Saudi Arabia Forges Partnerships to Establish Local Aerospace Industry

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Forges Partnerships to Establish Local Aerospace Industry

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi regulatory authorities announced their approval of joint ventures in the aviation structure manufacturing sector, which will seek to establish the first local industry for aviation structures in the Kingdom.

The General Authority for Competition announced its approval of two joint projects for the manufacture of aviation metal structures and metal castings products in Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number of joint projects approved by the Authority to 10 since the beginning of 2021.

The authority stated that it had issued a no-objection decision to establish a joint venture between the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur), the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and French FIGEAC Aero in the field of manufacturing of aircraft components, to become the first joint venture to build a facility in the Kingdom to manufacture aviation structures.

In the same context, the General Authority for Competition issued a no-objection decision to establish a joint venture between Dussur, Saudi Aramco Development Company and Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction to supply castings and forgings, where Dussur will own 70 percent, Saudi Aramco Development Company 15 percent, and Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction 15 percent of the project’s capital.



Saudi Arabia Adopts Advanced Technologies for Road Sustainability, Logistics Efficiency

The acting CEO of the Saudi Roads Authority speaking to the audience during a panel discussion (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The acting CEO of the Saudi Roads Authority speaking to the audience during a panel discussion (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Adopts Advanced Technologies for Road Sustainability, Logistics Efficiency

The acting CEO of the Saudi Roads Authority speaking to the audience during a panel discussion (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The acting CEO of the Saudi Roads Authority speaking to the audience during a panel discussion (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Badr Al-Dulami, CEO of the Saudi General Authority for Roads, announced that advanced technologies are being used to recycle road layers in Saudi Arabia. This has sped up maintenance by 40%, improved cost efficiency, and helped protect the environment.

Speaking at the “Supply Chain Conference” in Riyadh, Al-Dulami said Saudi Arabia's road network exceeds 500,000 kilometers, making it the top country in connectivity and the fourth-best in road quality among the G20 nations.

Al-Dulami also noted that the “Saudi Road Code” is designed to keep up with future changes, including performance-based maintenance contracts.

He highlighted key projects, such as the opening of the Eastern Interchange in Riyadh to reduce traffic and redirect trucks, and the Second Ring Road in Jeddah, which moves trucks outside the city to improve logistics flow.

Al-Dulami emphasized that safety, quality, and sustainability are key to transportation strategies, with a safe and high-quality road network being essential for a successful logistics system.

He also mentioned that the transportation and logistics strategy now focuses on these key areas. To support the growing demand, the authority introduced a system for issuing permits for transporting heavy loads.

Ahmed Al-Hassan, Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, highlighted that the ministry is focused on strategies to connect Saudi Arabia globally and increase its competitiveness, with a special emphasis on developing local talent to support Vision 2030.

On the second day of the conference, global experts gathered to discuss best practices for improving supply chain efficiency.

Mansour Al-Qahtani, from the Saudi Electricity Company, pointed out the role of artificial intelligence in improving data security and helping companies manage potential threats, boosting overall sector efficiency.