RTA, Serco ink deal
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai has signed a Dh105 million ($28.6 million) contract with the British firm Serco for an operation system for the Dubai Tram. The contract is valid for 75 months and includes a 15-month period when Serco will recruit and train staff.

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the RTA, signed for his organisation while David Campbell, CEO, Serco MEA, Asia and Australia, signed for his.

The project contractor (Alstom-Besix consortium) will take on the maintenance of the project for 13 years.

Hyundai wins orders
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) said it has placed orders worth over $2 billion for very large container ships with South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.

UASC ordered five vessels of 18,000 teu each and five of 14,000 teu. The ships are to be delivered starting in late 2014.

In addition, UASC signed options to buy one additional 18,000 teu vessel and six other 14,000 teu ships. The price tag of over $2 billion includes those options.

Genavco to launch Stow items
UAE-based General Navigation & Commerce Company (Genavco) said it has signed an agreement with Stow, a Belgium-based manufacturer of racking and shelving items, to launch its products in the emirates.

Stow is part of Averys Group, the world’s third largest manufacturer of racking and shelving products, which already enjoys an established presence in Asia, Europe, South America and Australia.

Genavco president Isam Abu Nabah said the deal is aimed at catering to the larger needs of the Dh350 million ($95.2 million) logistics and warehousing industry.

Mercator solution for UA
Mercator, a leader in aviation IT solutions, and United Airlines (UA), a major cargo carrier, have joined forces to migrate the airline’s cargo logistics and revenue accounting systems to Mercator’s SkyChain and Rapid Cargo solutions.

The migration has helped UA move away from around 20 legacy systems, saving millions of dollars in operational costs.