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Oxagon CEO: NEOM Port to Redefine Global Trade

NEOM Port (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NEOM Port (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Oxagon CEO: NEOM Port to Redefine Global Trade

NEOM Port (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NEOM Port (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Vishal Wanchoo, CEO of Oxagon, highlighted the city as a beacon of innovation and sustainability at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s transformation, saying that the NEOM Port is set to reshape global trade.

Oxagon, a reimagined industrial city within NEOM, offers a clean ecosystem attracting factories of the future, relying entirely on renewable energy to achieve net-zero emissions. Its strategic location on the Red Sea, near global shipping lanes, positions it as a key hub for major markets and urban centers.

Embracing Sustainable Solutions

Discussing Oxagon’s strategic vision, Wanchoo noted that traditional industries often pose environmental and health risks and contribute to climate change. He emphasized the urgency of adopting sustainable solutions, which has prompted sectors to accelerate the transition to clean technologies and green energy.

“Oxagon provides a clean industrial ecosystem that welcomes factories of the future from across the globe. By relying solely on renewable energy, we offer manufacturers a platform to achieve their net-zero goals,” Wanchoo explained.

Strengthening Local Supply Chains

Wanchoo underscored Oxagon’s alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes developing promising industries, enhancing logistics, and bolstering local, regional, and international trade networks.

“Our focus is on developing seven industrial zones, along with vibrant urban areas that stimulate economic growth through retail and hospitality,” Wanchoo stated. He emphasized Oxagon’s role in making Saudi Arabia a regional hub for imports and exports through the advanced NEOM Port on the Red Sea, connecting global trade routes.

He added: “With over 13% of global trade passing through the Suez Canal annually, NEOM Port’s location enhances its significance as a gateway between Europe and Asia.”

Attracting Foreign Investments

Looking ahead, Wanchoo outlined Oxagon’s goal of driving economic diversification, fostering innovation, and attracting foreign investments over the next five years.

“We are actively engaging with major manufacturers to enhance our industrial ecosystem, strengthen local supply chains, and establish Saudi Arabia as a regional and global manufacturing hub,” he said.

Environmental Commitment

Wanchoo highlighted Oxagon’s commitment to sustainable construction methods. The pilot integrated community, Oxagon Hive, exemplifies this by reducing waste, minimizing costs, and ensuring scalability.

He noted that since taking over Duba Port in 2022, Oxagon has made significant strides in transforming it into a sustainable and automated facility.

“We have reused 100% of excavated materials and recycled decommissioned port facilities for new developments,” he said.

Challenges and Opportunities

“Building a new industrial model from scratch is complex, but we prioritize state-of-the-art infrastructure to support advanced, clean manufacturing,” the CEO of Oxagon remarked. He underlined the importance of partnerships with innovative companies and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like AI and robotics to address global challenges.

Pioneering Green Hydrogen

Oxagon is also home to the world’s largest green hydrogen plant, developed by NEOM Green Hydrogen Company. Scheduled to produce up to 600 metric tons of carbon-free hydrogen daily by 2026, the plant will operate entirely on solar and wind energy. Currently, 60% of the facility’s infrastructure has been completed.

The project relies on NEOM Port for equipment deliveries, including electrolyzers, wind turbines, and hydrogen storage vessels, crucial for the plant’s operation.

Research and Innovation

Oxagon’s innovation hub, Oxagon Innovation Bay, will become operational in 2025, powered by NEOM Energy & Water’s Enowa-Circle central power station. Initial projects include launching a 20 MW electrolyzer to produce 8 tons of hydrogen daily, providing valuable data to optimize the main plant’s performance.

Milestones of 2023 and 2024

Reflecting on recent achievements, Wanchoo highlighted the 2023 launch of the first global accelerator in partnership with McLaren, focusing on supply chain challenges. Seven startups were selected out of 80 applicants, with funding and connections to venture capital provided. Three pilot projects are now underway in NEOM.

In 2024, milestones include opening NEOM Port to investors and advancing seven selected startups from over 100 participants to the final stages of development.

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Business

Nepal Floods Could Cost Insurers Over $130 Mln Even Before Death, Injury Claims

People hold onto a cage on a makeshift zip line as they cross the Trishuli River from Koloni following deadly flash floods that damaged bridges and temporarily stranded residents, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, September 4, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
People hold onto a cage on a makeshift zip line as they cross the Trishuli River from Koloni following deadly flash floods that damaged bridges and temporarily stranded residents, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, September 4, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
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Nepal Floods Could Cost Insurers Over $130 Mln Even Before Death, Injury Claims

People hold onto a cage on a makeshift zip line as they cross the Trishuli River from Koloni following deadly flash floods that damaged bridges and temporarily stranded residents, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, September 4, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
People hold onto a cage on a makeshift zip line as they cross the Trishuli River from Koloni following deadly flash floods that damaged bridges and temporarily stranded residents, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, September 4, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

The devastating flood in Nepal last week could result in commercial insurance losses exceeding 20 billion Nepali rupees ($132.3 million), with hydropower projects accounting for most claims, according to a top official at one of the country's leading insurers.

The insurance cover, when paid out, covers losses borne by the operators of the power plants.

Life insurance, personal accident and workers' compensation claims are expected separately as authorities verify deaths and missing persons in inaccessible areas.

The disaster on Nepal's border with China's Tibet region caused an estimated $2.56 billion in economic losses in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people, the country's disaster authority chief told Reuters on Friday, leaving more than 1,200 dead and many more missing.

Eleven ⁠Nepali hydropower projects ⁠lie in the affected region, some covered by standard commercial insurance policies that are still being assessed, Toton Chakraborty, CEO of Oriental Insurance Company Nepal, told Reuters.

Oriental Insurance Nepal, a unit of the New Delhi-based Indian insurer, is among the leading insurers in the region.

"Hydropower projects along the affected river corridor have suffered the largest damage. In many cases, access roads and above-ground infrastructure have been washed away," he said.

Projects including Rasuwagadhi, Upper Trishuli-3A, Chilime and Devighat, were directly affected, ⁠while assessments at five others are ongoing, he said.

Data from the Nepal Insurance Authority show the regulator has so far received 583 flood-related claims worth 25.87 billion Nepalese rupees ($171.13 million) as of August 31.

Chakraborty said these figures largely reflect insured exposure rather than final claims, which will only be clear once detailed surveys are completed.

Claims could rise further if repairs delay project commissioning, as some policies compensate developers for lost revenue resulting from postponed commercial operations, he said.

Nepal's non-life insurance market is small by global standards. The country's 14 non-life insurers generated premiums of about 5.3 billion Nepali rupees ($35.06 million) during July-August, regulatory data showed, compared with 314 billion Indian rupees ($3.3 billion) written by Indian insurers during a similar period.

The market is supported by domestic reinsurers ⁠Nepal Re and Himalayan ⁠Re, alongside international players including India's GIC Re and Germany's Hannover Re.

The floods could have lasting implications for insurance coverage of Himalayan infrastructure, four industry executives said.

The Himalayan region faces severe risks from earthquakes and any future glacial floods, a senior UN official told Reuters this week.

"The recent mountain floods in South Asia may lead insurers to further review hydropower and infrastructure risks, particularly in highly exposed locations," said Benjamin Ng, power leader for Asia at Aon, an international insurance broker.

Insurers may increasingly impose exclusions, lower sub-limits and narrow coverage, resulting in higher premiums and more selective underwriting, Ng said.

Other recent Himalayan catastrophes include the 2023 glacial lake outburst flood in India's Sikkim and the flash flood in the northern Indian state of Uttrakhand in 2021.

The latest floods could reshape industry views on risk accumulation and glacial lake outburst flood exposure, said Sanjay Mokashi, chief underwriting officer at Indian state-owned reinsurer GIC Re.

Business

Gold Heads for Modest Weekly Gain as Investors Await US Payrolls Data

Gold jewelry is displayed at an exhibition in Kabul, Afghanistan, 03 September 2026. (EPA)
Gold jewelry is displayed at an exhibition in Kabul, Afghanistan, 03 September 2026. (EPA)
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Gold Heads for Modest Weekly Gain as Investors Await US Payrolls Data

Gold jewelry is displayed at an exhibition in Kabul, Afghanistan, 03 September 2026. (EPA)
Gold jewelry is displayed at an exhibition in Kabul, Afghanistan, 03 September 2026. (EPA)

Gold prices were steady on Friday and poised for a modest weekly gain, as traders' attention turned to key US payrolls data for clues on the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision.

Spot gold held its ground at $4,469.26 per ounce, as of 0633 GMT. Prices jumped 2% on Thursday as traders scaled back expectations for a September rate ‌hike after Fed ‌Governor Christopher Waller said he would support ‌leaving ⁠rates unchanged if data ⁠continued to show inflation pressures moderating.

US gold futures for December delivery fell 0.5% to $4,515.70.

Traders are pricing in an about 50% chance of a Fed rate hike later this month, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

The US nonfarm payrolls report is due at 1230 GMT.

"Weak figures and a ⁠rise in unemployment could weaken the case for ‌a rate hike. In ‌this case, gold could recover. However, the metal could remain exposed to ‌changing sentiment, with inflation data releases coming next week," ‌said Ross Maxwell, global strategy operations lead, VT Markets.

"The market continues to benefit from central bank demand, which could limit the extent of any decline."

Though gold is often viewed as an inflation ‌hedge, elevated interest rates tend to weigh on the non-yielding asset.

Data on Thursday showed the ⁠number of ⁠Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits rose marginally last week amid low layoffs, pointing to stable labor market conditions.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said the fighting between Washington and Tehran was not a war and declined to provide a timeline for when the conflict would be over, underscoring the challenge the Trump administration faces as the hostilities enter their seventh month and mid-term elections loom.

Among other metals, spot silver fell 0.5% to $66.59 per ounce. Platinum lost 1.2% to $1,803.53 and palladium declined nearly 1.3% to $1,403.03, with both metals on track for slight weekly declines.

Business

Oil Set for Steepest Weekly Gain Since Mid-July, Fueled by US-Iran Clashes

A worker refuels a car at a gas station in Caracas on September 3, 2026. (AFP)
A worker refuels a car at a gas station in Caracas on September 3, 2026. (AFP)
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Oil Set for Steepest Weekly Gain Since Mid-July, Fueled by US-Iran Clashes

A worker refuels a car at a gas station in Caracas on September 3, 2026. (AFP)
A worker refuels a car at a gas station in Caracas on September 3, 2026. (AFP)

Oil prices rose on Friday, heading for their steepest weekly gain since mid-July, as rising tension and renewed US-Iran hostilities heightened concerns over Middle East supply risks.

Brent crude futures rose 54 cents, or 0.6%, to $96.06 a barrel by 0100 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed 80 cents, or 0.9%, to $92.10.

On a weekly basis, Brent rose 7.6% and WTI was 10.4% higher, set for the highest gains since the week ended July 20.

US attacks this week that ‌killed and wounded ‌dozens, including Iranian civilians, marked the fiercest ‌clashes ⁠between the two countries ⁠since July. The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes in late February, is now in its seventh month.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz renewed warnings that Israel would "cripple" Iran's military and civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities.

ANZ analysts raised their Brent crude forecast on Friday to $95 a barrel in the short term, with ⁠upside risk if the Middle East conflict intensifies.

"The ‌market is entering a delicate ‌adaptation phase. Elevated inventories helped absorb the initial supply crisis, but the ‌challenge is now to keep the market balanced as ‌those buffers diminish," the analysts said.

US Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Thursday that Washington does not plan to hold talks with Iran unless Tehran stops attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of ‌Hormuz.

Capping oil's advance, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin said there remained a path to a ⁠deal to ⁠end the war in Ukraine, adding that both the US and China were prepared to support a peace settlement.

Meanwhile, Iran expanded its list of vessels it deems non-compliant and subject to fines, confiscation or detention if they attempt to transit the strait. Iraqi ships remain among the few vessels Tehran has cleared to pass through Hormuz.

Iraq increased its oil exports to around 2.34 million barrels per day in August from about 1.35 million bpd in July, two Iraqi energy officials said on Wednesday, with September exports also expected to increase as heavy discounts and Iranian approvals for Iraqi tankers encouraged buyers.