Transport

BD3bn monorail studied

Bahrain is set to begin studying how to finance an ambitious plan for a BD3 billion monorail network. The Works Minister said his ministry had completed the first phase of a consultancy study for a monorail network, which had been submitted to the traffic authorities, the government and the Cabinet. "We now want to go into the second phase of the consultancy study," Fahmi Al Jowder said. The proposed monorail, approved to ease traffic flow, is expected to be completed in three stages by 2030.

Bahrain-Qatar causeway to start construction in nine months

Construction work on the Bahrain-Qatar Causeway will start in nine months and will be completed in 2013. The delay was due to efforts to incorporate provisions for passenger and freight rail tracks. Jointly owned by the Qatari and Bahraini governments, the US$3 billion-project will involve the construction of a 40-km double-lane causeway between the two countries. The development will include bridge structures covering 20 km and another 20 km of embankments. It will start at Askar Village in Bahrain and end at Ras Ashiraj, 5 km from Zubarah in Qatar and will also include 17,000 sq m land area for buildings and 600,000 sq m land for green areas.

Middle East rail projects could be worth $6.3 billion

Bombardier Inc. is eyeing four billion euros ($6.3 billion Canadian) worth of rail contracts over the next five years in the Gulf Arab region, where public spending is rising to lift shrinking economies. Bombardier, the world's No. 1 passenger train maker, is keen to take part in about one billion euros' worth of contracts in Qatar alone for light-rail projects in Doha, which could be opened for bidding this year, Peter Albexon, vice-president of sales and business development at Bombardier Transportation said on the sidelines of a railways conference in Dubai yesterday.

Tunnels authority to launch international tender on underground system implementation

Egypt will launch an international tender for implementation of the second phase of the underground system third line next month, according to the Chairman of the National Authority for Tunnels Ata al-Sherbini. 65 per cent of the first phase has been completed, noting that the cost of the first phase of implementation would amount to LE4.6 billion.

Abu Dhabi International Airport reports 12% rise in passenger traffic

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) released the April 2009 traffic figures for Abu Dhabi International Airport. The figures show a 12 per cent increase in passengers travelling to, from, and through the airport compared to the same month in the previous year. Aircraft movements also increased by 5 per cent. Conferences and exhibitions held in Abu Dhabi in April, such as Cityscape Abu Dhabi, were attributed as some of the main contributing factor to the passenger traffic increase. In this regard, Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice President of Airline Marketing and Aeronautical Revenue, stated: "Worldwide, April is a month where a lot of business travel increases and this is clearly reflected in the traffic figures. Also the fact that we have seen a 13.7% increase in origin destination traffic further assures us that Abu Dhabi is growing strongly as a destination".

Saudi picks Sensis safety systems for airports

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation has selected Sensis Corporation to improve airport safety. Both King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah) and King Fahad International Airport (Dammam) will enhance safety by using Sensis Advanced - Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) to view aircraft and vehicles on the ground. The multilateration subsystem of the A-SMGCS systems will be expanded to provide the airports with Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) for safe and efficient separation of aircraft in the terminal approach coverage area. Additionally, the airports will use Sensis VeeLo NextGen(TM) vehicle locator units for tracking and identification of vehicles on the airport surface.

ABC closes US$60.5 million loan facility for Saudi Arabia’s National Air Services (NAS)

Arab Banking Corporation announced the successful close of a US$60.5 million seven year loan facility for Riyadh-based National Air Services (NAS). The Facility is supported by a guarantee from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (“Ex-Im Bank”) which will finance the delivery payments for NAS of the purchase of six Hawker 750 model aircraft from US-based Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. NAS has already taken delivery of three of the Hawker 750s.

Qatar Airways poised to launch budget carrier

Qatar Airways, one of the world's fastest growing airlines raised the possibility of taking on Dubai's fledgling budget carrier flydubai by saying it was prepared to launch a low-cost service of its own to protect its market share from competition. Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said his airline has already flown a low-cost plane in "the guise of a full-service aircraft" so that it is in a position to launch a low-cost carrier at short notice.

US$1 billion investment in Doha International Airport infrastructure expansion

In order to meet the growing expansion plans of Qatar Airways, more than US$1 billion is being invested in infrastructure improvements at Doha International Airport while construction of the multi-billion New Doha International Airport continues. Slated to open by 2012, the New Doha International Airport will initially be able to handle 24 million passengers annually, rising to 50 million when fully operational beyond 2015.