At a pre-conference webinar for the World Cement Association (WCA), an all-CEO panel argued that cement producers in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) can halve carbon emissions with zero or low capital expenditure.

The Mena region is responsible for approximately 7% of total global CO2 emissions, and also currently produces around 7% of the world’s cement. In fact, it is the largest-producing region outside of China and India, underlining the importance of WCA’s annual conference in calling attention to the region’s urgent need to embark on the net zero journey.

The webinar brought together 30 CEOs representing cement-producing companies from Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey (among others), ahead of the WCA’s annual conference – set to be held in Dubai. The theme of the conference is: ‘Navigating the Climate Challenge: Reducing Carbon and Reducing Costs’.

The CEO forum also took the view that there is an opportunity now for being proactive, shaping the industry roadmap rather than waiting for government regulations to be imposed.

Notwithstanding, the panel also explained how the region’s main challenges are due to variable limestone quality in some countries and the limited availability of supplementary cementitious material. Yet it is still the case that new, innovative technologies can help overcome a number of these limitations – and projects such as waste heat reduction now have highly attractive returns.

Meanwhile, the WCA have partnered with A3 & Co, a cement business consulting firm, to promote decarbonisation as a strategy, with a major emphasis on cost reduction and the competitive edge that decarbonisation will bring to the Mena cement sector.

As COP27 and COP28 are being held in Egypt and the UAE respectively, the world’s attention will be on the region, particularly as Mena has been on average slower to make climate pledges and decarbonisation investments. This poses a unique opportunity to showcase the potential of the Mena cement sector by kickstarting investments in energy efficiency and lowering emissions – potentially with minimal investment required.

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Source: ME Construction News

FP McCann, one of Northern Ireland’s largest quarry operators, has added a second Rokbak RA30 articulated hauler to its fleet that already includes nine Terex Trucks models.“All our haulers work long hours but have proven their worth over the years as tough and dependable, so there was never any real incentive to change brands,” says Chris McCloy, Quarry Manager at FP McCann’s Knockloughrim Quarry where the new Rokbak RA30 is currently working.

“Our mechanics were already very familiar with the Terex Trucks machines, so routine servicing and maintenance has become second nature to them, which helps keep downtime to an absolute minimum.”

Both the RA30 and RA40 feature the latest EU Stage V emissions-compliant engine, allowing fuel efficiency to increase by up to 7% compared to older EU Stage IV engines. The use of ZF’s EP320 fully automatic gearbox, now offers the opportunity to extend oil-maintenance intervals from 1,000 to 4,000 hours with the use of long-life transmission fluid, Rokbak says.

Its 8F/4R gears also offer a higher overall gear ratio spread and smooth gear shifting with partial load shifts resulting in an increase in maximum speed from 50 km/h to 55 km/h. This enables faster cycle times and improved manoeuvrability around the quarry, delivering a lower cost per tonne, the company adds.

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Source: ME Construction News

Big Project Middle East (BPME) has announced a landmark event for the brand – the launch of its first ever summit outside the UAE, with the Construction Intel Summit – KSA in Riyadh on November 23, 2022.

Initially launched as a virtual event in 2021, the Construction Intel Summit – KSA is an in-depth look at the challenges and realities facing the construction and real estate development sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, featuring the leading experts, decision-makers, and innovators operating in the Kingdom and the region.

Following on from two successful virtual events, the Big Project ME editorial team felt that the time was right to launch a live, in-person event at the heart of the Kingdom, especially given the massive surge in construction activity within the country over the last couple of years.

Taking place in Riyadh, the live event will bring together speakers from developers, contractors, consultants, solutions providers and more from across the Kingdom and the region. It will feature panel discussions, presentations and networking opportunities.

Registration is free for construction professionals wishing to attend.

“Work on a number of large-scale, iconic construction projects is well underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its Vision 2030 blueprint. While the Kingdom’s leadership aims to transform the country, it also wants to be mindful of what this transition means for its people, its culture and its environment,” said Gavin Davids, Head of Editorial and Content for Big Project ME.

“Therefore, it is essential that the global and regional construction industry equips itself with the knowledge and insight to grasp the unprecedented opportunities presented to them by Saudi Arabia’s transformation.

“This is why the Construction Intel Summit KSA is coming to Riyadh on November 23, 2022 – our speakers and presenters will not only inform and educate attendees about the massive opportunities that remain across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but will also share their own experiences and knowledge with attendees”

While the event will aim to cover a wide range of topics, Davids highlighted four key themes for the summit:

• Visionary Designs: Design Considerations and Procurement Strategies to achieve Vision 2030
• Project Interfaces: Integrating Multiple Contract Packages and Sequencing Workflows on the Kingdom’s gigaprojects
• Energy Transition: Providing direction and unification while driving Saudi Arabia’s Energy Transition process
• Enabling Saudization: Providing pathways of growth and development to Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning talent pool of Saudi construction professionals

Davids noted that the agenda and speakers for the event will appear on the website in the coming weeks. He asked interested attendees and participants to visit: https://2022.constructionintelsummit.com for more information about the summit and to stay up to date with the latest announcements and developments with regards to the Summit.

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Source: ME Construction News

Material handling specialists, Telestack has introduced its Kore-Max tracked magnetic separator which allows mine operators and contractors to separate mill balls or other metal objects from contaminated ore material.

The fully mobile unit, which is the latest in its mining range, has a capacity of up to 300tph and can be fed by a wheel loader or excavator. The hopper has a capacity of 7m³ and is loaded from the rear.

It features a 1200mm wide belt feeder with hydraulic speed adjustment and hosts a combination of impact bars and impact rollers that help create a robust feeder module.

The hopper can be lined with the customer’s choice of wear liner and a host of other options exist including a heavy-duty fall brake system and hydraulic folding side extensions.

International Sales Manager, Alan Gilmore says: “This design of the metal separator has been the result of much discussion with our Dealers and end users who have urged Telestack to design a mobile metal separator that can go into a mine and add value to previously unusable contaminated material .The unit prevents severe damage to further processing equipment such as Cone crushers where liners can be damaged if mill balls enter the chamber causing significant downtime and cost to repair.”

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Source: ME Construction News

Magna Tyres has announced it will unveil two new mining tread patterns at Bauma 2022 – the Magna MU30 and Magna MA60.

The Magna MU30 mining pattern will be introduced for underground trucks and wheel loaders and includes several new features such as large lugs and a cut-resistant centre. This is expected to ensure a robust tread area and increased service life.

According to the company there is also a specially reinforced radial casing that “provides outstanding damage resistance and load capacity” while increased rugged sidewalls improve shock and abrasion resistance.

Magna Tyres is also planning to showcase a new OTR pattern at the event – The Magna MA60 articulated dump truck (ADT) tyre. The MA60 has a special rubber compound and robust casing that offers high resistance to damage impact. It will eventually become available in size 800/80R29.

“The Magna MA60 will offer a unique tread lug and groove to give a powerful forward and lateral traction arrangement plus superior operator comfort. Whilst a radial E3/L3 long-lasting tread ensures maximised productivity and reduced long-term operating costs,” the company said.

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Source: ME Construction News

Construction work on the 950MW fourth phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park – the largest single-site solar park in the world – is now 90% complete, it has been announced.

In a statement, Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA) said that HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO, inspected work progress at the project, where he was briefed by Noor Energy 1 officials. The 4th phase uses the IPP model with investments up to US$4.29 billion.

It is the largest single-site project that combines Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and photovoltaic technology using the IPP model. The overall construction of the project is 90% complete, officials said.

A consortium led by DEWA and ACWA Power formed a project company, Noor Energy 1, to design, build, and operate the 4th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA owns 51% of the company while ACWA Power holds 25%, and the Chinese Silk Road Fund owns 24%.

The 4th phase of the Solar Park uses three hybrid technologies to produce clean energy: 600MW from a parabolic basin complex (three units of 200MW each), 100MW from the world’s tallest solar power tower at 262.44 metres (based on Molten Salt technology), and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels.

On its completion, the project will have the largest thermal storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, allowing for energy availability round the clock. The 4th phase will provide clean energy for around 320,000 residences and reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.

Al Tayer also visited the 5^th phase of the solar park, where he was briefed by Shuaa Energy 3 officials, on the progress made in the 2nd and 3rd projects of the 5th phase. DEWA is implementing the 5th phase in partnership with a consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.

In 2019 DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of USD1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour (Levelised Cost of Energy) for this phase.  The fifth phase will be implemented by Shuaa Energy 3, established by DEWA which owns 60% of the shares and the consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation which owns 40% of the rest of the shares.

Work in the 900MW 5th phase with investments totalling $560.3 million is progressing as planned. The 2nd project is 93.3% complete while the 3rd project is 23.06% complete.

The 5th phase is being implemented using the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies, which allows solar radiation to reach the front and back of the panels, with single axis tracking to increase generation. Using fully automated robots to clean the solar panels without any human intervention, will increase efficiency.

Since its commercial operations last year, the 1st project whose production capacity has increased from 300MW to 330MW, has been recording higher-than-expected performance.

The fifth phase will provide clean energy to over 270,000 residences in Dubai and will reduce 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. It will be commissioned in stages until 2023.

The Solar Park’s projects constitute one of the key pillars of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

The current capacity at the Solar Park is 1,627MW using solar photovoltaic panels. DEWA is implementing more projects with a total capacity of 1,233MW using solar photovoltaic and CSP.

DEWA’s installed capacity has reached 14,117 MW of electricity. Clean energy share in Dubai’s energy mix has reached 11.5% and is expected to reach 14% by the end of 2022.

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Source: ME Construction News

DP World Limited has announced exceptionally strong financial results for the six months to June 30, 2022 with total revenue growing 60.4% year-on-year (equivalent to 20.1% on a like-for-like basis).

Revenues reached $7.932 billion, with key highlights including –

• Container revenue per TEU increasing by 9.2%, driven by higher demand for storage
• Adjusted EBITDA of $2.441 billion and adjusted EBITDA margin of 30.8%
• Adjusted EBITDA increased by $628 million, and EBITDA margin for the half-year standing at 30.8%. Like-for-like adjusted EBITDA margin was 38.2%
• Cash from operating activities increased by 29.6% to $1,931 million in H1, 2022 compared to $1,490 million in H1, 2021
• DP World credit rating improves to BBB- with Positive Outlook by Fitch; and remains at Baa3 with Stable Outlook by Moody’s

The company’s capital expenditure of $741 million ($687 million in 2021) was invested across the existing portfolio during the first half of the year, with capital expenditure guidance for 2022 up to $1.4 billion. Investments are planned into the UAE, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), London Gateway (UK), Sokhna (Egypt), Senegal and Callao (Peru).

DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, commented: “We are delighted to report a record set of first half results with adjusted EBITDA growing 34.6% and attributable earnings rising 51.8%. This significant growth demonstrates that our strategy to focus on high margin cargo and to offer customised supply chain solutions will provide sustainable returns in the long term.

“Encouragingly, cargo owners continue to respond positively to our end-to-end product offering and we are focused on integrating our recent logistics acquisitions to further drive revenue synergies. We continue to invest in high growth verticals and markets to offer compelling supply chain solutions, and by leveraging our best-in-class infrastructure across logistics, ports & terminals, economic zones, digital and marine services, DP World aims to lower inefficiencies and improve connectivity in key trade lanes.”

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Source: ME Construction News

Dubai-based developer Nakheel has unveiled its new plan for Dubai Islands, comprising five island sites with a total area of 17 sq km. Their stated mission is to ‘enhance the wellbeing and lifestyles of residents and visitors’.

Aligning with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, Dubai Islands (formerly known as Deira Islands) will reinforce the emirate’s position as a global destination of choice for residents, visitors and investors.

According to Nakheel, each island will have its own unique offerings, with innovative living experiences, cultural hubs, recreational sport beaches and beach clubs, all in one interconnected location within easy access of the city and airport.

The islands will be home to over 80 resorts and hotels, including luxury and wellness resorts, boutique, family and eco-conscious hotels, supporting Dubai’s ambition to boost the tourism and hospitality sector by increasing the overall number of hotel keys.

Dubai Islands will feature over 20 km of beaches – including a Blue Flag certified beach – as well as two sq. km. of parks and open spaces, and a number of premium golf courses, all overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

Infrastructure arrangements include a well-connected network of marinas, promenades and pathways for water transport, walking and biking – again echoing the proposals of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan for developing vibrant and healthy communities.

On the new venture, Nakheel CEO Naaman Atallah said: “Dubai Islands are an integral part of the future vision for the emirate, focusing on enhancing the health, happiness and wellbeing of residents and visitors, as well as providing the highest standards and variety of urban infrastructure and facilities.

“Dubai Islands will add to the Nakheel portfolio of residential, retail, hospitality and leisure developments, offering another destination within a destination.”

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Source: ME Construction News

ALEC Energy has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, aimed at leveraging the expertise of the two renewable energy leaders to enable private and public sector organisations to meet and exceed the goals outlined in the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.

In a statement, the companies said that they will jointly work on projects to establish best practices in buildings design, systems, and services while also offering solutions to Net Zero as applicable to individual undertakings.

A key target of the UAE’s energy agenda is to increase the contribution of clean energy in the total energy mix to 50% by the mid of this century, while also increasing consumption efficiency of individuals and corporate by 40%.

“These goals, while ambitious, are certainly attainable. There however is need for a shift in the mindset of designers, engineers, and architects in the region, as organisations need to be expertly guided through the environmental, economic, and social aspects of decarbonising their business. Through our partnership with Stantec, we will design a framework specifically for the region that will serve as a roadmap towards the UAE’s renewable energy goals,” said Kez Taylor, CEO at ALEC Group.

ALEC Energy’s proven track record in the implementation of complex solar energy projects, will be complemented by Stantec’s expertise in sustainable design strategies, design enhancement, innovative and renewable technology integration, performance optimisation and cost assessment. Both companies will also jointly share knowledge with the industry and sponsor events, training programs and workshops with industry stakeholders, the statement added.

“Meeting the ambitious climate targets set throughout the GCC requires innovation through collaboration,” said Anas Kassem, regional managing director for Stantec’s Middle East operations. “Signing this MoU with ALEC Energy reinforces our commitment to supporting our clients and communities in their efforts to achieving renewable energy goals and securing a sustainable future.”

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Source: ME Construction News

Liebherr has expanded its heavy lift ship crane series with a fully electric 800t model to meet a growing demand for larger wind turbine components.

The LS 800 E, which has been designed to reduce overall ship emissions, includes a new ‘Master V’ control unit with high computing power and data processing that will enable the integration of future assistance systems and semiautomated process applications. The crane also includes the Litronic control system developed in-house for speed and precision.

Gregor Levold, sales director for Liebherr Offshore, Ship and Port Cranes said: “The new cranes follow on from a long tradition and decades of experience in building ship cranes. The first ship crane was delivered by Liebherr in 1958. The push into the 800t size segment does not represent new territory – Liebherr has already supplied onshore and offshore cranes in the 3,000 to 5,000t category”

He added: “We have many years of experience with all-electric drives from the port equipment sector, among others. As usual, the development of the crane is done completely in-house. We can also cover the procurement of individual components largely in house at Liebherr. These are invaluable advantages for our customers, especially nowadays. In addition, all drive components are installed inside the crane. This facilitates the integration of the crane into the ship’s design and enables better utilisation of the areas below deck.”

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Source: ME Construction News