PIF Launches Neo Space Group to Boost Saudi Arabia’s Satellite and Space Industries

PIF Launches Neo Space Group to Boost Saudi Arabia’s Satellite and Space Industries
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PIF Launches Neo Space Group to Boost Saudi Arabia’s Satellite and Space Industries

PIF Launches Neo Space Group to Boost Saudi Arabia’s Satellite and Space Industries

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Monday the establishment of the Neo Space Group (NSG), a wholly owned PIF company that will become a national champion in the satellite and space sector.

NSG will enhance the space and satellite sector by developing local capabilities and boosting its strategic position within the growing global space economy, said PIF in a statement.

The group aims to develop and boost commercial space operations in Saudi Arabia, providing innovative satellite and space solutions locally and globally. It will invest in local and international assets and capabilities, as well as promising venture capital opportunities, to catalyze the advancement and localization of sector-specific expertise.

NSG will contribute to the development and deployment of the latest cutting-edge technologies in the space industry through its four dedicated business segments: satellite communications, earth observation and remote sensing, satellite navigation and Internet of Things, as well as a satellite and space-focused venture capital fund.

Co-head of MENA Direct Investments at PIF Omar Al-Madhi said: “The establishment of NSG marks an important milestone in the development of the growing satellite and space sector in Saudi Arabia and the ambition to be a leading commercial player in the global satellite sector.”

“It is a unique milestone for PIF as it is PIF’s first investment focused on the space industry, which represents a series of new opportunities for the Saudi economy and private sector. It will also drive economic expansion in Saudi Arabia within several related strategic sectors while advancing the localization of vital industries,” he stressed.

The development of the aerospace sector is in line with PIF’s strategy to unlock the potential of promising sectors in Saudi Arabia and support the diversification of the Saudi economy, the growth of non-oil revenues and the realization of Saudi Vision 2030.



Exports from Libya's Hariga Oil Port Stop as Crude Supply Dries Up, Say Engineers

A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
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Exports from Libya's Hariga Oil Port Stop as Crude Supply Dries Up, Say Engineers

A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)

The Libyan oil export port of Hariga has stopped operating due to insufficient crude supplies, two engineers at the terminal told Reuters on Saturday, as a standoff between rival political factions shuts most of the country's oilfields.

This week's flare-up in a dispute over control of the central bank threatens a new bout of instability in the North African country, a major oil producer that is split between eastern and western factions.

The eastern-based administration, which controls oilfields that account for almost all the country's production, are demanding western authorities back down over the replacement of the central bank governor - a key position in a state where control over oil revenue is the biggest prize for all factions.

Exports from Hariga stopped following the near-total shutdown of the Sarir oilfield, the port's main supplier, the engineers said.

Sarir normally produces about 209,000 barrels per day (bpd). Libya pumped about 1.18 million bpd in July in total.

Libya's National Oil Corporation NOC, which controls the country's oil resources, said on Friday the recent oilfield closures have caused the loss of approximately 63% of total oil production.