ADNOC Awards $975 Mln Contract to Develop Offshore Field in UAE

The project involves dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction for artificial island G at the Lower Zakum field offshore.  (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The project involves dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction for artificial island G at the Lower Zakum field offshore. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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ADNOC Awards $975 Mln Contract to Develop Offshore Field in UAE

The project involves dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction for artificial island G at the Lower Zakum field offshore.  (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The project involves dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction for artificial island G at the Lower Zakum field offshore. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

UAE’s ADNOC Offshore has awarded a 3.588 billion dirhams ($975 million) artificial island construction contract to ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S).

The project involves dredging, land reclamation, and marine construction for artificial island G at the Lower Zakum field offshore.

ADNOC L&S is primed to execute major offshore engineering, procurement, and construction contracts. “The EPC market is expected to experience substantial growth in the region in the coming years,” the company said.

The company offers a range of services to its customers while facilitating the growth of ADNOC Group’s upstream and downstream operations.

This is the maritime logistics company’s first major contract after being listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange last week.

“This contract award for the construction of the artificial island exemplifies our strategy to tap into new growth areas, showcasing the expanding range of services we offer to our customers and the trust that ADNOC Offshore has placed in us as their partner of choice,” Abdulkareem Al-Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S said.

The contract is part of Lower Zakum’s long-term development plan that seeks to unlock greater value while helping to meet the increasing global energy demand safely and sustainably.

ADNOC Offshore has extensive experience in deploying the artificial island concept for project delivery, resulting in significant cost savings and environmental benefits compared to conventional approaches that require more offshore installations and infrastructure.

The company has a fleet of 245 vessels and manages around 540 ships annually, in addition to its 1.5 million-square-meter integrated logistics base in Abu Dhabi.

ADNOC L&S expects growth of average annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. This growth will be driven by new contract awards, further expansion of the Integrated Logistics Services Platform, and optimized re-use of jack-up barges.



Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
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Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)

The United States on Thursday called on Israel to extend its cooperation with Palestinian banks for another year, to avoid blocking vital transactions in the occupied West Bank.

"I am glad that Israel has allowed its banks to continue cooperating with Palestinian banks, but I remain convinced that a one-year extension of the waiver to facilitate this cooperation is needed," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday, on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro.

In May, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to cut off a vital banking channel between Israel and the West Bank in response to three European countries recognizing the State of Palestine.

On June 30, however, Smotrich extended a waiver that allows cooperation between Israel's banking system and Palestinian banks in the occupied West Bank for four months, according to Israeli media, according to AFP.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that the decision on the waiver was made at a cabinet meeting in a "move that saw Israel legalize several West Bank settlement outposts."

The waiver was due to expire at the end of June, and the extension permitted Israeli banks to process payments for salaries and services to the Palestinian Authority in shekels, averting a blow to a Palestinian economy already devastated by the war in Gaza.

The Israeli threat raised serious concerns in the United States, which said at the time it feared "a humanitarian crisis" if banking ties were cut.

According to Washington, these banking channels are key to nearly $8 billion of imports from Israel to the West Bank, including electricity, water, fuel and food.