Dubai expects to boost its economy by attracting 25 million visitors to the world fair. Despite the current global climate, the hybrid model, offers both physical and virtual experiences, including exhibitors from 200 countries on the 4.3sq km site, built in the desert outside of the city. (The next World Expo is in Osaka in 2025).
The theme of Dubai’s World Expo is ‘Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’, bringing together expert thinking on technology, architecture, and culture.
Elsewhere, Zamil Shipyards, part of Zamil Offshore Services Company, has signed a MoU with Saudi Drill and KenzFigee for offshore crane services and construction in Saudi Arabia to support Saudi Vision 2030, an initiative to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.
Qatar will also host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 (November 21-December 18), providing some of the largest contracts of recent decades for construction companies. Work started in mid-2016, with TiME Qatar serving as the project manager and Qatari firm AlJaber Engineering working with Turkish firm Tekfen Construction to construct the main football stadium in Al Thumama district Doha, with levelling and grading works by Boom Construction. Eight stadiums, training camps, athlete villages and infrastructure projects such as roads, hospitals and transport hubs are needed to get the country ready for the tournament.
According to the organisers of this year’s Breakbulk Middle East (February 1-2, 2022) though businesses saw a temporary lull and some megaprojects were temporarily put on hold, the project pipeline is now in full swing and this has proven to be a boon for the project cargo and breakbulk sector that in the initial phase of the pandemic was hit drastically due to lockdowns and travel restrictions.
“The event’s ability to facilitate lucrative contracts that can drive the economy of the UAE that recorded a GDP of $357m in 2020 is instrumental in helping us achieve this. The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is working tirelessly to ensure the country retains its leading position in several global indexes. In this regard, the UAE does indeed have some noteworthy global accomplishments. The country holds the 5th position as a key competitive maritime hub, 12th position in the Transport Connectivity Index and 13th rank in the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index and Port Performance and Efficiency Index. These credentials speak volumes of the conducive business environment in the UAE. The event is timed perfectly to coincide with Expo 2020 Dubai that will bring in professionals from around the world and boost growth opportunities,” says Ben Blamire, event director, Breakbulk Middle East.
Jennifer Eagle, editor
