Wam News

Floating platform developer Gazelle Wind Power has appointed clean energy finance industry expert Álvaro Ortega as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).Ortega is the former Vice President of Finance at Avangrid Inc., a publicly traded company on the NY Stock Exchange and the U.S. subsidiary of global energy leader Iberdrola.“Finding someone with a track record like Álvaro’s is rare. Due to his financial expertise and passion for renewable energy, his joining the team is a home run for Gazelle as we enter an exciting phase in our company’s development,” said Gazelle CEO and Founder Jon Salazar.

There is little question that world militaries see the value of unmanned systems to complement their manned counterparts. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated the development of unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems to meet urgent operational needs. Now, there is increasing interest in unmanned surface systems, resulting in their placement on an accelerated development path.Like their air and ground counterparts, these unmanned surface systems are valued because of their ability to reduce the risk to human life in high threat areas…

There is little question that world militaries see the value of unmanned systems to complement their manned counterparts. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated the development of unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems to meet urgent operational needs. Now, there is increasing interest in unmanned surface systems, resulting in their placement on an accelerated development path.Like their air and ground counterparts, these unmanned surface systems are valued because of their ability to reduce the risk to human life in high threat areas…

United Arab Emirates' ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) has expanded its fleet with the deployment of five new-build Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC), state news agency WAM reported on Thursday.The carriers of the shipping and maritime logistics arm of state oil giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company each have a capacity of 86,000 cubic metres. The carriers were built at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China, and will be owned and operated by AW Shipping, an ADNOC L&S joint venture with Wanhua Chemical Group (Wanhua), WAM added.

Manama, Bahrain -- Advancing maritime domain awareness in the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) is a challenging task. Yet keeping the sea lanes open is critical for the region, for the U.S. and the world.U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) are all headquartered here in Bahrain, under the command of Vice Admiral Brad Cooper. U.S. Fifth Fleet oversees the operations for all U.S. naval forces in the Middle East.

U.S. 5th Fleet began a three-week unmanned and artificial intelligence integration event in Bahrain, Nov. 23, that will involve employing new platforms in the region for the first time.The event, called Digital Horizon, will advance the command’s efforts to integrate new unmanned technologies while establishing the world’s first unmanned surface vessel fleet by end of next summer. U.S. 5th Fleet’s efforts are focused on improving what U.S. and regional navies are able to see above, on and below the water.“I am excited about the direction we are headed,” said Vice Adm.

Dubai-owned ports giant DP World intends to invest around $500 million to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in its operations by 700,000 tonnes over the next five years, state news agency WAM reported on Monday, citing the company's chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.DP World's plans include transitioning its global fleet from diesel to electric power, investing in renewable energy, and exploring fuel alternatives, Sulayem said via video conference during the COP27 summit in Egypt, WAM added.(Reuters - Reporting by Lina Najem, Editing by Louise Heavens)

Iran seized a United Arab Emirates-registered ship violating its territorial waters this week, Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, adding that UAE coastguards killed two Iranian fishermen on the same day.Tensions have risen between the two countries, which face each other across the Gulf, since last week's agreement between the Gulf state and Tehran's arch-foe Israel to normalize ties.Iranian state television quoted a ministry statement as saying that the Emirati ship was…

A London arbitration court has ordered Djibouti to restore DP World's right to operate the Doraleh Container Terminal as detailed under a 2006 concession deal within two months or pay damages, the state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday.The government of Djibouti seized the terminal from Dubai government-controlled DP World in February 2018 over a dispute dating back to at least 2012.An independent expert has estimated the losses to DP World at more than $1 billion, WAM reported. (Reporting by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Jan Harvey)

Abu Dhabi Ship Building and Italy's Leonardo signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to work together to create a combat-management system (CMS) for the United Arab Emirate's navy ships, state news agency WAM reported.The companies will work jointly on an integration laboratory capable of testing, maintaining and evolving the software of Leonardo's combat-management system, which is operational on more than 20 of the UAE Navy's ships, WAM said.The agreement also covers potential development of a joint logistic support solution for preventive and corrective maintenance and a local spare parts inventory for Leonardo naval systems.Reporting by Asma Alsharif and Alexander Cornwell

Dubai-based ports operator DP World has revealed plans to set up a logistics facility in landlocked Ethiopia, a move that comes as the company is developing a port in neighboring Somaliland. A reuters report quoting the United Arab Emirates state news agency, WAM said that the Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group's chairman & CEO and chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation informed the media that the logistics complex in Ethiopia to cater to the landlocked African countries. Business groups in Dubai can always benefit from DP World's presence in different countries, including Rwanda and Egypt, where re-exporting opportunities are abundant, bin Sulayem quoted as saying.

Abu Dhabi Ports and Cosco Shipping Ports Limited (CSP) and Abu Dhabi Ports broke ground for the construction of a new container terminal at Khalifa Port during a high-profile event on Sunday, reported WAM. The ports also signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports Company for a container freight station, which is expected to be the largest in the region. The new container freight station will provide Abu Dhabi trade with a state of the art facility offering bonded 'LCL/FCL' consolidation and de-consolidation services, cross stuffing, cargo weight reduction, short term warehousing for de-consolidated cargo as well as easy connectivity with the container terminals in Khalifa Port.

The Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre, Emac, last week met with senior executives in two key meetings in Fujairah, as part of its commitment to work with key industry bodies in the region’s maritime sector, Emirates News Agency WAM has reported. In the first meeting, the EMAC delegation discussed boosting cooperation with Port of Fujairah General Manager, Captain Mousa Murad, and Harbour Master, Captain Tamer Masoud, to support further growth of the maritime sector in the emirate. The EMAC team also visited the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry where they discussed means of enhancing collaboration with the Chairman of Board of Directors, Khalifa Khamis Mattar Alkaabi, and Director-General, Khalid Mohammed Al Jassim.

A merchant ship collided with a United Arab Emirates navy boat as it was taking part in a routine mission off UAE territorial waters in the Gulf on Tuesday, the UAE armed forces said. There were no casualties in the incident and "other damage is being evaluated", state news agency WAM said, citing a statement from the General Command of the Armed Forces. It gave no details on the type of merchant ship, the cargo it was carrying or any details on whether shipping routes were affected. (Reporting by Sylvia Westall)

Abu Dhabi Ports, the master developer, operator and manager of the Emirate's commercial and community ports, as well as Khalifa Industrial Zone, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jaheziya, the brand name for Tawazun’s Safety, Security and Disaster Management City. The Emirates News Agency WAM reported that Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, and Jamal Mohamed Al Shamsi, Jaheziya Managing Director signed the MOU at Abu Dhabi Ports Headquarters. The agreement is structured to initiate cooperation between the two companies to work on strategies and introduce a range of maritime training courses and programs, as well as attracting students and interested parties to enroll in them.

Abu Dhabi's National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC)  has been awarded a $316-million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a hitech floating LNG (liquefied natural gas) port at Jafrabad in the Indian state of Gujarat, reports WAM. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reviewed the plan by NMDC to develop the terminal. Mohamed Thani Murshed Al Rumaithi, chairman of NMDC, said the total cost of the project is expected to reach $316 million. Mohamed Thani  gave a brief overview of the project, which will be built as per the best international standards of maritime engineering. He said that the terminal will be completed in 2019, and will be designed and built in partnership with Indian company Swan Energy.

Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT) announced the arrival of three of the largest ship-to-shore quay cranes in the world, to accommodate growing volumes and demand at Khalifa Port Container Terminal (KPCT), WAM reports. Transported from China on specially-built vessels, the latest additions complement the current nine STS cranes already operational at the facility. The Super Post Panamax cranes, commissioned from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZMPC), were delivered on 10 November, 2016, and follow ADT’s recent milestone of five million TEUs being handled at KPCT, since its establishment in 2012. The STS cranes are designed to the highest industry specifications…

The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday Yemeni Houthi forces had attacked a UAE civilian vessel in a strategic Red Sea shipping lane off the coast of Yemen at the weekend and called the incident an act of terrorism. The UAE foreign ministry, in a statement carried by state news agency WAM, said the civilian ship was targeted by Houthi militia near the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen's southern coast on Saturday. "The targeting of the civilian ship in an international channel has serious implications for freedom of navigation, and is an act of terror...," it said, without elaborating. In a statement on Saturday the Houthis said their forces had fired a missile that had destroyed a UAE military vessel that was advancing towards the Red Sea port of Al-Mokha.

Dubai-based port operator DP World and the Russian Direct Investment Fund have launched a joint venture to develop ports, transportation and logistics infrastructure in Russia. Signed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the deal will give DP World an 80 percent stake in the new company, while the Russian government-backed fund will hold the remainder, news agency WAM reported. The company will be called DP World Russia and over time could invest $2 billion to upgrade port infrastructure in different parts of Russia. “Russia has always been an attractive market with great prospects for long-term development.

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state members have agreed to set up a joint maritime security force and enhance cooperation in naval operations in response to increasing regional maritime conflict, according to reports in local media. A joint naval exercise would begin in the UAE on Monday and run until Thursday as a first step towards a unified command system to be used in emergencies, a GCC statement said. The exercise would help raise the level of GCC’s preparedness, combat efficiency and cooperation. Saudi Arabia is participating in the GCC exercise with a number of naval units, boats, special naval security units and Super Puma aircraft.

Sea Star Line, LLC announce that its refrigerated cargo monitoring service, StarGuard Elite Service, has been enhanced to provide refrigerated cargo shippers, especially pharmaceutical companies, full visibility of the refrigerated container’s progress, 24/7. Customers can now manage and monitor their refrigerated containers directly in real-time from any Internet-connected personal computer, tablet or mobile device. StarGuard Elite Service provides immediate up-to-date access to the trip progress and confirm that temperatures…

The UAE's National Drilling Company has signed contracts worth $543 million to acquire 14 new rigs, state news agency WAM said on Sunday. One offshore and one onshore rig will be manufactured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of the deals, WAM said. The new contracts are a reflection of the firm's plans for growth and a result of growing demand from its customers, it said.   (Reporting by Maha El Dahan; editing by Jason Neely)

A new high-tech unmanned vessel, launched with the help of Google, will use innovative technologies from the boatbuilding and mapping fields to map shorelines and raise awareness of the impacts of global sea level rise. Originally designed to be worn by backpackers, Google's proprietary Street View Trekker camera system was provided on loan to the San Francisco Baykeeper organization, allowing them to create bay-level maps. It plans to use the imagery collected—nearly 500 miles of coastline ranging from San Jose to Antioch, California—on its website and for educational purposes.