Transport

Qatar Airways in US$500m Boeing finance deal

Qatar Airways has struck two deals worth US$500 million for the financing of three Boeing 777 aircraft in a move that clearly demonstrates the finance community's firm support and commitment towards one of the world's fastest growing airlines. The Doha-based carrier appointed Calyon and Natixis Transport Finance as Joint Arrangers for the financing of two recently-delivered Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. This transaction received a Jane's Transport Finance 'Deal of the Year' award in early December. In addition, the airline has appointed Arab Bank, Calyon, Europe Arab Bank, ING Bank and Natixis Transport Finance as arrangers for the financing of one Boeing 777-200LR aircraft due to be delivered in Spring 2009.

Rolls Royce wins US$575m order from Etihad Airways

Britain's Rolls-Royce announced a US$575 million deal with Etihad Airways to supply and maintain Trent 700EP engines for eight Airbus A330 aircraft. The A330 aircraft, which will be delivered between 2009 and 2011, will bring Abu Dhabi-based Etihad's Rolls-Royce powered A330 fleet to 24, the company said.

Haskoning, WorleyParsons to design Qatar port

Netherland-based Royal Haskoning and WorleyParsons Qatar (subsidiary of Worley Parsons Australia) will jointly carry out the engineering design of the New Doha Port near Mesaieed, Qatar. The operations of the existing Doha Port will be transferred to the New Doha Port by the end of 2014. Royal Haskoning's contribution to the project includes a detailed master plan of the port and the full engineering design of all its associated marine and onshore components.

Qatar Airways mulls US expansion

A Qatar Airways executive said the carrier will look to expand further in the Americas and Australia as part of a long-term growth plan. The Middle Eastern carrier began US service with flights to Washington last year from its base in Qatar's capital city of Doha. The carrier also added flights to New York. But a plan to expand to Houston stalled after deliveries of long-range Boeing-777 aircraft were delayed because of a machinists strike at Boeing. The airline now expects to launch that route in March.

Georgia sells rest of Black Sea port to UAE's RAK

Georgia has sold the remaining 49 per cent of its Black Sea port of Poti to RAK Investment Authority of the United Arab Emirates for US$65 million, its deputy minister Vakhtang Lezhava said. "Now RAK Investment owns all the shares in the port," he said. Earlier this year RAK Investment purchased the controlling 51 per cent stake in the port from the government for US$90 million, plus a further 300 hectares of land in its vicinity. RAK Investment was chosen from 11 competing companies, having pledged to invest US$200 million in the next three to four years to build a new port terminal near the current port at Poti, which handles a range of cargo including oil products.