Endeavour Middle East

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Editor’s Note

In the last twenty to forty years, the world has watched as the Middle East has made staggering advancements in industry, technology, and infrastructure. This is made obvious by their monumental buildings, beautiful man-made beaches and decadent businesses. So, you must be wondering how did such technological advancement occur? Well, as shown through the following businesses, the Middle East has greatly developed from its humble cultural beginnings to titans of a variety of industries, like pearl diving, oil, and tourism and travel.

What makes the Middle East particularly special, is there rapid modernisation in just a short amount of time. Therefore, solidifying their status as a place of affluence, innovation, and culture. This is shown through businesses such as the Al Ghurair Group’s family innovations in the pearl industry, alongside Abu Dhabi’s bustling Department of Culture and Tourism, along with many other energetic businesses.

Saipem Taj Dubai

Jordan Aeronautical-Systems Company

With over 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, the Jordan Aeronautical-Systems Company (JAC) is on a mission to develop the country’s aviation industry and bring an extensive range of services to customers across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. To achieve this level of success, JAC works every day to ensure that the civil and military aviation market continues to be supplied with vital maintenance, repair, and overhaul services to keep flights moving. However, in order to stay ahead of the curve, JAC remains committed to implementing solutions that follow the ever-changing nature of the aviation market.

Since its founding in the early 2000s, JAC has spent the last two decades delivering complete aviation solutions, which are focused on providing the most efficient, highquality quality and valuable services to the aviation market. Therefore, JAC is an approved maintenance organisation, which specialises in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul. The company’s operations are based in Jordan, and so take advantage of both a stable political and economic climate and its strategic location at the heart of the Middle East. With its operations at the centre of the region, Jordan has easy access to the international aviation industry.

JAC’s operations are vast but the primary objective is to deliver quality aeronautical systems to ensure crafts are airworthy through a reliable maintenance, repair, testing, and development service. These services have always focused on customer satisfaction, a goal it has been achieving for almost two decades. JAC grants a large part of its success to its employees who operate with strict discipline and adherence to safety regulations. This reputation for discipline provides customers with the confidence that all work carried out by JAC will be efficient and cost-effective, whilst still firmly meeting international safety standards and its customer’s specific needs.

A crucial service JAC provides is Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) which is used to test the latest equipment in the aeronautical industry. All aircraft are provided with level III certified NDT inspection teams, available at the JAC base or in the customer’s location. These teams are equipped with x-ray, eddy current, ultrasonic, magnetic, and fluorescent inspection measures to ensure the safety of a plane. The findings of these reports are written up officially and given to the relevant authorities or OEM to make the necessary improvements, repairs, or certifications. Should a plane need a specific part, JAC also possesses a vast inventory of material which it then sells to customers at a significantly discounted price which is sold either as single items or as complete packages. This twostep operation allows JAC to not only ensure planes are up to code, but that they can then provide all essential parts or necessities via its own inventory.

One of the great aspects of JAC is that it is equipped to provide its customers with on-call technical services which span from performing light checks to engine removal and installation. This ensures that customers using JAC’s services are

supported by a reliable team of engineers backed by the leading airline maintenance expertise. This expertise extends into JAC’s aircraft assessment service which will perform the essential assessment of aircraft for buyers to ensure that any potential problems are seen before customers invest in an aircraft. This service utilises JAC’s highly qualified team of engineers who will look at the overall health of an aircraft, and provide a deep visual inspection, borescope inspection, inventory check, functional check, and document search. This comprehensive assessment provides JAC customers with the confidence that they can make big investment purchases in aircraft backed by the assessment and personal expertise of an international aeronautical specialist company.

Alongside its assessment and repairs services, JAC also has a variety of offerings including paint services which work across both civilian and military fixed and rotary wing aircraft to ensure the outside of the plane has the correct paint, branding, and design specifications for its duties. This service works alongside operations such as sheet-metal

Accelerating Airline Solutions

AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS ON A GLOBAL SCALE

Jordan Aeronautical-Systems Company

airframe repairs and signage. The level of detail throughout JAC’s services can be felt in every operation, but none more so than the aesthetics of the cabin interior. JAC provides a range of cabin interior design and maintenance services to ensure those travelling with the aircraft experience a comfortable flight. This service highlights JAC’s commitment to helping its customers to succeed; every single detail spanning from the engine to the cabin is carefully considered by JAC and delivered to its customers throughout its service and solution offerings.

With so much success behind the company, Jordan’s aviation industry has been greatly enhanced by JAC as it continues to provide expert-backed complete aviation solutions, maintenance, repairs, and overhauls to the aircraft industry. However, as we saw during the pandemic, the aviation market can be fickle with constantly changing needs and ever-growing demands. However, this is something JAC already factors into its service offerings but focuses on innovative services, which will allow it to extend its capabilities to work with Airbuses. By extending its offerings, JAC can continue to expand its network across Africa, and into the Central Asia and European markets.

To achieve this push towards the future, JAC has just appointed a new CEO, Eng. Ayman Al Habahbeh, who brings a wealth of experience across the aviation industry with him. As an avionics and electrical engineer, Al Habahbeh has more than 30 years of experience in the logistics and

maintenance aviation sector backed by a deep understanding of aircraft systems. The new CEO is set on a clear vision for transforming JAC towards the future as a state-of-the-art centre for aviation excellence across the maintenance and logistics of the aviation industry. He hopes to leverage the current success of the company and continue to push toward innovative strategies in order to enhance the operational efficiency and quantity of its operations, whilst always ensuring customer satisfaction.

As we have seen throughout JAC’s vast array of service offerings, it is a pivotal company servicing the aviation industry in the heart of the Middle East. Whilst only being a young company, the wealth of experience across its teams is unmatched and will continue to provide customer satisfaction, international regulatory standards and close attention to detail throughout its every operation. With a new CEO at the helm, we look forward to seeing how he tackles the ever-changing nature of the aviation industry as it continues to expand its aviation network across the Middle East and beyond.

Accelerating Airline Solutions

As a global leader in the design, construction and operation of complex infrastructures and plant facilities, Saipem is an engineering company which has taken over the energy sector through both offshore and onshore projects. With a key vision to engineer solutions for a sustainable future, the company has spent the last 65 years at the forefront of a global transition towards net zero. For Saipem engineering is at the heart of its operations and so its business, activities, and industrial solutions are all working to create a clearer vision for tomorrow.

Saipem’s origins can be traced back to 1957 when it became an independent company and constructed its first offshore platform the Scarabeo. The platform exemplified Saipem’s exemplary construction and engineering skills, which still serve as the foundation of its operations across the globe. Since the completion of its first offshore platform, Saipem has continued to grow its international reputation which saw the company complete a range of key projects across the globe. These projects include 600 wells in the Mesota Espinosa, numerous gas and oil pipelines across Argentina, Italy, and India, and 4 key drilling platforms in the Adriatic Sea by the end of 1969. Today, Saipem is a global leader in engineering with operations in 60 countries, 9 manufacturing sites and a workforce of over 30,00 employees who are passionate about providing the world with innovative solutions to meet its client needs whilst protecting the world for future generations.

Saipem offers a vast array of services and solutions which it helps design, procure, engineer and construct to meet the needs of its clients’ projects. Saipem works across every stage of development projects taking each one from process and structural engineering, all the way to procurement and construction. Once constructed, Saipem helps with the maintenance, modification, and daily operations of each deep-sea system. The company even works to help decommission plants and platforms when they are no longer in use. By staying so close to every project, Saipem can ensure the maximum economic return of offshore field development whilst maintaining high levels of safety, reliability, and performance.

Just last year Saipem announced it has been awarded 2 offshore contracts which are roughly 900 million USD in value. The first contract is in partnership with Aker Solutions and was awarded by Total Energies for the LAPA Southwest Development Project. LAPA is a deepwater oil field in the Santo Basin in the South Atlantic 270km off the coast of Brazil. Work on the project includes the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of subsea umbilical, risers, and flowlines (SURF) as well as a Subsea Production System (SPS). For this Saipem will maximise local content by making use of its yard Guarujá CTCO (Centro de Tecnologia

Engineering for the Future

e Construção Offshore) for logistics activities and Quad Joints Fabrication and some other manufacturing activities.

The second contract was awarded to Saipem by Equinor for the Irpa Pipeline Project. The project covers the installation of 80 kilometres of swagged Pipe-in-Pipe pipeline which will connect the production template of the Irpa Field to the existing Aasta Hansteen platform. The Irpa Pipeline project is expected for operations to begin next year in 2025.

A fundamental aspect of Saipem’s operations is its offshore drilling services, which date back to the origins of the company where it began drilling off the coasts of Sicily. At present, Saipem has a fleet of drilling vessels that can operate in several harsh environments and at a range of operational depths. In addition to these, Saipem also has a range of

drillships, jack-ups and semi-submersibles which are also capable of operating in both shallow and ultra-deepwater depths. Drilling for Saipem has continued to allow the company to establish longterm relationships with exploration and production companies across the world to drill wells in some of the deepest and most technically challenging environments there are.

In November 2022, Saipem was awarded new offshore drilling contracts covering 3 projects in the Middle East and 2 in Western Africa encompassing approximately 800 million USD in value. In the Middle East, Saipem was contracted to work on two highspecification Jack-Up drilling units (Perro Negro 12 and 13) which are chartered by third parties for drilling and workover activities. The project is expected to take 5 years with completion expected in 2027, with an optional two years for the first unit

and another 4 years for the second. In West Africa, Saipem was awarded 2 contracts in the Ultra DeepWater segment for drilling operations with the sixth-generation Drillship Saipem 1200. The first contract was awarded to Eni Côte d’Ivoire for drilling operations. The second contract was awarded to Azule Energy for drilling. The project included the drilling of 12 firm wells and included the possibility of an extension for an optional term. These contracts in West Africa and the Middle East highlight the areas as key focuses for development over the coming years for Saipem and its operations in the ultra-deepwater market.

Furthermore, Saipem announced in February 2023 that it was resuming work on the Mozambique LNG project for Total Energies. The project covers the onshore development of the LNG plant and is the first for Saipem in Mozambique, and includes the engineering, procurement, and construction of the onshore plant. Saipem also announced in the same month that the company has renewed its collaboration agreements with Petrojet and ENPPI. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Saipem with Petrojet to continue the collaborative efforts in the pursuit of potential new initiatives in the oil and gas, infrastructure, and new Energy sectors in North Africa. This continued collaboration highlights the strong relationship Saipem has with companies in North Africa and the Middle East. The cooperating agreement signed with ENPPI continues the execution and co-engineering services for potential new initiatives to be pursued globally. The agreement gives Saipem access to local expertise and engineering in Egypt, especially in areas with high development potential in energy infrastructure.

MOORING • TOWING • LIFTING EXCELLING

Sustainability is key to Saipem’s current plans as it works to constantly update its expertise and renew its design and development assets to solidify its entry into the field of renewable energy. Consequently, Saipem has implemented a range of solar panels, integrated bio-refineries, geothermal energy, and waste-to-energy projects. The goal of these renewable infrastructure projects is to enter the world of existing renewable and continue to develop the sector with new and emerging technologies into wave, tide, thermal ocean energy,

Engineering for the Future

floating photovoltaic installations, renewable energy storage, hydrogen, and hybridisation projects which will reduce carbon on a significant scale.

Additionally, Saipem has recently announced the development of its new Bluenzyme™ modular products which are designed for carbon dioxide capture. The proprietary technology has been developed by CO2 Solutions by Saipem™ which offers efficient and cost-effective solutions for carbon capture. The modular constructions are designed to reduce construction time to save money for its clients. The flexibility of these standardised models allows Saipem to be ahead of the game and meet the specific needs of each client whilst also helping them to continue to meet the needs of the future.

Overall, Saipem is a vast and ever-expanding company which stretches to every corner of the globe with its engineering services. With vital work both onshore and offshore which aids the infrastructural development of regions across the globe, Saipem continues to lead the way with its reputation for excellence. As the company has moved towards the future, we have seen its vital shift towards renewable and green energy options which has allowed the company to remain ahead of the competition for many years. With vital development carbon reduction and infrastructure across the world, it is not a surprise Saipem continues to be awarded vital contracts for its engineering across the world.

Aqaba Container Terminal

As Jordan’s only container terminal, the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) has played a vital role in supporting the national and regional economy of the country through its crucial services in importing and exporting goods. Under the joint ownership of APM Terminals Group and the Aqaba Development Company (ADC), it has provided seamless movement across its operations to regulate operations across the port whilst providing vital services to benefit the container terminal.

The development in ACT by ADC comes as part of a crucial project taken out in 2004 to unlock the potential of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) by accelerating its economic growth and development. Now in 2023, ACT has seen new changes which has seen a new Chief Executive Officer appointed to bring his breadth of expertise across the global maritime industry to ACT.

Located in the city of Aqaba in Jordan, at the meeting point of three continents and four countries, the services that ACT provides for the movement of cargo across these regions benefit both global and local markets, all whilst developing the economy of Jordan. ACT provides key logistical and economic operations across the ASEZA, as it is the chosen entry point for many active markets around the world due to Jordan’s political stability.

Acting as a key corridor for trade, ACT works to provide world-class services powered by advanced technology and equipment across its terminal facilities. Consequently, ACT has developed a reputation for efficiency and proficiency as it is dedicated to establishing the container terminal as a crucial player in global markets through its promise of speed, safety, security, and transparency across all its services.

The container terminal provides a range of container services to seamlessly move cargo from vessels and through to land transport links. These services include providing berths, ship-to-shore operations, stacking and unstacking containers, transferring containers, carrying out temperature checks on reefer containers and technical conditions on containers. Additionally, ACT provides storage container facilities, equipment interchange reports, executes documentary controls, supplies vessels with portable water, weighs containers, provides value-added services, as well as facilitating labour and equipment hiring needs. Marine services are provided through AMPSCo, and include anchorage, pilotage, towage, and berthing whilst working with ACT to facilitate the easy movement of cargo from vessels from the port and into the container terminal.

Furthermore, as part of ACT’s vision to be the sustainable gateway for Jordan and beyond it is constantly looking for ways to develop and upgrade its services towards a more sustainable, modern,

Aqaba Container Terminal

transparent, competitive, reliable, and profitable supply chain. These are commitments that ACT is working towards to continually develop the company’s value chain.

ACT announced in July that a new CEO has been appointed to take on the crucial role of overseeing the company’s operations. APM Terminals Group named Harald Nijhof as its new chief executive officer. Nijhof has had an impressive career across the maritime industry and brings over 30 years of experience to the role having worked in the UK, India, Denmark, Spain, Singapore, and South Africa.

Having joined APM Terminals in 2020 as Head of Operations Execution globally, his expertise was seen across the overarching company’s operations which now is being adopted across ACT. In the press release announcing Nijhof’s position at ACT, he stated “I am truly honoured to assume the CEO role at Aqaba Container Terminal. Leading this exceptional team, continuing ACT’s growth and development, and contributing to Aqaba’s future vision is a privilege. Together, we will strive to achieve new milestones in our aspirations of becoming a green trade hub for Jordan. We will focus on delivering an unparalleled

port experience, fostering community prosperity in Aqaba and its surroundings, and further solidifying ACT’s position as the leading trade hub in the Levant region and beyond. I am extremely confident that our team will achieve great things.”

It is clear to see that under Nijhof’s management, ACT is setting itself up for even greater achievement as it works to strategically place Aqaba’s container terminal as a vital access point for importing and exporting cargo not just for the prosperity of Jordan, but for the added benefit of its surrounding countries.

Furthermore, ACT has implemented a range of projects that are working to care for the wellbeing of the citizens of Aqaba and its surrounding communities. Act believes that focusing on the community is a fundamental way that it aspires to the container terminal’s business operations. ACT has an established broad portfolio of community investments that directly support a number of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals. These investments in Jordan are focused on

20 years as the Backbone of Jordan’s

education, healthcare, and the environment. ACT’s role in the community of Jordan is therefore crucial as it provides key donations, sponsorships, and community engagement projects all with the united goal of benefitting the local community outside of the terminal. Consequently, ACT is working to develop both its container terminal and beyond, to bring a myriad of benefits to Jordan and beyond.

Overall, the Aqaba Container Terminal has established itself as a sustainable gateway for Jordan and its surrounding countries. The container terminal has been developed over the years to provide modern, transparent, competitive, reliable, and profitable supply chain operations. Furthermore, with the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, we look forward to seeing how he brings his experience across the maritime industry to this role as he continues to help develop ACT’s position as a world-class provider of cargo handling across the industry.

THE TAJ WELCOME

Taj Dubai

When an opulent Indian hotel brand meets the high standards of Dubai, you know you’re in for something special. Taj Hotels, known for its Indian palaces and international excellence, is expanding its footprint through the Middle East. We spoke with Ranjit Phillipose, Taj Hotel’s Area Director in the region, to learn more.

CWritten by Alice

urrently, Ranjit Phillipose is not only responsible for the operations of the striking Taj Dubai, but he is also overseeing Taj Hotels’ planned rapid expansion across the Middle East. With 27 years of experience with the company and front-line involvement with these expansion plans, Ranjit was able to give us first-hand insight into Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) as a company, and what to expect from it in the coming years. Having operated as a reputed hotel brand in India for 117 years, the well-known company has now spread to a wide international success, with properties not only in India, but in Sri Lanka, USA, England, Zambia, South Africa, Maldives, Bhutan, Andaman Islands and Dubai, UAE. When it comes to Dubai, however, competition is high and success is no guarantee – not even for a company with this much experience. When Ranjit stepped into his role at Taj Dubai, he found that he had every other major hotel brand close by: “Now, one of the biggest challenges in the market has been that there is a lot more supply than demand,” he explained, “So how do you differentiate yourself from the other brands? ” To make its place in this market, Taj had to come in strong, and this was a challenge that Ranjit embraced:

TAJ DUBAI

“One of the things that makes us stand out is our philosophy of ‘Tajness’. Tajness is something you should be able to feel with your eyes closed. It’s all about the service that we bring; our engagement with our guests.” Ranjit explained that it is these high levels of customer service, as well as an attentive, personal customisation of guest experiences, that Taj Dubai prides itself on. It is a brand standard throughout the company, and it is one that has placed Taj Dubai in good stead despite a saturated market:

“Over the past three years, we’ve been able to eat into the market share of our competition. When we started out in 2015, we were ranked 5/6. Last year we closed the year at 1/6.”

Dubai is well known for its luxurious real estate and hotels, so a high level of competition was to be expected, however given that the city is such a vibrant hub in the Middle East, we were surprised to hear that supply was now higher than demand. We asked Ranjit whether this was caused by an actual drop in demand,

or whether it was simply that companies’ eagerness to move into the city had gone too far: “Reports are showing that there’s a degrowth of about 15%. There has been this slowdown because of various factors. Instability in the Middle East and aggressive marketing by countries like Saudi Arabia to grow their own economy has affected travel into Dubai. Now with the coronavirus, the industry has again taken a hit.” However, being a well-known entity in many countries, Taj Dubai has clientele coming from other countries so the hit is not too serious: Australia, Europe, the UK, South America and of course India are all large sources of guests for the hotel.

2020 is also shaping up to be a positive year for Dubai’s tourism industry; Expo 2020 Dubai is set to transform the city from October 2020 to April 2021, drawing people to Dubai from all across the globe. The event will be huge, with countries designing and investing in whole pavilions in which to display, demonstrate and show off their major industries and areas of development. The Dubai Tourism Department expects the event to raise Dubai’s footfall from 20 to 25 million, and Taj Dubai plans to see a slice of that action. Rather than simply leaving the catchment of this business to chance, the company and the hotel actually have gears in motion to corner it.

“One of the biggest things that works in our favour is that, at the Expo, the India stand is going to be one of the biggest. The Indian government is investing a lot of money into creating that stand, and The Tata Group, our parent company, is going to have a major part of it.” The Indian government itself is working to promote this stand and the businesses involved, and Taj’s link to this means that its hotels will be promoted to those working on the stand itself, as well as visiting the Expo. The company is even in discussions over doing the Indian Pavilion’s catering.

Looking beyond the Expo, Taj plans to expand its Middle Eastern presence. Last year, it opened its second property in Dubai - Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers – and by Q4, 2020, they are looking to open a third property, this one a beach resort on the famous Palm Jumeirah. If

TAJ DUBAI

you haven’t seen the striking construction that is The Palm, look it up – there are few things quite like it in the world. “The Palm is where all the big brands are, so our presence there is absolutely critical.”

However, the company’s focus on the Middle East does not stop at Dubai. Other potential areas of expansion include Oman and Abu Dhabi, and excitingly, there are already solid plans in place to operate a location in Mecca. “It’s an exciting place to be in. It’s the holiest place in the Islamic world, and I think a great way to come into this region.” The Mecca property should be in operation by 2023. Like with most of Taj’s hotels, the company will manage and operate the property, but not own it; however, they are already working closely with its developers to make sure it is finished to the brand’s standard and ready to do justice to Taj’s vision for its Mecca presence.

The aesthetic design for Taj Mecca will, no doubt, be as striking as Taj’s other hotels. Taj

Dubai, for example, is a truly beautiful mix of Indian and Arabic styles: “When I walked into this building for the first time, I immediately got that sense that there is a great vibe to this hotel. One of the reasons I got that sense was that it has a beautiful blend of Indian and Arabic design, but it isn’t ‘flashy’ – it’s luxuriously appointed. The furnishings, the fittings, the artefacts – we’ve got a great mix from India and across the world. The hotel isn’t overbearingly Indian, but it has subtle touches that capitalize on Indian heritage.” In the food and beverage offerings, Taj Dubai also features the brand’s iconic Bombay Brasserie – a wellregarded restaurant with only three locations in the world: London Kensington, Cape Town, and now Dubai. These restaurants celebrate everything culinary that India has to offer, blending Goan, Bengali, Gujarati, Mughal and Portuguese dishes and flavours.

If you want to see how far Taj Hotels can push tastefully breathtaking design, one need

only look at another property that Ranjit has managed – Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India. The palace, which was built in 1894, is the former palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad. However, it had been lying unused for 60 years before Taj undertook a ten-year restoration project to convert it into a hotel. By accepting his first General Manager position at this hotel, Ranjit was in a rare and privileged position of being able to influence how the hotel would be designed and run. For example, he was able to design the ‘music philosophy’ – what sort of ambient music would play across the hotel. He also discovered the broken remnants of carriages, and after going through the archives to research their original designs, his team had one reconstructed using these parts, to give guests a spectacular feel of a bygone era when they arrive via the hotel’s magnificent entranceway by a horse-drawn carriage and are greeted by a scattering of rose petals. “That was a fantastic experience because I was interacting

directly with royalty who were directly involved in the restoration. All those things we put into place, even today after ten years, are still being followed.”

Ranjit has had a varied career that has taken him to many of Taj’s most prestigious hotels, often to oversee the opening of a new property before moving on to the next challenge a few years later, leaving a wellestablished hotel behind him. “I joined Taj as a youngster back in India 27 years ago. I left college in April ‘93, and in May ‘93 I joined Taj. I’m very fortunate: I’ve been to some beautiful cities and locations, and each experience has been outstanding.” After working his way up the ranks in India and England, Ranjit was sent to various new locations for the company to help in establishing their brand and presence. These locations included Mauritius, USA (New York, San Francisco and Boston) and India once more, at Taj Falaknuma Palace. After this Ranjit managed several other properties for

TAJ DUBAI

Taj Hotels, including Taj Exotica Maldives, Taj Exotica Goa, and now Taj Dubai.

Moving from place to place like this might be challenging for some people, but Ranjit thrives on it, embracing the opportunity to travel and take on new challenges. He explained that he grew up on the move with his father in the air force, so he is accustomed to moving location every two or three years. In fact, he prefers it. “The biggest thing I like when you move countries is that you need to adapt. You must assimilate into the culture; you meet new people – and I think my strength is in people. One General Manager early into my career said, ‘Surround yourself with people better than you are. That has helped me in my journey. It challenges you, and that is what’s very exciting for me.’”

People are of high importance to Ranjit, and this emphasis is shared by the company at large. Most, if not all, companies claim this, but Taj proves successful at supporting and

retaining its employees. At Taj Dubai, there are almost 400 employees, and many them of them have been with the company for over five years. Additionally, the company is achieving in terms of lower turnover rates: the average annual turnover of staff in the Middle Eastern hospitality industry is 37%, but Taj Dubai is at 24%. “Especially in markets like London, Dubai, New York, you don’t expect people to stay on for so long,” Ranjit pointed out to us. “So, I feel that’s a sign that we’re doing something right.” So, how is Taj Hotels seeking to support, retain and get the most out of its staff? One way in which it differentiates itself is the ‘Taj Welcome’ - a unique experience on any employee’s first day of work. “All of our associates who are joining us walk in through the front door of the hotel on their first day. They arrive in the lobby and experience the entire ritual we conduct for our guests. For example, at check in, all our guests are greeted with a little prayer and a garland of beads, so our associates also go

through that. Then they dine in our restaurants, so they feel like a guest. That ‘wow’ moment on their faces is the moment we want to translate for our guests: if they’ve experienced that, then they’re ready to deliver it.”

This initiative enables members of staff to deliver the very best experience to guests, and also helps them to feel involved and valued within the brand, as well as offering them a unique insight into why the brand’s standards matter and what these achieve. Another system the company uses to maintain morale is called ‘V Connect’: rather than taking a survey once a year to check on its staff’s wellbeing, the company seeks feedback every day by presenting each employee with a random question when they clock in. For example, they may be asked how they are feeling, or their opinion on the employee restaurant. This daily survey allows the hotel and the company to have an up-to-date, accurate view of how staff feel, so issues can be resolved as soon as

they occur, and any seasonal problems can be identified and resolved.

On top of these initiatives, Taj also provides more traditional and extremely important support such as developmental training, scholarships, health checks and comprehensive medical insurance. All of this allows its team to feel listened to, welcomed, valued, provided for, and like they have a future within the company.

As Ranjit told us, “Excellence is a journey, and you are constantly on that journey. The only thing you can do is get better and better.” Taj repeatedly hits the mark of excellence, and yet its work is not done, continuing to expand and improve with every year. This is how a brand stays on top, and as it grows in the Middle East, we have no doubt that it will continue to distinguish itself from the crowd through its attention to detail, care for its guests and, just as importantly, care for its staff.

GATEWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY

Airports are more than a logistical option for travelling from A to B; they are an experience that bookends holidays and business trips, and the success and smooth delivery of this experience can make or break our memories of the entire venture. The professionalism of an airport equals peace of mind for the businesses using them. Airports juggle and navigate a complex network of logistics, but aim to always deliver these with an ease and calm for their passengers and clients; with so many outcomes reliant on this happening successfully, companies like Oman Airports Management Company (OA) carry a heavy responsibility.

WRITTEN BY AMY BUXTON

OMAN AIRPORTS MANAGEMENT COMPANY

A government-owned operation, OA has been charged with the management and operation of all civil airports within the Sultanate of Oman. It falls to OA to ensure the seamless operation of Oman’s airports, from marketing and communications through to commercial real estate management and coordinating security, as well as overseeing the infrastructure of the airport itself, including terminal buildings, cargo buildings, runway, apron and car parking.

Not content to simply operate a reliable airport, OA wants to make theirs one of the top 20 airports in the world by 2020. Overseeing what they describe as the “gateways to Oman”, the company states its purpose as “growing gateways to beauty and opportunity”.

Oman’s first airport, Bait Al Falaj Airport, no longer exists, but the company now oversees four main locations: Sohar Airport, Duqm Airport, Salalah Airport, and Muscat International Airport né Seeb International Airport. Under OA, Muscat International Airport has changed more than its name; both it and Salalah have had numerous recent investments and expansions made to their facilities. In fact, the first anniversary of Muscat’s expansion falls this month; we took this opportunity to speak with David Wilson, Chief Operations Officer of OA, to take us through the various ways the company is working towards its 2020 goal, and in particular, to tell us more about the fruits of this expansion.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have been able to work in partnership with the Government of the Sultanate of Oman to open new airports for the nation,” David tells us. “The scale of the projects to build and open the new airports were unprecedented in Oman in terms of investment, profile and prestige.” He isn’t exaggerating; the new Muscat airport took ten years of planning and delivery with US$4.4bn of investment, and on top of this effort, Salalah’s modernisation cost a further US$0.95bn. These figures only account for work on the airports themselves, but

further investments have also been committed to develop ancillary infrastructure such as roads to and from the locations. David broke down what this level of investment and effort has been able to deliver:

“There is no comparison between the old-world airports and the new; every single part of the service offering for customers and the systems behind our operations is different. In Muscat, a 44-yearold 52,000 sqm building has been replaced with a new 360,000 sqm construction, with a capacity of 20 million, and the airports have already been developed to allow for future expansion in line with the airports’ master plans. All airports now have boarding bridges, improved retail space and fully integrated systems and control centres, allowing us to provide a much higher quality of service to airlines and passengers. Indeed, the new infrastructure is absolutely essential to be able to deliver the level of service that our customers expect.”

The new Muscat International Airport opened a year ago, on March 20th 2018, and this first year has already seen positive results for OA’s revenue, as well as the happiness of their clients. As David shared, “Our new retail and duty free offer a wonderful product portfolio which can compete with the best airports globally. Passenger experience has also improved significantly since opening the new airport and our satisfaction scores have improved across multiple indicators.” Especially excitingly, the new airport seems to have turned OA’s 2020 goal into something of a reality: “Quarter 4

Your Path Towards a Digital Future

By Havier Haddad, General Manager for Gulf at Dell EMC

The pace and scale of change that digital technology is enabling means organisations must adapt to remain relevant. And they must use digital technology to do so. In short, digital transformation is now a business imperative.

Most organizations are still in the early stages of digital maturity, working on isolated projects that lack coordination. In contrast, the handful of organisations that fully understand enterprise-wide digital transformation are making increasingly-rapid progress, disrupting industries and leaving competitors behind in the process. This is because, digital transformation clearly means different things to different organizations and customers.

Our customers need a technology partner that they can rely on to help them in their journey, and we at Dell EMC are here to be their trusted guide and implement a remedy to advance their digital transformation following four strategic and parallel paths:

Digital transformation: we are well positioned to enable customers to shift the status quo and embrace a digital future through Digital Transformation. Our vast and comprehensive portfolio of products and services enable organizations and communities to adopt technology at the heart of everything they do – to accelerate the cycle of innovation and create competitive differentiation – in order to deliver the best experience and meet their customer’ needs first.

Workforce Transformation: The experience of the workforce is fundamentally different. We power this workforce transformation by modernizing user experiences, empowering new ways of working and delivering innovative decision-making with intuitive apps and data insight.

IT Transformation: Digital transformation invariably leads to an IT transformation in the data center because the requirements driven by digital will break traditional IT infrastructure. IT must adopt a hybrid cloud strategy and base it on modern data center technology, automate and act as a service provider in-house and broker additional services from external providers.

Security Transformation: If the workforce is accessing applications and information from wherever they are, security transformation is needed as well. Data is moving further out to the edge on more devices than ever before, and so the security posture of organizations must evolve to protect the business without being an impediment to it. With its industry expertise along with its expansive set of infrastructure and software technologies, Dell EMC is a powerful ally to businesses in their transformation journey to fuel digital innovation.

To this end, Dell Technologies as a unique family of 7 businesses (Dell, Dell EMC, VMware, Virtustream, Pivotal, RSA, SecureWorks), brings together strong capabilities in the fastest-growing areas of the industry, including hybrid cloud, software-defined data center, converged infrastructure, platform-as-a-service, data analytics, mobility and cybersecurity, provides the essential infrastructure for organizations to build their digital future, transform IT and protect their most important asset, information!

OMAN AIRPORTS MANAGEMENT COMPANY

scores in the ACI-ASQ survey (an airport benchmark quality survey) have ranked Muscat Airport 18th Best Airport in the world for overall satisfaction in the 5-15 million passengers airport category.”

The new Salalah Airport terminal building, which was opened in 2015, is also performing very well. It experienced a record-breaking Khareef season (Oman’s monsoon season) in 2018, processing over 630,000 tourists who were visiting the region, compared to around 470,000 in 2017. Salalah Airport has been ranked 6th Best airport for passenger overall satisfaction in the world in under 2 million passengers per year category. The airport also holds the number one ranking when compared to airports in the Middle East for overall satisfaction. This admirable achievement is reflected by their overall success throughout the region:

“Our performance is very positive. We are performing better than many other airports in the Middle East, especially during these challenging times in the region. We’ve seen a 7% increase on our passenger numbers in the last year across all our airports, including a 15% increase in transfer passengers in Muscat, which has been made possible through forging and nurturing strong relationships with our airlines and other partners.”

OA has also expanded Muscat through the cargo market, which has grown steadily for them for the past 12 months. This growth was partially facilitated by the opening of a new cargo facility as part of the airport’s remodelling, which has a capacity of 380k tonnes. “This is definitely a targeted growth area for Oman Airports over the coming years, and we will be working closely with our national stakeholders and international partners to continue to improve and manage the cargo market in Oman.”

These ambitious developments were supported by many bodies throughout Oman: support from Oman’s government through the Ministry of Transport & Communication has been key, but on top of this, OA also benefits from strong bonds that it has built with a variety of other partners, including the Public Authority for Civil Aviation, Oman Aviation Group, Royal Oman Police, Oman Air and Oman Aviation Services. However, it is not only these prestigious external partners, but the excellence of OA’s own team that has led to its success. To date, OA employs a team of over 1,200 staff, 93% of whom hail from Oman. As well as supporting the country through this local employment, OA also provides training and additional learning opportunities to its staff through its Learning & Development Centre. 75% of OA’s total staff made use of these programs last year.

To support good people, a truly competitive company in any industry needs to stay up to date with the latest technology. David is well aware of the importance of this advantage within a sector as complex as aviation: “We work in a fast-paced industry;

new technologies are being brought into the aviation sector regularly. Don’t ever think you know best. Market research and listening to passenger feedback can help shape your future plans. Benchmarking industry is very important too, so as we learn from others in the industry.”

Whilst the new airports have only been recently completed, OA is already looking into improvements and new technologies to introduce to them. For example, they are introducing selfservice check-ins and self-bag drops to speed up and streamline passengers’ first experiences at the airport, and they are also implementing technologies such as passenger flow management systems. These systems highlight hot spots throughout the entire passenger journey to allow the airport to predict ‘pinch points’ and areas that will slow down their progress smoothly through the airport process.

David joined Oman Airports in June 2017, having previously spent a year as COO at Mumbai International, India, following a lengthy career with several UK airports. This career has a slightly unusual origin, evolving from his decision to join the Rescue & Firefighting Service at Edinburgh Airport in February 1993, following several years in the British Army. “During my time in the

RFFS, I was given a number of opportunities by the then operator (BAA) to experience many other parts of the airport’s operation, and also attended many courses to improve my technical knowledge, leadership and interpersonal skills.”

This rise through the aviation industry combined with David’s time in the army allowed him to develop a broad knowledge and efficient approach to airport management. We asked David about his approach to leadership, and his answer…… invest time with your staff and stakeholders and always putting safety and customer satisfaction first: “Never compromise on safety and compliance, focus on delivering an excellent customer experience every day and always look for opportunities to operate at optimal cost.”

With this sort of approach, safeguarding efficiency, service, standards and security, combined with OA’s constant search for the latest and most up-to-date facilities and technology they can offer, it seems that OA are on their way to achieving their 2020 goal. The difference between Oman’s old airports and the new facilities is staggering, and future success seems certain for David and the OA team. However, it’s the passengers who will really feel the benefit.

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RE-IMAGINING MEDICINE

In many ways, you can judge the state of a civilisation by the condition of its health care. A country’s ability to run or support an effective health care system, whether public or private, reflects not only on its technology, but its fundamental ability to provide a good quality of life for its citizens. However, as populations continue to swell, the pressure on health care systems increases: fortunately, technology is also developing at a high rate, and with it, Cerner has found a way to re-invent our approach to medical care.

WRITTEN BY ALICE INSTONE-BREWER

CERNER MIDDLE EAST

Founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1979, Cerner is now a broadly-reaching health information technology company, with their solutions and services contracted at more than 27,000 provider facilities in over 35 countries. The company has moved beyond simply creating electronic health record programmes as we know them today – instead, it has gone back to the drawing board, using what is made possible by modern connectivity, and created an entirely new approach that could revolutionise medical practises. As its slogan states, “Health care is too important to stay the same”; with a cumulative R&D investment of over $6.3 billion, Cerner has committed to that idea.

We spoke with Mike Pomerance, Managing Director, Cerner EMEA and LATAM, to learn more about the solutions Cerner provides: “If you boil it all down to the most basic level,” he explained, “We manufacture software that supports hospitals to automate the care process.” Cerner has two health information technology platforms it produces that are both gamechanging by themselves, but when applied in combination, they paint an entirely new picture of health care. From a simple starting place, the end results seem practically sci-fi. Let’s break it down:

“Wherever there’s paper, we try to remove the paper, and by doing so, you create secondary benefits. That information can now be fed into smart servers and computers that can compare the patient’s situation and readings with best practise. If you’re going in for a hip replacement and the doctor wants to order a certain drug, but the computer knows that a different drug is the best option for the least complications, it can recommend this instead. It’s not going to stop you from placing the order you want, but it’s going to suggest that you consider something else.”

This level of automated information and intervention, without over-riding human decisions, allows care-givers and medical professionals to focus on the application of human insight without being the sole bastion of medical knowledge in that situation. At the very least, it is a helpful safety-net in the case of human error: “We are unfortunately still looking to humans to be able to give us the best information. In my generation, doctors spent their entire

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career learning; they had to take books and turn that information into actionable items that they use on a daily basis. Today, in that same position, it is impossible to keep up with the literature. I think what we’ll see in the future is that the information and knowledge will come from a machine, and the human will provide the empathy that you require to understand it and the patient on another level.”

The application of this software is not limited to hospitals and GP offices; it can be used anywhere that patient care takes place, including school clinics, laboratories, and even people’s homes. However, whilst the automated secondary benefits of this server system are useful, they are not the most dramatic of Cerner’s innovations. HealtheIntent, its second major software project, takes modern possibilities far further, with potentially industry-changing results. To explain the changes it offers, Mike painted this picture: “In a hospital or clinic setting, you give your doctor information that goes into their electronic records. But let’s say that you go home, and you’re on your scale, or perhaps you’re diabetic and you take your glucose reading: where does that information go?” Currently, such data is lost, trapped in what Mike calls an ‘information silo’. “You want it to go to the same place – on the medical records.”

Enter HealtheIntent. The innovation is a vast server system that allows the collection and collation of medical data from a range of sources. Instead of being limited to what is entered within hospitals and clinics, this system can take data from smart watches, electronic scales, diet apps, and any other system that monitors our health in our data-heavy world. This could provide medical professionals with a more accurate, well rounded assessment of a patient’s health, which would speed up diagnostics, improve accuracy, and allow them to give the best possible care. “That’s the second fallacy that current medicine has, I think,” speculated Mike. “Doctors and nurses are being asked to care for patients based on 3-4% of the information about that particular patient.”

To collect this data, Cerner doesn’t need to speak with the companies providing these apps – all it needs to do is talk to the consumer, who can opt to send it wherever they want. However, Mike believes it will take a 5- to 10-year shift before this vision is in full effect. In the meantime, the company’s best clients for the system are governments and ministries of health.

However, when it comes to debates over health care systems, a key element has long been data protection. Given these concerns, we asked Mike whether he felt data sharing would be an obstacle for their vision:

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“Currently, governments are often the custodians of medical data, so they can be very rigid in terms of how to share it, who can share it and who can have access to it.” Mike doesn’t believe that this difficulty will last forever, however, or that this issue is a concern in every country. “If you look at the United Arab Emirates or Qatar or Saudi Arabia, where they still basically have a king or a ruler, you can go and sell to them, and say ‘Don’t you want what’s best for your people? If we aggregate everything together, you’ll be able to do a better job’, and they’ll say ‘Make it happen. Done.’

But what of Western countries? HealtheIntent is already starting to be used in the UK, the United States, Australia and Canada, in both private and public healthcare, but Mike feels the transition to patients choosing wide-scale personal data sharing will take time. “There’s going to be a switch, and that switch will come when the consumer decides what’s going to happen to that data. That will primarily be because, at some point in the future, the government will stop being able to pay for the care of the people.” Mike predicts that eventually, this strain will lead to a move from public to private healthcare in countries where this is not the case. “As that financial burden shifts from the government to the person, that person will decide what’s best for them, and they’ll want people to have this

information. Depending on the liquidity of the country, this could happen faster or slower - between 5-10 years.”

Mike’s prediction shows great confidence in patients being happy to share their data with Cerner; we asked why he believed this would be the case: “There will always be people who are worried that their data could fall into the wrong hands, but my personal belief is that that group will become less over time. Today, people don’t want to share that information because only bad things come of it. For example, if I have a chronic illness and I share that information, I may not be able to get insurance, so it only hurts me. Now, if I can share information, receive better treatment and maybe spend less on it, that has a benefit. Once the cost of not sharing data is more than the cost of sharing, people will begin to share. People already share a lot of information today that maybe ten years ago, you’d have never have thought they would.”

In many ways, the transition that Mike predicts will be easier for less developed countries than it will be for our device-rich societies. “Countries who have not really started down an electronic health record path have an opportunity to shift to the best health care possible, because they’re going to start at a country level.” Mike envisions these countries starting afresh with Cerner’s system,

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meaning a more total transition happening quicker than in Western countries. However, even though it is predicted to involve a longer timeline, once consumer-led, device-rich countries have made the shift in attitude that Mike predicts, the amount of information available will be life changing.

With this level of automation, where do the possibilities end? Combined with AI technology, Mike sees it affecting the way we access medicine: “Pretty soon, I think we’ll see medical care in the home being delivered via virtual reality. Why should a sick person have to get dressed to drive across town to sit in a clinic with other sick people, when 80% of the time, the doctor’s just going to ask you five questions, maybe take a couple of measurements, and give you a prescription. That can be done from your home, from your TV.”

This removal of human interaction is not without its risks: “If you go to the extreme, you’re going to end up with no personal touch, just talking to a machine. But on the other hand, I believe there is an opportunity for doctors and nurses to become less of data collectors and more empathetic helpers, there to give that human touch that a computer will never be able to do.”

Given the potential complexities of such a change, Cerner provides consultations on how to apply their software to your

practice efficiently. “We cover basic topics such as ‘How do I redesign my laboratory now that I have this piece of software?’ through to advanced questions like, ‘How do I try to slow down the incidents rate of diabetes for my population?’”

Overall, the long-term projections for this software are hypothetical for now, but its current benefits, and the visible trends in our relationship with technology as a whole, imply that this breakthrough should not be underestimated. Between these two Cerner health information technology platforms, medical professionals could have a wealth of instantly accessible data on their patients at their disposal, run through diagnostics that can recommend the best course of treatment with all variables taken into account. This would up efficiency, reduce human error, and save on money and work hours, which could in turn assist in the current strains on health care bodies. Whether public or private, both types of healthcare could, and already do, benefit from the use of Cerner’s technology. Where we go from here? Only time will tell, but clearly, it is time for a change.

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Middle East and Africa Duty

Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association

When you go on holiday or on a business trip, one of the best parts is walking through the duty-free section in the airport and having a look at all the companies’ offerings at a favourable duty-free price. The role that dutyfree companies play in the financial development of the tourism and travel industry is therefore expansive, as they play a crucial role in the economic success of the industry. The impact was particularly noticed in the Middle East and Africa, and so the Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) was established in 2001 to create unity among the region’s duty-free industry and promote its continued success towards national and global markets.

Located in the Dubai Airport Free Zone, MEADFA is a non-profit organisation which aims to bring recognition to the region’s duty-free industry, whilst raising awareness of the region’s contribution to the travel and tourism industry. As an association, it provides its member companies with representation to encourage strong and profitable relationships between these companies, government organisations and key tourism/travel shareholders. Consequently, MEADFA is continually working to bring members and key figures of the industry together, whilst establishing a set of quality standards which it has implemented throughout the association to ensure a level of high-quality consistency for every member company.

One way that MEADFA is ensuring the continued success of the industry across the Middle East and Africa region is through training programs. The Association has established a Training and Development programme which is available and encouraged among MEADFA’s members. The programme, which to date has had more than 600 delegates attend, offers a range of courses including leadership, negotiation skills, sales, and marketing – to name just a few. These programs are designed to develop each member’s company, whilst working to progress the industry towards a standardised level of quality and consistent growth.

Furthermore, as part of its continued work to foster success, MEADFA announced just last year that it is launching a range of awards to recognise the great work members are doing towards being recognised as world-class travel and retail specialists in the Middle East and Africa region. President of MEADFA, Mr Sherif Toulan said in a press release on the awards that “Our objective is to focus on the dynamics of the region and acknowledge those who have made significant contributions to the development of the travel retail industry in the Middle East and Africa”. He continues “The award committee encourages companies to nominate themselves and to highlight their outstanding contributions in a variety of business areas”.

The awards cover a variety of categories including the Best Retailer Award, Best Marketing Strategy of the Year Award, Sustainability and CSR Award, and Customer and Supplier Award. All these awards allow the member companies to put

Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association

themselves forward, however, the final award is the Lifetime Achievement Award in which MEADFA honours an outstanding member who has made a remarkable contribution to the overall travel retail environment. The nominated member will have shown strong leadership whilst supporting its people and the overall industry, whilst also making efforts towards sustainability, strategy, and culture. The results are announced at the annual MEADFA conference to recognise their work and advocate for the continued growth and development of the industry towards excellence.

The MEADFA conference is held once a year and welcomes over 500 delegates from across the multinational and regional companies under the association. Attendees come from more than 32 different countries, which allows for the venue to be moved every year to highlight a new region annually.

By continually moving the conference venue, it allows for a unique opportunity to showcase the MEADFA network to celebrate and acknowledge issues facing the travel and tourism duty-free

industry in specific regions. The next conference is set to be hosted in Ghana, which serves as a gateway to Africa and is home to one of the world’s fastestemerging economies. The conference will provide key opportunities to develop and learn from the culture and traditions of this part of the continent to better understand the travel and tourism industry. Consequently, the conference allows for crucial networking, advocacy, and recognition by providing a space where critical players in the industry can work together for its continued development.

MEADFA has been working for the last 20 years to bring unity to the region’s duty-free industry and is leading the way in providing training and networking opportunities to ensure that the industry continues to develop. As an Association it works to foster an environment of improvement, to encourage every member to continue to strive for greatness and bring the Middle East and Africa duty-free industry to the global stage. Therefore, MEADFA leads the way in uniting the duty-free industry, with an infrastructure that is built towards continued success and achievement.

Loacker was founded in 1925 and went from being a local patisserie to a global brand. An international company which even after three generations still maintains a family-run business model. Values and beliefs such as high-quality and genuine products, sustainability, and a people-centric approach are at the heart of its constant growth.

Packaging is at the heart of Loacker’s sustainability policy. It pursues two main goals: recycling packaging and eliminating unnecessary packaging. Since 2022, the company has focused on increasing single-material, recycling ready, plastic packaging and eliminating unnecessary packaging along the entire value chain, maximising sustainability without compromising product quality and freshness.

The South Tyrolean company has launched five Loacker specialty selections in the Duty Free channel in outer pouch made of FSC®-certified paper: Minis Mix, Best of Moments, Gardena Minis Mix, Patisserie Selection and Tortina Selection. The paper pouch reduced the plastic packaging content of the entire packages between 56% and 63%, compared to the previous packages with plastic-only outer pouch.

The total weight of the packs was reduced between 20 percent and 7 percent compared to the previous all-plastic packs.

Last year, the paper pouch line generated about 60 percent of duty-free channel sales, suggesting a growing consumer focus on environmentally friendly packaging.

Aqaba Container Terminal

As Jordan’s only container terminal, the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) has played a vital role in supporting the national and regional economy of the country through its crucial services in importing and exporting goods. Under the joint ownership of APM Terminals Group and the Aqaba Development Company (ADC), it has provided seamless movement across its operations to regulate operations across the port whilst providing vital services to benefit the container terminal.

The development in ACT by ADC comes as part of a crucial project taken out in 2004 to unlock the potential of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) by accelerating its economic growth and development. Now in 2023, ACT has seen new changes which has seen a new Chief Executive Officer appointed to bring his breadth of expertise across the global maritime industry to ACT.

Located in the city of Aqaba in Jordan, at the meeting point of three continents and four countries, the services that ACT provides for the movement of cargo across these regions benefit both global and local markets, all whilst developing the economy of Jordan. ACT provides key logistical and economic operations across the ASEZA, as it is the chosen entry point for many active markets around the world due to Jordan’s political stability.

Acting as a key corridor for trade, ACT works to provide world-class services powered by advanced technology and equipment across its terminal facilities. Consequently, ACT has developed a reputation for efficiency and proficiency as it is dedicated to establishing the container terminal as a crucial player in global markets through its promise of speed, safety, security, and transparency across all its services.

The container terminal provides a range of container services to seamlessly move cargo from vessels and through to land transport links. These services include providing berths, ship-to-shore operations, stacking and unstacking containers, transferring containers, carrying out temperature checks on reefer containers and technical conditions on containers. Additionally, ACT provides storage container facilities, equipment interchange reports, executes documentary controls, supplies vessels with portable water, weighs containers, provides value-added services, as well as facilitating labour and equipment hiring needs. Marine services are provided through AMPSCo, and include anchorage, pilotage, towage, and berthing whilst working with ACT to facilitate the easy movement of cargo from vessels from the port and into the container terminal.

Furthermore, as part of ACT’s vision to be the sustainable gateway for Jordan and beyond it is constantly looking for ways to develop and upgrade its services towards a more sustainable, modern,

Aqaba Container Terminal

transparent, competitive, reliable, and profitable supply chain. These are commitments that ACT is working towards to continually develop the company’s value chain.

ACT announced in July that a new CEO has been appointed to take on the crucial role of overseeing the company’s operations. APM Terminals Group named Harald Nijhof as its new chief executive officer. Nijhof has had an impressive career across the maritime industry and brings over 30 years of experience to the role having worked in the UK, India, Denmark, Spain, Singapore, and South Africa.

Having joined APM Terminals in 2020 as Head of Operations Execution globally, his expertise was seen across the overarching company’s operations which now is being adopted across ACT. In the press release announcing Nijhof’s position at ACT, he stated “I am truly honoured to assume the CEO role at Aqaba Container Terminal. Leading this exceptional team, continuing ACT’s growth and development, and contributing to Aqaba’s future vision is a privilege. Together, we will strive to achieve new milestones in our aspirations of becoming a green trade hub for Jordan. We will focus on delivering an unparalleled

port experience, fostering community prosperity in Aqaba and its surroundings, and further solidifying ACT’s position as the leading trade hub in the Levant region and beyond. I am extremely confident that our team will achieve great things.”

It is clear to see that under Nijhof’s management, ACT is setting itself up for even greater achievement as it works to strategically place Aqaba’s container terminal as a vital access point for importing and exporting cargo not just for the prosperity of Jordan, but for the added benefit of its surrounding countries.

Furthermore, ACT has implemented a range of projects that are working to care for the wellbeing of the citizens of Aqaba and its surrounding communities. Act believes that focusing on the community is a fundamental way that it aspires to the container terminal’s business operations. ACT has an established broad portfolio of community investments that directly support a number of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals. These investments in Jordan are focused on

20 years as the Backbone of Jordan’s

education, healthcare, and the environment. ACT’s role in the community of Jordan is therefore crucial as it provides key donations, sponsorships, and community engagement projects all with the united goal of benefitting the local community outside of the terminal. Consequently, ACT is working to develop both its container terminal and beyond, to bring a myriad of benefits to Jordan and beyond.

Overall, the Aqaba Container Terminal has established itself as a sustainable gateway for Jordan and its surrounding countries. The container terminal has been developed over the years to provide modern, transparent, competitive, reliable, and profitable supply chain operations. Furthermore, with the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, we look forward to seeing how he brings his experience across the maritime industry to this role as he continues to help develop ACT’s position as a world-class provider of cargo handling across the industry.

Inchcape Shipping Services

Over the past 175 years, Inchcape Shipping Services has grown into a global leader in port agency and marine services. As a company, it connects the world through its marine services to facilitate successful trade whilst constantly responding to the sector’s changing dynamics. What is crucial for Inchcape is its unrivalled knowledge and expertise, as the company believes in striking the perfect balance between its global network and the local execution of services by its outstanding port workforce.

Inchcape provides full cargo agency, crew logistics, husbandry, transits, dry docking, bunker calls, protective agency, financial management and outsourced solutions, all of which are managed through their service centre hubs to provide its customers with a range of services which are underpinned by years of knowledge. From its origins in 1846, Inchcape has evolved to be a globally recognised and reputable shipping company, which in 2022 began a new venture to coincide with its 175th birthday, as Istithmar PJSC sold Inchcape to the UK-based private company Epirir LLP. The sale aims to enhance the ports agency business, whilst expanding the digitalisation of its services for its customers. With 3000 employees and 245 offices worldwide, Inchcape provides services to 85% of the world’s ports creating over 100,00 port service jobs a year. Furthermore, with its operations spanning across 60 countries and 2200 ports, Inchcape Shipping Services leads the way in providing a full range of services across the marine industry globally.

Inchcape takes a three-pillar approach in its operations to achieve a smoother and smarter ocean. The first pillar focuses on its global network, as Inchcape is one of the largest owned proprietary networks for any shipping agency. By establishing crucial and valuable relationships throughout its operations between customers, suppliers and global marine services, Inchcape can continue providing its services internationally with a strong and reliable network behind everything they do. For Inchcape, the relationship between its global network and its local agents is an essential one. The company believes in fostering relationships of value throughout its supplier network; working with local agents to bring an international breadth of knowledge and expertise to the projects on the ground, which, when partnered with its increasing technological advancements, places Inchcape as a clear leader for global shipping services.

Therefore, the second crucial pillar of Inchcape’s operations is the advancement of technology. Inchcape is crucially aware of the evergrowing need and effectiveness of technology in the shipping industries; therefore, it intends to increase its technological scale to provide greater transparency towards the global eco-system of

(NSC) Navigator Shipping Company, founded in 2011 by Captain Tarek Shokri in to manage vessels for principals. It and managed by a professional team members have extensive experience shipping industry, our company’s work relations with the Libyan Port authorities and personnel places us above competitions. The company strives offer a comprehensive and constantly improving service to our principals, ensuring safety of owners’/ charterers’ property remaining competitive in the market.

exceed the principals, authorities, consignees

Mission Vision Values

To raise the standards of shipping services wherever we work at and provide the most peace of mind to our principle.

To continuously exceed the expectations of our Principals, Government Authorities, Traders, Shippers, Consignees, and Vendors.

About us

Our business is built around relationships with principals, government authorities, traders, shippers, consignees and vendors.

WE ARE (NSC) NAVIGATOR SHIPPING COMPANY, FOUNDED IN 2011 BY CAPTAIN TAREK SHOKRI IN TRIPOLI, to manage vessels for Principals It is ran and managed by a professional team whose members have extensive experience in the shipping industry, our companys’ solid work relations with the Libyan Port authorities and personnel places us above our competitions. The Company strives to offer a comprehensive and constantly improving service to our Principals, ensuring the safety of Owners/ Charterers property and remaining competitive in the market.

HEADQUARTERS

Our business is built around relationships with principals, government authorities, traders, shippers,consignees and vendors.

Services

• Ship Agent

• Stevedoring

• Handling

• Freight Forwarding

• HUB Agent

• Protecting Agent

• Husbandry Agent

Hay Alandalous next to Al Razi hospital, (Tripoli, Libya)

Tel: 00218-21-477-5522 / 00218-21-477-6486

Fax: 00(218)214775501

Email: Commercial@navigator.ly

Web: www.navigator.ly

Inchcape Shipping Services

shipping. With 70,00 port calls a year, there is an abundance of data points that can be collected to develop and improve its services. Then with information gathered through these data points, and through the World of Ports system (a static dataset concerning berthing and terminal data for dry and wet berths around the world), Inchcape can continuously monitor the berths and update the datasets through geo-referencing, which allows for ports to ensure that future vessels are compatible with their terminals and berths. Furthermore, optics can be applied to single vessels or whole fleets for unrivalled visibility on a global scale through the technological development of their ships. Inchcape has developed a variety of technological advancements that improve and pioneer the company’s role as the leader for shipping services by providing secure, reliable, and unrivalled knowledge across the industry.

The third pillar of Inchcape’s operations is focusing on its people. As a company, it is focused on the crucial role that employees, suppliers, and the overall network play in the business on both a local and international scale. A crucial way Inchcape supports its employees is through an

in-house training programme which provides both mandatory and vocational modules for its staff. For Inchcape, developing its technology is just as crucial as supporting its people, as together they make such a crucial resource for the company. Inchcape’s operations are constantly backed by an experienced and unique network of people that ensure every operation is conducted to the company’s world-renowned level. Therefore, Inchcape is always focused on providing bettering opportunities for its staff, which in turn brings that high level of expertise and knowledge to every operation across the globe.

Looking towards the future, Inchcape has announced that they will have a high-profile presence at Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, as they expand their cruise markets in line with the increase in uptake back to pre-pandemic levels. So far this year Inchcape has seen an increase in cruises to roughly 6200, with a hope that this level will soon return to the 10,000 port calls recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Offering a variety of services including husbandry, 24/7 crew logistics, ground handling, bunkering, and surveying, Inchcape is widely involved in the cruise industry, often dealing with excursions, managing itineraries and handling cruise charters for special events, which allows Inchcape to aid in destination development. One of the key ways Inchcape is developing its cruise line services is through the renewed expansion over the coming years for its ship fleet. The aim is to introduce 23 mega ships, 18 luxury vessels and 10 expedition ships, 61% of which

will be able to run on lower-carbon liquid natural gas (LNG) as their primary propulsion in an effort towards a more sustainable fleet. Currently, 75% of their total vessels run on sustainable marine fuels, however, the industry is facing new sustainable challenges as there is a lack of LNG bunkering facilities which greatly reduces the destination potential for LNGfuelled ships. However, this shows Inchcape’s push towards a more sustainable future through the advancement of its cruise line service operations across the shipping industry.

As a global powerhouse for shipping, Inchcape Shipping Services always strives for greatness. Throughout its services, Inchcape is constantly trying to improve and provide its customers with the most efficient, safe, and sustainable shipping options. However, they never lose the heart of the business, as it is their global network of people which makes Inchcape such a success. Therefore, Inchcape continues to combine the power of its global network with the development of technology to enhance its services. By providing the tools and support to its customers, Inchcape remains a leader in the shipping industry that continues to excel.

BLUE MARINE TRANSPORTATION, INC.

Shipping Solutions

Sincerely,

Frank Rulh, President

Written by

Alice Instone-Brewer

Drydocks World

As an affluent coastal city in a country with a notable shoreline and high emphasis on shipping and offshore works, Drydocks World is well-positioned to fulfil an essential need in Dubai. Not only one need, in fact, but many, Drydocks World has an extensive offering of services and capabilities, the extent of which we took a closer look at this month.

Based in Dubai, Drydocks World has been in operation for 39 years, offering just shy of four decades of marine and offshore services to the UAE’s shipping, energy, oil and gas sectors –each one an essential industry for the country and for the many nations that it supplies. Completing an average of over 300 projects a year, Drydocks is prolific in its field. Its busiest period to date saw the company taking on an incredible 42 refurbishment projects at the same time, but even without such feats, it gets through its contracts at an impressive rate, proving itself a company to be reckoned with.

Drydocks World was founded under the guidance of the late H.H. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Adjacent to Port Rashid, it has a footprint of 200 hectares, and within this space, its facilities are generous, boasting four dry docks and a total of over 3,700m of berth space. The largest of its four dry docks is able to accommodate even the world’s largest ships, and likewise, these docks and facilities have been used to construct some of the world’s largest offshore fabrication projects, breaking records before the builds even reach the water. To all of these ends, the docks also owns and enjoys the Middle East’s largest floating crane.

Drydocks World was first proposed as an idea, by H.H. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and others, in 1971, notable because it would be the first and only dry docks facilities in the Persian Gold. Finally, after much work, it opened in 1983. These twelve years were spent on planning, feasibility studies and, of course, construction.

So what, in total, are Drydocks’ operational offerings? The entity covers many areas, providing expert input and services ranging from the repair of offshore rigs to private yachts. It has repaired well over 8000 vessels thus far, and in 1994, even diversified into ship construction – an art and industry in itself. Working systematically through it all, then, the first and foremost service is undoubtedly ship repair.

Drydocks World reports that it completes about 340 ship repair projects annually. Its experience in this area goes back to when the docks were first opened. Today, its workforce in this area consists of both in-house employees and local subcontractors, resulting in a team of over 3,000 personnel. As well as its dry docks, it also has a floating dock, which allows for greater versatility in how it approaches its

Calvey Marine has been supporting ship owners and managers for over thirty years with their ship repair and maintenance needs; from drydockings and retrofits to procurement and marine services. The company is proud to be the sole UK agent of Drydocks World Group, the PaxOcean Group and Lisnave Shipyard, as well as marine suppliers such as AMI, Green’s Power, and Seatec Subsea.

Whilst clients are mainly UK based, Calvey Marine project manage the enquiries for repairs and maintenance works to ships globally, from the UK to US, Europe, Dubai, China and Singapore. Building good and lasting relationships is the key to Calvey Marine’s business and clients come to them knowing that they will be given an honest, professional, and efficient service, offering considerable time and money savings.

Expansion is on the horizon, with recently appointed Business Development Director Jessica on the hunt for the right candidate to join the team in 2022.

We would like to thank Drydocks World for their great support and look forward to continuing our close relationship and ensuring a bright future for all.

If you would like to learn more abut the full range of marine supplies and services that Calvey Marine can offer or would like to discover how they can assist with present and future enquiries, please get in touch.

Calvey Marine has been at the forefront of the marine industry for over thirty years.

SPECIALISTS IN:

‰ Global Drydockings

‰ Global Afloat and Underwater Repairs and Maintenance

‰ Condition Monitoring

‰ Global Procurement Capabilities including Anchors, Chains, Chocks and Bollards

‰ Heat Exchangers, Boilers and Economisers

‰ Surveys, Spares, Repairs and Fabrication

‰ BWTS Installation, Repairs and Maintenance

Drydocks World

repairs. Further tech includes a climate-controlled workshop, and even a cryogenic workshop, the latter to allow work to safely occur on LNG vessels. Another impressive (and excitingly named) element are the dock’s Chariot Robotics machines: these environmentally friendly robots are used to carry out hull blasting autonomously whilst other work is also undertaken.

Moving on from heavy ship repairs to far smaller operations, Drydocks also repairs yachts. After all, yachts are a popular item amongst coastal Dubai’s wealthy population, so it is a natural service for Drydocks World to add on to its repertoire. It offers both repair, maintenance and refurbishment, as well as emergency response and even warehousing and storage. Where there is a need, that need will be met, and as an industrial dock already offering vessel services, there was nothing stopping Drydocks from branching out into this more personal, luxury offering, working with yacht companies and individuals alike.

Moving on from vessel works to offshore, this work may not be the fast-turned-over bread and butter for Drydocks that ship repairs are, but it accounts for a significant portion of their large-scale operations. Assisting the energy, oil & gas and maritime sectors, these works reach all of Dubai’s important offshore sectors. With a 10,000-strong workforce for this portion of its operations, Drydocks has its own offshore works yard, as well as, of course, working in transportation and installation at sea. It even supports separate entity Global Offshore Services, which, with Drydocks’ backing, offers services in offshore mechanical works, hydraulics, automation, electrical works, steel works, piping, fabrication and hot dip galvanising.

Coming back to Drydocks itself, its offshore capabilities also include a dedicated rig division, supported by 100 expert supply chain personnel as well as its thousands-strong workforce. Servicing offshore drilling units, production topsides, deepwater semi-submersibles, tension leg platforms and other sophisticated offshore facilities. It works in rig repair, maintenance and refurbishment, with its Rig Integrity Assurance

Good service makes the difference

Cambiaso Risso Service: a fully independent services provider handling both shiprepair yards’ representation and towage and salvage broking proudly representing Drydocks World Dubai in Italy, Switzerland and Monaco since 1989

www.cariservice.com

Ocean of opportunity

programs in place to ensure that offshore rigs are operating at full spec.

Finally, the docks offer two forms of service that go above and beyond what one might expect from what we have described so far. These offerings require their own qualified experts to carry out, and both add value to the dock’s customers in ways that not every such operation will offer.

The first of these is the possibility to receive Lifting Gears & Equipment inspection. This service inspects and can even issue certification to lifting gears and equipment such as shackles, manual hoists, wire rope slings, textile slings and chain slings. These are tested using a number of pieces of equipment, such as tensile test beds, load cells, a 2000T floating crane, a 300T gantry crane, water bags and test weights, and an experienced team of riggers trained in carrying out and assisting in these tests. These inspections exist both for general maintenance and peace of mind, and also to receive certification proving that these pieces of equipment have passed muster.

Finally, and arguably the most specialised offering of all, Drydocks employees an HVAC & Architectural Division, a team that is qualified and able to advise companies within the marine, oil, gas and renewable energy industries on issues such as architectural, electrical, air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, fire and gas activities. In particular, this service can help these companies to design the integration of their HVAC elements into their rigs and facilities, offering everything from early concept design through to 3D Modeling, detailed drawings and project management.

From heavy repairs to drawing up detailed plans, Drydocks World offers more than one might expect. Strongly situated on the coast a country with heavy marine involvement, the demand in the market exists, and Drydocks World exists to meet it, with a vast and well-trained team ready to meet most every niche marine works could call upon them for.

Smart logistics company, DP World, have provided vital solutions to streamline global trade since 1972. Despite starting as a marine services provider, they now impart optimum solutions in a wide range of sectors, including ports and terminals, logistics and shipping, and technology, to keep global trade ticking. So much so, that DP World has become indispensable to the global supply chain, overseeing 10% of the world’s trade.

Having a firm purpose, and consistently delivering on that purpose, is incredibly important to DP World; they are passionate about creating an accelerated and sustainable movement of products through a single flow of trade. This has remained the key focus since its establishment in 1972, as a local port operator in Dubai. Subsequently, the Jebel Ali port was a turning point in 1979, as this particular port has gone on to be very successful, nowadays contributing a respectable 23.8% to Dubai’s GDP. Thus, DP World is proud of its UAE heritage as they’ve played a key part in the development of the region in the last 50 years. Therefore, their blossoming success since the 1970s has elevated DP World to become the largest seaport in the Middle East, with over 150 businesses across six continents.

Looking more closely at the day-to-day solutions, DP World facilitates a highly proactive chain of events that provides ample solutions to customers across the world. Their logistics operations, for example, have become transformative to many, due to the success in warehouse management, trucking, freight forwarding, and barge operations, with inland cargo and depots. For freight forwarders in particular, DP World offers a comprehensive program that lets you share web-based tools to help spread the word and promote the services they offer to DP World’s extensive network of customers. Thus, by providing real-time cargo provision and transport, as well as company awareness, they can maximise efficiency.

Moreover, DP World unlocks the potential in ports and terminals, as they open doors to the wider supply chain. By revitalising global ports, they use innovative terminal handling techniques which keep things flowing. The highly advanced strategies in question include BoxBay and the comprehensive High Bay Storage (HBS) system, which advance terminal handling speed, energy efficiency and safety, whilst deflating unnecessary operating costs. Exciting developments in port management are also on the horizon, with the brand-new investment in Virgin’s transformative Hyperloop technology; a high-speed cargo pod system that facilitates synchronised and seamless movement, giving cargo owners that extra helping hand.

One of the elements that DP World is most proud of is its marine services, as the maritime industry is so prevalent across international markets. Since the company was born in the marine sector, they feel they have put the work in to become a worldleading provider of maritime solutions, assisting governments and corporate organisations across the globe.

In geographical terms, they complete a surplus of 300 projects a year in their docklands in Dubai, and guide professionals in a selection of the world’s biggest existing new-build offshore fabrication programmes. Furthermore, DP World can also provide a Searates Platform, which can support customers in finding the best routes and freight charges for global shipping, alongside secure payment, and advanced container tracking. Most recently, they have a new ship-lift facility which is capable of lifting an impressive 2,500 tonnes, thus being capable of reaching a vast range of vessels. This means that DP World’s clients can enjoy access to ports across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

As such an integral company to streamlined trade activity, DP World prioritises the well-being of the planet, as well as the lives that they impact through their services. This objective is reached through smarter trade which guarantees a better future for the upcoming generations and is neatly packaged in DP World’s ‘Our World, Our Future’ sustainability strategy. DP World understands that operations on such a grand scale do not occur without consequence, therefore having such a solid environmental strategy can lead their tools and knowledge in the right direction. With a dual approach, the ‘Our World’ program guides the company to conduct responsible business across seven priority areas, with ambitious goals that are to be met by 2030. On the other hand, ‘Our Future’ concerns DP World’s legacy; persevering to leave the industry, and the world, in a better place.

However, don’t just take their word for it, as evidence of their pledge is illustrated through their role in the UN Sustainable Development Goals Scheme, and their ESG Profile, which allows them to keep up to date with their environmental and social governance. In more practical regards, the company has seven priorities to ensure they

operate responsibly. This includes commitments to safety, security, well-being, ethics, climate change, community engagement and people development. Regarding the latter, DP World focuses on building strong relationships with local communities so that their actions have the best social outcome. This materialises through direct community investment, employee volunteer programs, and charitable giving, subsequently transforming local communities.

For a company with such a progressive global strategy, the notion of diversity is integral. Evidently, DP World takes pride in the fact they possess over 100,000 employees of over 160 nationalities, cultivating an inclusive work culture. It is also refreshing to see how DP World have a focus on the women workforce, which is incredibly important in an overtly male-dominated industry. Across all ports, terminals, logistics parks, and economic zones, women are conducting transformative work and having a positive impact on the industry. Such inclusionary steps are evidence of DP World’s modern approach as women break into the global trade industry.

Recent news in the company brings to the fore ambition and technological excellence, with DP

A Seamless Flow of Movement

World setting a new Southhampton record for the number of handling containers on one ship, after handling more than 9000 containers. In March this year, the Ocean Network Express vessel docked at Southhampton after travelling from Pusan, South Korea. In just 86 hours, 9,315 containers were exchanged, smashing the previous record by 13%. Although this is admirable, this is just one case of many in which DP World has gone the extra mile in revitalising global trade.

DP World has become highly advanced in navigating the complex entity that is the global trade market, as they provide expert solutions that have arisen from over 50 years of experience and 100,000 employees. Consequently, they have the capabilities to operate responsibly and diligently across a global market and provide a streamlined flow of trade that carries hundreds of companies to smooth success.

Arabian Cement

Is there anything more vital to the construction and building sector than cement? At Arabian Cement Company (ACC), cement is understood to be the glue of the construction industry. As Egypt’s leading cement specialists, they understand the importance of the small but mighty chemical substance, that when mixed with water, turns into a magical solution. Therefore, ACC provides in-house cement solutions, as a fully integrated leading cement plant, producer, and seller of cement across Egypt.

First founded in 1997, ACC has put the work in over the last 25 years to secure a position as one of the leading cement producers and sellers in Egypt. Consisting of two production lines located in the Suez Governorate, they have a commitment to providing their customers with top-notch products and implementing the latest innovations in the process. In regards to the products they provide, ACC also possesses a state-of-the-art highstrength concrete mixer, alongside its production and selling of clinker and cement. Therefore, ACC has much to provide to their customers as their products provide their customers with end-to-end solutions in their projects.

In numerical terms, ACC produces an impressive average of five million tons of clinker and cement per year. In context, this means ACC produces approximately 6% of Egypt’s nominal production capacity. Most recently, Arabian Cement has reported net profit of SAR181m (USD $48.3m) in 2022. This represents a 12.1% increase, despite the fact that the company saw a six per cent decline in revenues, suggesting that economic strategies have been put in place to make sure that the company not only turn over a profit but exceeds expectations and advances the company’s operations.

It is, therefore, no wonder ACC has generated a resounding reputation for quality in the Egyptian local market, having been featured in the EGX (Egyptian Stock Exchange) since May 2015, which is evidence of their growing success in the last ten years as the second largest cement producer and seller in Egypt. Mirroring its domestic success, ACC is also making waves in the international cement market. ACC’s production and selling of Ordinary Portland Cement 42.5 N (OPC) and the Suffate Resistant Cement (SRC), as well as its sturdy clinker, has reached markets across the world, having been exported to several countries. Thus, due to such achievements, ACC has proudly acquired many certifications, including ‘Quality Management System’, ‘Occupational Health and Safety Management System’ and ‘Environmental Management System’. Accordingly, ACC is on a mission to be people’s first port of call when on the search for cement and subsequently become a recognised and dependable cement producer and supplier.

From the get-go, ACC demonstrated a strong sense of energy and innovation in their work, which has paid off today. ACC was first founded in 1997 by a group of Egyptian shareholders who saw potential in the Egyptian cement market. Consequently, they established a plant with an ambitious aim of a capacity of 2.5 MTA, which could produce cement for the entirety of the local Egyptian market. And yet, such a forward-thinking initiation was not without its challenges, as market conditions forced the flourishing project to be put on hold. However, in September 2004, the project commenced, as Spanish cement group Cementos La Union saw ACC’s potential and decided to invest, subsequently resuming activity.

The investment from Cementos La Union was an important stepping stone in ACC’s history, as it increased its capital, which opened the door to investments and technical experts, who subsequently brought serious advancements to the plant. From then on in, ACC developed in leaps and bounds, witnessed in 2006 by the achievement of obtaining a contract with a well-known multinational

engineering company and constructing a targeted clinker Greenfield plant. Two years later, after the completion of the plant, and an experienced management team to go with it, the ACC board of directors decided to project the plant even further by creating a second production line. This would allow a sizeable increase in production that would double profits and meet growing demand. Therefore, through a narrative of innovation and success, ACC has curated an impressive reputation for capacity and quality, which has led them to international markets.

Alongside the production and selling of cement, ACC also possesses a strong belief in sustainable development. As such, their environmental policy was created in the hopes of contributing to the construction of a better world. To achieve such an important objective, all their facilities work in correlation with local laws, standards and regulations, as well as securing the implantation of world-leading environmental management systems, which are in place to aptly ensure quality, safety, and environmental processes. Consequently,

Arabian Cement

advancing ACC’s position in the cement sector as a reliable sustainable company.

Alongside specialist equipment and systems, ACC looks inward at their resources that could produce hazards from its operations. Subsequently, ACC places great effort in using substitute raw materials and alternative fuel sources. Moreover, the company disposes of waste using safe and environmental methods, in order to stop accidental emissions from escaping, using a specially designed emergency program which is in place to create the safest environment possible for their employees. To further this cause, regular environmental audits are conducted on all their facilities, of which comprehensive rehabilitation plans are drawn up in response to issues raised or, expand on aspects which are working well.

In alignment with their environmental and safety precautions, ACC takes pride in being able to support the local Egyptian society, collaborating and participating in cultural and sporting activities

that help develop personal skills and creativity and encourage personal development. A particularly noteworthy case is ACC’s support of the ‘Hope Village Society’. This fantastic social development project provides shelter to over 300 orphans across Cairo, the 10th of Ramadan, and Alexandria. Therefore. Their offering of cement for the builds is greatly appreciated by many across the local area. To date, the ‘Dream Building’ Project is 40% complete, therefore ACC is excited to see how the project will help thousands of Egyptian children, giving them a better future in their local community.

It is clear to see how ACC has gone from strength to strength, by not only creating a highly streamlined economic system to generate the development of the company, but they have also broken out into the international markets and hit them by force! Here at Endeavour, we look forward to seeing how ACC continue their established history of perseverance and well-deserved success in the international cement industry.

Olam International Limited

Often when we think of business advancement and progression, we associate it with ideas of growth and expansion. And yet, what is often overlooked is the act of prioritising what drives the company forwards, whilst identifying what is perhaps disrupting this growth. Thus, for a business to be successful, it must be able to evaluate the worth of each operation. As a subsector of the mighty Olam Group, Olam International Limited (OIL) do just that. OIL has a key purpose in discerning the greater good for the business, achieved by the divestment of de-prioritised assets and exiting businesses. On the other hand, this also allows OIL to focus on and nurture businesses that encourage growth. Consequently, OIL facilitates constant evolution and diversification of the wider Olam Group.

With the motif of ‘Unlocking value and accelerating for the Olam Group’, OIL has a great responsibility in ensuring that Olam remains successful, by conducting partial and full monetisation of businesses which are expected to perform well. Within the company, such businesses are known as ‘gestating businesses’, which translates to the development of growth across 100 different sites and 18,500 employees in all OIL businesses, central functions and country teams.

Such an expanding influence across Africa and beyond can be pinpointed down to three main responsibilities:

1. De-prioritised/Exiting Assets: this is a vital part of OIL, as it means that the businesses are up to scratch and correlate sufficiently with the work of OLAM. For example, in 2020 OIL divested 50% of their stake in the Indonesian sugar refinery ‘Far East Agri’, as well as closing Olam Tomato Processors in California, and restructured NZFSU’s Dairy Farming Operations in Uruguay. In total, OIL invested nearly S$1.5 million in deprioritising in 2020, which led to significant growth overall.

2. Gestating Businesses: On the other hand, OIL work tirelessly to help develop businesses that are performing well. Such entities include the ARISE Infrastructure & Logistics businesses, the Packaged Foods consumer business, and OLAM Palm Gabon (OPG). As part of the gestating process, OIL is prepared to partially, or fully, monetise these investments over time.

3. Incubating Businesses: As suggested by the name, OIL is prepared to guide businesses to future growth, acting as a vital counterpart to the success of each company. This is materialised through initiatives such as Engine 2 and AtSource platforms, as well as creating digital farmer platforms that promote growth and sustainability.

As aforementioned, the responsibilities of OIL are conducted across three sectors of business:

• Packaged goods: developments include furthering the leadership in selected food categories, such as culinary sectors and snacks. This is primarily focused in the Nigeria and Ghana region, but with a determination to expand further into the West African area.

• Infrastructure and Logistics: OIL advise and guide businesses in the existing Gabon logistics sector, to incorporate their full value and begin specialisation in certain markets in Africa.

• Olam Palm Gabon: help Olam Palm become fully certified by RSPO and set Palm Oil businesses in Gabon on an upward trajectory.

By guiding these three subsectors, OIL is a vital guardian that must look inwards to see how to expand its own operation. Consequently, OIL has spent the last few years in a state of reorganisation. By looking inwards, OIL has been able to replicate its external operations, by evaluating and subsequently escalating the internal running of the company. This has enabled OIL to gather some momentum in times of difficulty. Most pointedly, in 2020 OIL experienced lower revenues across a number of sectors, including Sugar, Rubber, and Fertiliser Trading Desks, which all underwent closure. Consequently, OIL witnessed a capital loss of S$478.1 million, at the hands of disinvestment and closures.

OIL’s importance lies in the influence that has across Africa, as the company works tirelessly to meet the demands of the continent. Having been in operation in Africa for nearly 40 years, the company has developed an impressive bank of knowledge so that is able to ascertain consumer understandings, supply chain patterns, and effectively manage the

Olam International Limited

disruption network. This has helped OIL, and the wider Olam Group, become key actors in the global leadership business, government initiatives, and favourable trade policies. Such an accomplishment has showcased Africa as a hub of increasing manufacturing and food processing conducts.

The packaging food subsector of the business in particular has experienced serious development in the last few years. This comes from a spike in consumer demand for products that are healthy and convenient, whilst remaining affordable. Subsequently, OIL has placed great effort into its culinary and snacks portfolio. Regardless of recent challenges, such as inflation pressures and the devaluing of the Nigerian and Ghanian currencies, packaged food businesses have continued to flourish. This has taken shape through the improved market shares across Ghana and Nigeria, achieved by focused distribution and communication. Furthermore, packaged food developments can be seen in the acquired leadership positions in the Nigerian biscuits and sweets industry, alongside a highly successful launch of smaller pack sizes for biscuits to help with the increasing food inflation prices.

As we have seen, OIL has built the momentum needed to overcome the ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is materialised through initiatives like Engine 2, AtSource and important values of Sustainability, Digital, Operational Excellence and Leadership and Talent, that help to excel in delivery. This meant that despite the adversities brought on by the pandemic, they are making meaningful progress across their three projected subsectors.

Operating across many different industries means that OIL greatly recognises its responsibility. Thus, OIL endeavours to create value in local communities across Africa. The Natural Capital Impact scheme is also a major part of their sustainable practises, as all OIL plantation and forestry concessions must meet the strict criteria for AtSource Plus, which dictates transparency with clients, and sharing data with customers and partners. Numerically, their work with Natural Capital has led to 630,400 hectares of forestry being protected. Another noteworthy cause is the company’s packaged foods business, which supports access to affordable and healthier foods, as well. This is succeeded by contributing to a nutrition pledge that encourages consumers to

follow healthy diets, which is demonstrated by the 1.4 billion servings of food that OIL has provided to people across Ghana and Nigeria.

Although they invest in ideas that are disruptive, they promote growth overall, as they oversee and manage the businesses that have an effect on the overarching growth of the OLAM Group. Despite their role as a disrupter, they have a more caring side, witnessed in their dedication to nurturing and guiding other businesses as they continue to support the OLAM Group. It is also apparent that OIL works hard to support communities across Africa to gain access to healthcare, education, and greener spaces, therefore making a profound difference on the African landscape.

STRUCTURAL STEELWORKS

BOLTS & NUTS

COATING SYSTEMS

PIPE

ACCESSORIES

TUNNEL & RAIL

SYSTEMS

Receiving a diagnosis can often be a daunting experience, making the option of a second opinion vital in the early stages of diagnosis, as it helps patients gain a greater understanding of their health. At MediGuide International, members have access to world-leading healthcare consultants who can provide top-notch second opinions and care, whilst avoiding the hassle of waiting lists or geographical limitations. By providing services across 152 countries, MediGuide has the most knowledgeable health experts on hand quickly and effectively, helping millions of people across the world.

MediGuide understands that the value of a second opinion is unmeasurable. As such, they provide easy access to the world’s leading healthcare professionals from the top medical centres around the world. Such a lifechanging service can be accessed with a few clicks of a button, allowing patients to easily obtain a remote medical second opinion. In 2018 alone, out of 97% of their evaluated cases, 5% of these cases resulted in an altering of diagnosis, whilst in 84% of cases, there was a turnaround in treatment. Such statistics are telling of the unimaginable service that they provide, that is unmatched by the world’s leading healthcare institutions.

MediGuide was first founded in Delaware, the US, in 1999. Since its inception, MediGuide has amassed an active membership of 10 million that stem across jurisdictions in 5 continents. Evidently, from the beginning of the millennium, it has endeavoured to build a system of trust with its members, so they have full faith in the knowledge and solutions of diagnosis.

MediGuide offers a triad of excellent healthcare services. Alongside expert second opinions, patients can also gain optimal access to digital healthcare services and an international medical concierge facility. As aforementioned, receiving a remote second opinion means that you can access healthcare professionals from across the world, which would otherwise be unobtainable. Accessing a second medical opinion is very quick and efficient, as the service is proactive in facilitating a full review of your diagnosis and treatment plan in just 10 days. Patients can also rest assured that the diagnosis and proposed treatment is based on the latest clinical research from top medical professionals. All of these fantastic services can be accessed via a simple phone call, opening a world of triumphant healthcare.

The notion of unlimited and completely accessible healthcare is a big part of why MediGuide is so successful. As such, their unmatched digital health services are really something to marvel. In the healthcare field, a digital platform to access records is not unique. However, MediGuide go even further than this by offering a comprehensive Preventative Health Program and Telehealth service to ensure that health conditions are effectively managed. The Preventative Health Program is a

A Second Opinion That Matters

great option for those that are searching for a routine appointment, whilst being put in control of their healthcare. This demonstrates how MediGuide is there for their patients, even when they are not in urgent situations. Telehealth is alternative form of advice for those who wish to receive quick and easy face-to-face help, so you have medical advice on demand. Thus, rather than joining an endless waiting list for a doctor, MediGuide’s Digital Healthcare mean that you can talk to a doctor anytime, anywhere.

Just in case you do need to travel to receive renowned treatment, MediGuide is also happy to cover the cost of travelling to one of the stateof-the-art medical centres. Known as LifeLink, it ensures that members receive the best treatment, regardless of their geographical location. Their hospitality extends further as members can receive business class flights, accommodation for the patient and a plus one, as well as other related costs covered up to $1 million. A big plus is provided by offering alternatives to staggering insurance costs that are usually associated with healthcare.

Alternatively, MediGuide also provides a Navigator package, which perseveres to make sure that the patient’s journey is as hassle-free as possible, utilising a re-pricing and cost containment blueprint

Finally, to round off a thorough diagnosis and treatment plan, a care manager is available to guide you through the next steps of your treatment. This means that they provide specialised help through your medical needs. And yet their help doesn’t stop there! MediGuide will organise a specialist doctor at your local medical clinic, and oversee the entire process, from pharmacy medication to insurance. Therefore, patients can relax knowing that MediGuide will be with them every step of the way.

MediGuide has been able to achieve such medical prestige due to a combination of dedicated clinical practitioners that guarantee the 24/7 supply and demand of medical care across the world. So much so, that it is not unheard of for nurses and doctors to take a call in the middle night if urgent care required it. And yet, such relentless work does not go unrecognised. As part of an appraisal system,

Providers, and state-of-the-art technology through expert systems, medical rules and digital platforms. The company delivers first class service that maximizes operational efficiency, cost containment, transparency and profitability. Moreover, Best Assistance serves various National & International clients within the region: insurance companies, TPAs, self-funded schemes, Mutual funds, Orders, Syndicates.

(Health Insurance Management System) that aligns with the company’s and clients’ business strategy. HIMS® consists of structured Modules & functionalities covering TPA & Insurance cycle and needs.

Lebanon - France - UAE - KSA - QatarEgypt - Türkiye - Nigeria - Iraq - S. Korea

Lebanon - France - UAE - KSA - QatarEgypt - Türkiye - Nigeria - Iraq - S. Korea