Saudi Arabia Signs Deal to Establish Floating Desalination Plants

Engineer Abdullah al-Dubaikhi
Engineer Abdullah al-Dubaikhi
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Saudi Arabia Signs Deal to Establish Floating Desalination Plants

Engineer Abdullah al-Dubaikhi
Engineer Abdullah al-Dubaikhi

A 20-year strategic agreement, valued at SAR760 million ($202 million) was signed on Sunday between the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) and Bahri, a global leader in logistics and transportation.

The SWCC is a Saudi Government Corporation responsible for the desalinating seawater, producing electric power and supplying various regions in the Kingdom with desalinated water to transport desalinated water from the floating stations to desalination tanks.

The agreement includes establishing three floating stations to desalinate water and transfer the desalinated water from the stations to desalination tanks

Each station will have a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per day with a total capacity of 150,000 cubic meters a day.

The project will be operational for 20 years, starting from the date of commercial operation, which is expected to be in Q4 2020.

Commenting on the agreement, CEO of Bahri Abdullah al-Dubaikhi said that based on both parties’ long-standing partnership, “Bahri is pleased to collaborate again with SWCC to further our contributions to Saudi Arabia’s efforts aimed at building up self-sufficient and indigenous capabilities across various sectors as directed in Saudi Vision 2030.”

According to a statement on Sunday, Dubaikhi said by signing this agreement, “we aim to support our partner to meet rising demand for water and electricity, thereby serving the needs of businesses and communities in the Kingdom.”

“We are proud that the 20-year contract comes as an appreciation for our industry-leading credentials in offering logistics and transportation solutions for various industries.”

The new contract follows an agreement signed between Bahri and SWCC earlier this year that sets a fixed price on a five-year term for the shipment of spare parts needed at desalination plants in Eastern and Western Coasts.

Bahri plays a significant role in the growth and development of the global maritime industry by leveraging state-of-the-art technologies to offer innovative and value-added door-to-door services by sea, land and air.

The company owns a fleet of 89 vessels and is the world’s largest owner and operator of Very Large Crude-oil Carriers (VLCCs) as well as the largest owner and operator of chemical tankers in the Middle East.



Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
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Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)

Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) celebrated the launch of its first direct flynas flight to Moscow, operating three weekly flights between Jeddah and Vnukovo International Airport.

This initiative, in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Air Connectivity Program, boosts air links between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

It marks KAIA's third direct Russian destination, following Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody, which were inaugurated earlier this month by Azimuth Airlines.

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location.


China Widens Foreign Investment Incentive List to Stem Falling Inflows

People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
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China Widens Foreign Investment Incentive List to Stem Falling Inflows

People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)

China on Wednesday listed more sectors eligible for foreign investment incentives, from tax breaks to preferential ​land use, in its latest effort to stem a prolonged decline in overseas capital inflows.

Under the 2025 edition of the catalogue of industries for encouraging foreign investment, China added more than 200 and revised about 300, with a ‌focus on ‌advanced manufacturing, modern services and ‌green ⁠and ​high-tech ‌sectors, the list jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the commerce ministry showed.

The new catalogue, which takes effect on February 1, 2026, replaces the 2022 version and continues a policy framework ⁠that offers foreign-invested enterprises tariff exemptions on imported equipment, preferential ‌land pricing, reduced corporate income ‍tax rates in ‍designated regions and tax credits for reinvestment ‍of profits.

The catalogue also extends incentives to central and western regions, as well as the northeast and Hainan, as Beijing seeks to attract ​more foreign investment into less developed areas.

China has in recent months ⁠taken a raft of measures to boost foreign investment, including pilot programs in Beijing, Shanghai and other regions to expand market access in services such as telecoms, healthcare and education, amid trade tensions with the United States.

Foreign direct investment in China totaled 693.2 billion yuan ($98.84 billion) from January to November this year, down 7.5% from the ‌same period last year, data from the commerce ministry showed.


Environment Ministry Launches Saudi Citrus Season with Production Exceeding 158,000 Tons

The citrus production season in the Kingdom begins in July and continues through March each year. (SPA)
The citrus production season in the Kingdom begins in July and continues through March each year. (SPA)
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Environment Ministry Launches Saudi Citrus Season with Production Exceeding 158,000 Tons

The citrus production season in the Kingdom begins in July and continues through March each year. (SPA)
The citrus production season in the Kingdom begins in July and continues through March each year. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture launched on Wednesday the Kingdom’s citrus season in local markets as part of its efforts to support and develop the agricultural sector and enhance food security in the country, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

The is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to support national agricultural products, raise awareness of citrus varieties and their nutritional benefits and production areas, and highlight their year-round diversity across production seasons.

These efforts help in improving marketing efficiency, boost competitiveness, and achieve rewarding economic returns.

Citrus fruits are among the most widely cultivated crops in the Kingdom. They are grown in several regions that produce a variety of citrus types, most notably lemons, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, citron, and kumquats.

The ministry said lemon production leads Saudi citrus output, with total production exceeding 123,000 tons and more than 1.5 million fruit-bearing trees. Orange production follows, with total output reaching 35,700 tons and more than 397,000 fruit-bearing trees.

The citrus production season in the Kingdom begins in July and continues through March each year, it added.

The ministry said the Saudi citrus season has been launched with a number of major retail markets across the Kingdom showcasing local products through innovative packaging and display methods. This boosts the quality and reliability of local products and increases consumer demand during production seasons.