Saudi Arabia Launches Survey to Detect Mineral Depositshttps://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3151481/saudi-arabia-launches-survey-detect-mineral-deposits
Saudi Arabia Launches Survey to Detect Mineral Deposits
Saudi Arabia launches first geophysical survey aircraft in the Dawadmi province in Riyadh region (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia’s mining sector entered a new phase on Tuesday by launching a geophysical survey of the Arab Shield region in the Dawadmi province, which administratively belongs to Riyadh.
The survey covers more than 600,000 square kilometers and aims to discover mineral deposits in the region and attract new investments into the Kingdom’s mining sector. This will directly stimulate the Saudi economy.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Mudaifer announced the start of geophysical survey work in the Arab Shield region on Tuesday.
Al-Mudaifer made the announcement on behalf of the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Geological Survey Bandar Al-Khorayef.
He announced the start on Tuesday after launching in Dawadmi the first geophysical survey aircraft, which began geophysical survey work in the Arab Shield region.
The survey results, interpretations, and technical reports will be preserved and added to the National Geosciences Database (NGD), which will give earth sciences data to beneficiaries in various industries.
The data will provide a basis to attract investments in the mining sector, achieving one of the primary objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Saudi Geological Survey CEO Abdullah Al-Shamrani stated that the authority seeks to gather diverse high-resolution geological data for the Arabian Shield.
Al-Shamrani added that the data will be used to support mineral exploration, which will help in Saudi Arabia’s economic growth and diversify its revenue sources.
According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Kingdom is one of the world’s wealthiest countries in mineral resources, with an estimated value of $1.3 trillion.
A magnetic and radiological geophysical survey of the Arabian Shield in Saudi Arabia will be part of the aerial geophysical survey project.
According to Al-Shamrani, the authority also expects to gather high-resolution geomagnetic and radiometric data, as well as interpretations of magnetic and radiological maps that depict the most important geological formations and rock facies.
This will enable identifying and counting essential mineralized environments.
Global Logistics Forum in Riyadh Paves the Way for Strategic Partnershipshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5071171-global-logistics-forum-riyadh-paves-way-strategic-partnerships
Global Logistics Forum in Riyadh Paves the Way for Strategic Partnerships
The Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Global Logistics Forum, which concluded in Riyadh on Monday, saw the signing of over 60 strategic local and international partnerships and memorandums of understanding, with a total value exceeding SAR 16 billion ($4.3 billion).
In its 2024 edition, the forum aimed to boost international cooperation in the logistics sector, with the goal of reshaping the global logistics services map.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih stated that the forum “serves as a platform for collaboration” within the logistics system, with the goal of enhancing efficiency, resilience, sustainability, and profitability in today’s world.
According to Al-Rumaih, the agreements announced reflect the significance of the forum and its importance for the future of the sector, showcasing the transformative impact of cooperation and highlighting the Kingdom’s leadership role in the global logistics services sector.
“We aim to leverage our unique strategic position at the crossroads of three continents,” he added.
Medical supply agreements
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, announced a series of significant agreements and memorandums of understanding.
Among the most prominent was a MoU with FedEx to explore investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s logistics and transport sector, agreements with Sadel Group to establish cold storage warehouses in Jeddah (western Saudi Arabia), and other agreements with Pacific International Lines and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) to explore new opportunities in integrated logistics services and multimodal transport.
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services also announced the signing of memorandums of understanding with the National Unified Procurement Company for Medical Devices and Supplies (NUPCO) to establish new regional centers for supplying medical equipment and with the Saudi Industrial Development Fund to collaborate in developing transport and logistics services to support industrial transformation.
Key announcements and partnerships
The event witnessed major announcements from global sector leaders. Agility Logistics revealed the expansion of its warehouses in Saudi Arabia and signed an agreement with the Saudi Railways Company.
Additionally, Saudi Cargo signed a new partnership with the Second Airport Group to improve air cargo services.
New scholarship and training initiatives were launched during the event. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services announced agreements to send a group of national talents abroad for training and capacity-building to meet the needs of the sector in the Kingdom.
The agreements were made in collaboration with the Saudi Group, Airport Holding, The Helicopter Company, The Executive Company, and Saudi Railways Company.
The Saudi Logistics Academy also announced a series of training initiatives in cooperation with NEOM, Qassim University, and Al-Salihiya Logistics Agency.
Participants are seen at a panel discussion at the forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Economic zones and hydrogen trains
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) unveiled a series of agreements with companies such as Alat, Bahri, and Danfoss.
It also granted licenses for integrated logistics service zones to several entities. The Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority awarded certificates to Tharawat Group and Masarat Logistics Services for establishing new centers in King Abdullah Economic City.
It also signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Post to develop a new addressing system that will facilitate business operations in Saudi Arabia’s special economic zones.
In addition, CEO of the Saudi Railways Company Dr. Bashar Al-Malik revealed the success of Saudi Arabia’s experiments with the first hydrogen-powered train aimed at evaluating the suitability of this technology for the Kingdom’s environment.
This comes after Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi Minister of Energy, announced last year during his speech at the opening of Climate Week that Saudi Arabia would have the first hydrogen-powered train in the Middle East.
The inaugural edition of the Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector, such as enabling global markets, investing in logistics infrastructure, enhancing the resilience of logistics services in the face of disruptions in the Red Sea region, in addition to discussing the “New Era of Energy Ports” and empowering talents to develop the industries of the future.
The event was held in the presence of a large number of ministers, senior officials, leaders of international organizations, industry associations, experts, academics, and analysts, and featured 130 speakers and 80 exhibitors from 30 countries.
