AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, transport and logistics briefs

Source: AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesJuly 29--THREE CONSORTIA AWARDED $22.存倉5BN IN CONTRACTS TO BUILD RIYADH METRO: Three foreign-led consortia have been awarded $22.5bn in contracts by the Saudi government for the design and construction of a metro rail system in the capital Riyadh, Reuters has reported. The consortia include a group led by US construction giant Bechtel Corp, which won a $9.45bn contract to build two lines, a consortium led by Spain's Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, which was awarded a $7.82bn contract for three lines, while Italy's Ansaldo STS heads a group that won a $5.21bn order. The project, which will involve six rail lines extending 176km and carrying electric, driverless trains, is the world's largest public transport system currently under development, Saudi officials said.EGYPT SAYS MARITIME SECTOR UNAFFECTED BY UNREST: Egypt's General Authority for Port Said Ports has said recent clashes in the country's coastal cities have resulted in casualties, but have had no impact on maritime traffic, Daily News Egypt has reported. Ahmed El-Akkad, the chairman of Alexandria Chamber of Shipping, said there have been no suspensions in traffic since the June 30 protests. "Even during the unrest in Port Said in January, the port was working," he added.OMAN'S PSC REPORTS 20 percent JUMP IN H1 NET PROFIT: Oman's Port Services Corp (PSC) has posted a 20.3 percent growth in net profit for the six-month period ended June 30, 2013, on increased vessel and cargo handling, Muscat Daily has reported. Net profit rose to OR3.64m for the first half of 2013 from OR3.03m in the same period last year, the company said. PSC said increased economic 自存倉ctivity in the country has resulted in a 9.3 percent increase in volumes of imported cargo. The number of containers handled rose 9.5 percent over last year. The volume of exports fell 1.2 percent.RTA PUSHING FIRMS TO USE E-WALLET: Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has started banning all cash transactions for commercial vehicles at its customer care centres, while pushing firms to use its recently introduced e-Wallet, Gulf News has reported. The ban on cash transactions will come into effect in a phased manner, with firms owning more than 1,000 vehicles in Dubai already affected since June 1, while the same will apply to firms with more than 500 vehicles from August 1, said the RTA. "The new policies will impact corporate customers and big transport companies with a huge fleet of vehicles and gradually by the end of this year, we will apply it to all commercial vehicles," said CEO of the RTA's Licensing Agency, Ahmad Hashim Bahroozian.KSA AWARDS SAUDI/DUTCH JV DAMMAM PUBLIC TRANSPORT DEAL: The Saudi transport ministry has awarded the joint venture between Mshari Al-Shathri Engineering Consultant and Dutch-based Royal HaskoningDHV the contract to prepare a feasibility study and preliminary design for a first public transport system for Dammam. The contract involves a feasibility study and preliminary design for a combination of 50km of light rail, 110km of bus rapid transit system and 350km of feeder buses in Dammam Metropolitan Area including King Fahd International Airport.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Visit AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) at .ameinfo.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗