under the rubble but was pulled out safely by the Kuwait Fire Department, after a four-hour rescue operation.

Dr Rana Al Faris, the Public Works Minister, has announced a probe into the incident. 08 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Union Properties signs $114m MoU to exit from under construction Motor City shopping centre

Union Properties, the Dubai-based real estate developer listed on Dubai Financial Market and the owner of a group of diversified activity subsidiaries, has announced that it recently completed the signing of a MoU under which it will completely exit from the ownership of a shopping centre under construction in Motor City in Dubai. The MoU is valued at $114.34 million and was signed with one of the leading real estate developers in Dubai. 09 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Hitachi ABB Power Grids supplies GSU transformers for Al Dhafra PV2 Solar Project

Hitachi ABB Power Grids has announced that it will supply large generator stepup (GSU) transformers, protection and telecommunications to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor for the Al Dhafra PV2 Solar project in Abu Dhabi.

The project consists of approximately three million solar panels, making it the world’s largest single-site solar farm.

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10 SAUDI ARABIA SWPC issues invite for EoIs for 1,392km IWTP project in KSA

An invitation for expressions of interest (EoIs) for the Riyadh-Qassim Independent Water Transmission Pipeline (IWTP) project has been issued by the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC). Once the project is complete, it will boast a transmission capacity of 685,000cu/m per day.

A competitive process will be held to select the developer/developer consortium for the 1,392km-long pipeline project, which will be implemented on a BOOT basis. The deadline for submitting the bids has been set at October 31.

11 BAHRAIN Middle East’s largest and first cylindrical aquarium launched in Bahrain

Mall of Dilmunia has launched the Bahrain Aquarium, it has been announced.

The aquarium is a major highlight for the mall and occupies all four levels, making it the first and largest cylindrical aquarium in a Middle Eastern mall. The cylindrical shape provides easy access for visitors across all four floors. Containing approximately 700,000 litres of seawaters, it has a depth of 17 metres and a diameter of seven metres. It is home to more than 2,700 specimens from 85 different species, including rays, fish and sharks.

12 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Chapman Taylor showcases masterplan for Al Reem Residential Community

Chapman Taylor has unveiled the masterplan concept for the Al Reem Residential Community on Abu Dhabi’s Al Reem Island. The development features multi-tower housing and hospitality, and will be fully integrated within the natural environment, with beautiful views and extensive green landscaping.

The ambitious urban design creates a new city district which combines respect for the region’s history and heritage with a bold embrace of the future within a landscape of rivers, mangroves, beaches and desert.

13 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Empower begins supply of Uptown Tower

Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has said that it has started supplying the ‘Uptown Tower’ in Dubai with its environmentally friendly district cooling services, with a capacity of 3,850 Refrigeration tons (RT).

The Uptown skyscraper is the first high-rise tower in Uptown Dubai district and is being developed by Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), a Dubai Government entity.

Empower said that the Uptown project has been built according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standards.

16 UZBEKISTAN Masdar launches 100MW Uzbekistani solar project

Masdar, the subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, and global renewable energy company, has inaugurated the Nur Navoi Solar Project, Uzbekistan’s first successfully financed Independent Power Producer (IPP) solar project.

The 100-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) plant is Uzbekistan’s first utility-scale solar project. It has begun energisation and has made its first contribution to the country’s renewable energy targets. The plant will produce enough power for 31,000 households, and will displace around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

14 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Eltizam Asset Management Group acquires Inspire Integrated

Eltizam Asset Management Group (EAMG) has acquired Inspire Integrated (formerly Multiplex Services), a real estate and facilities management company in Dubai for $10 million.

EAMG is a subsidiary of Abu Dhabibased International Holding Company and said that the move is part of its strategy to expand the group’s real estate, infrastructure property management, facilities management and project delivery services.

Inspire Integrated will continue to operate under the same name.

17 CHINA SABIC-led JV to build $6bn petrochemical complex in China

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has signed an agreement to build a petrochemical complex in China at an investment of $6.15 billion in a joint venture with Fujian Petrochemical Industrial Group.

The two companies will set up a 51:49 joint venture after receiving approval from the relevant Chinese government authorities. The project will include a mixed-feed steam cracker, numerous downstream facilities, and several by-product units.

It will also boast an ethylene capacity of 1.5 million MT per year.

15 OMAN Hatta hydroelectric power project nearly 30% complete

Construction of the 250MW pumpedstorage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta is nearly 30% complete, DEWA has announced. Once complete, the plant will feature a storage capacity of 1,500MWhours and a life span of up to 80 years.

The hydroelectric power plant is an energy storage system with a turnaround efficiency of 78.9%.

It utilises the potential energy of the water stored in the upper dam which is converted to kinetic energy during the flow of water through the 1.2km subterranean tunnel.

18 CHINA China’s Baoshan signs MoU with Saudi Aramco for steel plate factory

Baoshan Iron and Steel Co (Baosteel), China’s biggest listed steelmaker, has signed an initial pact with Saudi Aramco, to study building a steel plate factory in Saudi Arabia.

The nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding is one of several agreements the state-owned Aramco has signed as it looks to expand its industrial investment programme.

Baosteel said that the companies intend to carry out a feasibility study on building a plant to make heavy steel plates, which are commonly used in the construction industry.