Saudi Housing Ministry Announces Achieving 2017 Targets

The Saudi Housing Ministry and the Real Estate Development Fund announced that it has achieved its 2017 targets. (SPA)
The Saudi Housing Ministry and the Real Estate Development Fund announced that it has achieved its 2017 targets. (SPA)
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Saudi Housing Ministry Announces Achieving 2017 Targets

The Saudi Housing Ministry and the Real Estate Development Fund announced that it has achieved its 2017 targets. (SPA)
The Saudi Housing Ministry and the Real Estate Development Fund announced that it has achieved its 2017 targets. (SPA)

The Saudi Housing Ministry and the Real Estate Development Fund announced on Saturday achieving 2017 targets on providing over 280,000 housing and financing products to Saudi families across the kingdom.

In a statement, the ministry announced on Saturday 36,798 housing and financing products as part of the 11th and the last batch of “Sakani” (My Housing) program for 2017.

The 36,798 residential and financing products include 24,207 housing units via sale on the map program, 4,591 free land plots and 8,000 backed financing.

The goal was set up by the national residential program launched in mid-January.

Among the 2017 objectives was having 120,000 housing units made ready for residence and the offering of 75,000 free land plots for construction.

More so, 85,000 funds were provided by the national fund for real estate development through banks and financial institutions, while the ministry revealed details of the second phase of the national initiative for 2018.

The program aspires to serve a greater number of citizens.

Mohamed Al-Bati, CEO of the national housing company, pointed out that achieving the 2017 goals drives the Housing Ministry to expand its services to citizens.

He positively recounted the active partnership with the private sector partook in with real-estate developers.

He also pointed out that these partnerships with real estate developers serving the national economy have resulted in realizing several projects, including the construction of thousands of housing units—a progress which empowered Saudi families and raised the percentage of housing ownership.

Bati pointed out that there is a clear plan and details to be announced on all future housing programs.

He pointed out that there were royal directives issued on a package of incentives.

Speaking on involving the private sector with the national housing projects, Bati said it stimulates real estate competition and results in producing many housing units at different rates.



Russia’s First Ice-Class LNG Carrier Enters Sea Trials, Data Shows

A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
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Russia’s First Ice-Class LNG Carrier Enters Sea Trials, Data Shows

A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)

The first Russian-built ice-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has entered sea trials, LSEG data showed on Friday, as part of Russia's efforts to raise global LNG market share despite US sanctions.

The tanker, named Alexey Kosygin after a Soviet statesman, was built at the Zvezda shipyard and is due to join the fleet of vessels for Russia's new Arctic LNG 2 plant, which has been delayed because of the US sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

The US Treasury has also placed sanctions on the new vessel, which Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot ordered to be built at Zvezda, Russia's most advanced shipbuilding yard. LSEG ship-tracking data shows it is anchored near the Pacific port of Vladivostok.

Sovcomflot has not replied to a request for comment.

Novatek, which owns 60% of Arctic LNG 2, has said 15 Arc7 ice-class tankers that are able to cut through two meter (6.5 ft) thick ice to transport LNG from Arctic projects, will be built at Zvezda shipyard.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Novatek shut down commercial operations at the first and only operational train of its Arctic LNG 2 project in October with no plans to restart it during winter.

Ice-class tankers usually have double hulls - strengthened structures to withstand the pressure of ice - and reinforced propellers.

So far, only three suitable gas tankers have been built for Arctic LNG 2, according to public information: the Alexey Kosygin, Pyotr Stolypin and Sergei Witte vessels.

Six more Arc7 tankers were due to be built by Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, including three for Sovcomflot and three for Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

However, the three tankers ordered by Sovcomflot were cancelled due to the sanctions against Russia, Hanwha said last year in regulatory filings.