Sezad signs two deals
The Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad), Oman, has signed two agreements – one with Duqm Petroleum Terminal Company (DPTC) to manage the overall engineering, construction and operations of the liquid jetty at the Port of Duqm and the other with Takamul Investment Company to manage the overall engineering and construction of seawater intake at the Special Economic Zone.

The liquid jetty agreement is expected to improve the port’s competitiveness.

Container volume up 40pc
The overall volume of containers at Bahrain’s Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP) soared 40 per cent during 2012. Transshipment containers grew by 153 per cent. KBSP officials reported a 31 per cent increase in the overall volume of merchandise handled last year.

The figures came from the Bahrain Annual Ports Performance Report 2012, submitted by Transportation Minister Kamal Ahmed.

Etihad’s largest freighter
Etihad Airways has signed a multi-year aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) agreement with Atlas Air Worldwide to provide the UAE flag carrier with its first Boeing 747-8 freighter.

The full liveried Etihad Cargo Boeing 747-8 freighter will be the largest in the carrier’s growing freighter fleet with a payload capacity of 138 tonnes and a range of more than 8,000 km.

The delivery will take Etihad Cargo’s freighter fleet to nine.

DWC announces warehouses
Dubai World Central (DWC) has announced that its new agent warehouses complex will open for leasing in Q1, 2014. They will cover a total area of almost 8,700 sq m, with 5,443 sq m for warehouses and 1,373 sq m for the office area.

DWC further announced that it is now developing a new logistics park within the Logistics District, comprising warehouses, offices and amenities. It will also develop a fully dedicated customer inspection yard at gate 4, in conjunction with Dubai Customs.