Read the Digital Magazine

As the international community accelerates its transition towards a net-zero future, the energy sector is undergoing a profound and necessary transformation.

At the centre of this shift is green hydrogen, a sustainable fuel capable of powering industries that have traditionally relied on heavy fossil fuels. Unlike conventional hydrogen, which is extracted using natural gas, green hydrogen is produced entirely through the electrolysis of water, powered exclusively by renewable energy sources. This zero-emission profile makes it a critical asset in the international effort to mitigate climate change and restructure global energy grids.

However, the road to widespread commercial adoption is not without its hurdles.

Scaling Up and Logistical Barriers

The primary challenge facing the green hydrogen industry is the sheer operational scale required to make it commercially viable. For decades, green hydrogen has remained a boutique, experimental solution, heavily hindered by high production costs and the massive infrastructure needed to generate sufficient renewable electricity.

Furthermore, transporting raw hydrogen over long distances presents a formidable logistical barrier. The element suffers from a notoriously low volumetric energy density and requires highly pressurised or cryogenic storage solutions to move securely. To truly decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy manufacturing, commercial aviation, and maritime shipping, developers must transition from modest pilot programmes to colossal, utility-scale operations. This necessitates immense capital expenditure, the seamless integration of sprawling solar and wind power assets, and a scientific solution to the overarching transportation dilemma.

Green Ammonia and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030

The prevailing market solution to the export challenge lies in the synthesis of green ammonia. By combining clean hydrogen with nitrogen extracted from the air, energy producers can create green ammonia, a liquid compound that is significantly easier, safer, and cheaper to store and transport internationally. Once it reaches its destination, it can be utilised directly as a low-carbon fuel or converted back into raw hydrogen.

Against this market backdrop, Saudi Arabia is actively positioning itself as a vanguard of the clean energy revolution. Historically renowned for its vast oil reserves, the Kingdom is rapidly diversifying its economy under the Vision 2030 initiative. A cornerstone of this strategy is NEOM, a futuristic mega-city designed to operate entirely on renewable energy. Within NEOM lies Oxagon, an advanced industrial hub intended to redefine clean manufacturing and establish robust new international supply chains for sustainable fuels.

A Monumental Milestone at Oxagon

Turning this ambitious green vision into reality, a formidable consortium has achieved a landmark breakthrough. The NEOM Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC)—a strategic joint venture comprising the Saudi utility giant ACWA Power, the US-based industrial gas leader Air Products, and NEOM—has officially completed the construction of its flagship $8.5 billion green hydrogen mega-project at Oxagon.

ACWA Power Chief Executive Officer Samir Serhan recently confirmed during an earnings call with analysts and investors that the monumental facility has successfully transitioned into the commissioning stage. When fully operational, the plant will stand as the world’s largest commercial-scale green hydrogen production facility, projected to produce up to 600 tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen per day. This enormous output will then be converted directly into green ammonia for export to global markets.

The physical scale of the supporting infrastructure is unprecedented. The operation requires an immense amount of green electricity, which will be supplied by an integrated network of renewable assets. In March, NGHC reported that the project’s dedicated renewable power generation infrastructure—comprising a massive solar farm, a sprawling wind garden, and a bespoke transmission grid—had already reached approximately 95 per cent completion.

Addressing the timeline and future operational targets, the company confirmed its commitment to the scheduled global rollout. As stated in an official company update: “The project remains on schedule, with up to 4 GW of combined solar and wind power generation targeted for completion by mid-2026, followed by commissioning of the electrolyzers and first green ammonia product availability planned for 2027.”

By effectively marrying massive renewable energy generation with cutting-edge electrolysis and ammonia synthesis, ACWA Power and its partners have successfully demonstrated that utility-scale green hydrogen is no longer merely a theoretical concept.

Oman’s ongoing journey toward comprehensive economic diversification has received a fresh and substantial boost, highlighting the vital role of private-sector participation in modern nation-building.

In a landmark transaction that firmly underscores the Sultanate’s strategic priorities, Rakiza Fund I and specialist water investor IV3 Aqua have officially agreed to acquire Majis Industrial Services SAOC from the global energy investment group OQ. This high-profile acquisition marks a pivotal milestone in expanding private investment within critical infrastructure, directly supporting the manufacturing and industrial growth objectives outlined in Oman’s ambitious Vision 2040 framework.

Powering the SOHAR Port and Freezone
Majis operates as the premier integrated industrial water utilities provider within the SOHAR Port and Freezone, functioning as a vital cornerstone for one of the nation's most active and strategic economic hubs. The organisation delivers a comprehensive, mission-critical portfolio of essential services, ranging from cooling seawater and industrial process water to dependable potable water distribution and advanced wastewater treatment. By securing this foundational asset, the acquiring consortium aims to inject fresh operational expertise, enhanced financial resilience, and long-term sustainability into Oman’s thriving industrial backbone, ensuring that regional businesses have uninterrupted access to indispensable utility services.

The partnership brings together the robust local market experience and extensive regional network of Rakiza Fund I—which is co-managed by Oman Infrastructure Investment Management and Equitix—alongside the proven technical capabilities of global water infrastructure investor IV3 Aqua. Industry leaders have expressed immense confidence in the transaction's capacity to unlock new value for all stakeholders involved. Khalid al Khatib, Chief Executive Officer of Rakiza, emphasised the compelling nature of the asset during the announcement: "As the leading integrated water utilities platform in SOHAR, Majis combines strategic importance, a high-quality customer base and long-term contracted revenues, making it a highly attractive investment that aligns with our long-term strategy,"

Expanding Proven Technical Expertise
For IV3 Aqua, this strategic acquisition builds firmly upon an already established operational footprint across the Sultanate. The firm previously delivered the Qurayyat Independent Water Project, successfully operating a major seawater reverse osmosis desalination facility capable of producing 200,000 cubic metres per day. Expanding their operational portfolio to include Majis significantly broadens their capability to deliver large-scale, reliable utility solutions tailored specifically to heavy industrial demands, strict environmental regulations, and complex logistical requirements across the region.

Key stakeholders have underlined that as manufacturing hubs expand rapidly across the region, safeguarding environmental standards and resource security remains paramount. Representatives from IV3 Aqua noted: "As Oman advances its Vision 2040 ambitions, reliable and resilient water infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in enabling sustainable industrial expansion," Furthermore, maintaining high environmental standards is viewed as integral to attracting foreign direct investment.

Optimisation and Future Growth
Meanwhile, OQ views the divestment as part of a disciplined capital allocation and active portfolio optimisation programme. Following previous successful partial divestments across various energy and industrial sectors, OQ continues to streamline its corporate operations, allowing the group to redeploy capital toward new growth opportunities that align closely with national economic priorities, shareholder value, and long-term financial goals.

This major transaction signals robust and enduring international investor confidence in Oman’s rapidly evolving infrastructure market. By championing dynamic public-private partnerships and drawing long-term institutional capital into essential utilities, the Sultanate is effectively future-proofing its industrial landscape against forthcoming challenges. As Majis enters this next exciting chapter of corporate growth, the enhanced focus on operational excellence, sustainable development, and reliable service delivery promises to deliver enduring benefits for businesses, local communities, and the broader regional economy for years to come.

The first half of 2026 has witnessed a remarkable milestone in the Middle Eastern property sector, with DAMAC Properties firmly establishing its undeniable dominance in the United Arab Emirates.

Recognised widely as the largest private real estate developer in the UAE and the broader Middle East, the organisation has achieved unprecedented commercial success. According to recent performance metrics, DAMAC recorded an impressive 5,706 transactions during the critical H1 2026 period. These robust sales, which are valued at a staggering AED 15.6 billion, have propelled the developer to the very forefront of the industry, ranking it first in Dubai’s highly competitive primary off-plan residential market by sales volume.

To understand the true magnitude of this accomplishment, it is essential to examine the official governmental figures. Based on comprehensive Dubai Land Department data covering the period from January to June 2026, DAMAC comfortably secured the first-place position by sales volume. The nearest competitor trailed behind with 5,316 units sold. Furthermore, DAMAC ranked second overall in terms of total sales value. The wider context of Dubai’s off-plan primary residential market reveals a sector that remains exceptionally active and resilient against global economic headwinds. During this six-month window, the emirate recorded an astounding AED 92.8 billion in total sales across 46,794 apartment units, showcasing intense competition amongst top-tier developers who are continuously offering a broad mix of both luxury apartments and family villas.

Dominating the Off-Plan Villa Segment

However, it is specifically within the highly sought-after off-plan villa segment that DAMAC’s performance has been truly exceptional. Total sales for villas across Dubai touched AED 56.9 billion across 7,730 individual units over the first half of the year. Capturing a monumental portion of this specific demographic, DAMAC successfully sold nearly one out of every two villa units available on the market. This equates to an extraordinary 44.2 per cent share of the off-plan villa segment alone. To put this commanding market lead into perspective, this figure represents almost twice the overall share achieved by the next-ranked developer and ultimately accounted for a full 20 per cent of the total market share.

Reflecting on this period of robust operational performance and subsequent growth, Amira Sajwani, Managing Director, DAMAC Properties, said: “These results reflect investor confidence in Dubai’s resilient real estate sector. Our focus remains on creating distinctive communities, maintaining disciplined growth and delivering homes that respond to the evolving needs of Dubai’s residents and an ever-expanding global investor base. DAMAC’s leadership by unit volume demonstrates the depth of demand across our portfolio and our ability to convert that demand at scale.”

Strategic Transition and Future Deliveries

Looking ahead, DAMAC’s immense sales momentum serves to actively bolster its broader strategic vision, a strategy that relies heavily upon combining innovative product design with sustained construction timelines and reliable physical delivery. The stellar sales performance witnessed throughout 2026 is structurally supported by a consistent, methodical cadence of property handovers. These scheduled handovers span several of the developer's flagship luxury developments across the city, most notably including renowned communities such as DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Hills 2, DAMAC Lagoons, Chic Tower, and Elegance Tower.

This strategic operational alignment is particularly vital as Dubai’s dynamic residential property sector actively transitions from being primarily launch-led to becoming fundamentally delivery-driven. In direct response to this ongoing market maturation, DAMAC is actively strengthening its already extensive development pipeline. The developer boasts a formidable historical track record, having already delivered more than 50,000 homes to buyers to date. Furthermore, another 8,800 properties are strongly anticipated to be delivered across Dubai before the end of 2026. Through these ongoing efforts, DAMAC remains resolutely committed to creating premium, lifestyle-driven communities that successfully elevate everyday living into a truly immersive experience for its modern residents.

The Sultanate of Oman is taking a decisive step towards bolstering its domestic construction industry and diversifying its economy.

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals has launched a public investment opportunity encompassing two highly anticipated limestone mining sites in Salalah. This strategic move invites qualified Omani companies to bid for the extraction projects, representing a core component of efforts to support the robust development of the nation's mining sector whilst strengthening local production of essential construction materials.

According to a recent ministry announcement, the application window for these locations remains open for three months, commencing on the 19th of July and concluding on the 18th of October 2026. Interested enterprises must submit proposals through the government’s Taqa digital platform. The opportunity explicitly covers two designated limestone mining sites situated within the Public Mining Area in Salalah, a region renowned for rich geological reserves.

Empowering Local Enterprises

A notable characteristic of this public tender is its strict exclusivity. The ministry has stated categorically that the bidding process is open solely to Omani companies and institutions. Furthermore, these entities must possess demonstrable, proven experience in managing mining projects and related operational activities.

This crucial requirement underscores the government's strategic focus on increasing local participation within the lucrative mining sector. By mandating a baseline of technical capability among successful bidders, the ministry ensures the nation’s natural resources are managed by competent domestic operators committed to long-term sustainable extraction.

Securing Domestic Supply Chains

Perhaps the most defining parameter of this new investment opportunity is the strict regulation regarding the destination of extracted minerals. Under the published terms, all limestone production from these two Salalah sites will be entirely restricted to domestic use, with exports strictly not permitted.

This condition is deliberately aimed at supporting the local building materials industry by guaranteeing a stable supply of raw materials for the domestic market. Limestone stands as one of Oman's most abundant mineral resources, serving as an indispensable raw material for cement, construction aggregates, and other building products. Driven by ongoing infrastructure projects, industrial developments, and rapid urban expansion across the Sultanate of Oman, domestic demand for high-quality construction materials is expected to remain exceptionally strong.

Fostering Fair Competition

To ensure equitable resource distribution, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals has implemented stringent regulatory measures regarding site allocation. While companies are encouraged to submit competitive bids for both mining locations, the ministry has firmly mandated that no single company will be awarded more than one site.

Crucially, this restriction also extends to companies owned by the same shareholders. If cross-ownership exceeds the threshold of 30 per cent in relation to the same site, the entities will be subject to the one-site limitation. This measure is intended to promote significantly wider participation, foster healthy competition within the local industry, and prevent the consolidation of essential resource rights into the hands of a few operators.

Advancing Oman Vision 2040

This mineral offering forms an integral part of Oman's broader macroeconomic strategy to develop its mining sector. Mining is identified as a priority industry under the Oman Vision 2040 framework, which seeks to rapidly diversify the national economy beyond hydrocarbons. To actualise this vision, Oman has steadily expanded investment opportunities across various mineral resources. This expansion is heavily supported by geological surveys, regulatory reforms, and efficient digital licensing services designed to attract private-sector investment.

The ministry has increasingly utilised competitive public tenders and digital platforms to allocate mining concessions. This approach achieves greater transparency and operational efficiency whilst encouraging responsible resource development. These proactive measures guarantee that Oman's natural wealth is harvested efficiently and managed in a way that provides maximum benefit to the national economy over the long term.

Interested organisations must act promptly, as applications are required to be submitted electronically via the Taqa e-mining platform before the application period expires. Successful bidders will be legally expected to develop the Salalah sites in strict accordance with technical and regulatory requirements, fulfilling their mandate of supplying limestone exclusively to the domestic market.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the engineering, construction, infrastructure, mining, marine, offshore, and industrial sectors.

Organisations are investing heavily in AI assistants, large language models, analytics platforms, and intelligent search technologies to unlock insights hidden within their data. Yet despite these investments, one question remains largely unanswered: how does AI know what is true?

Every project-driven organisation generates enormous amounts of information every day. ERP systems, Primavera P6 schedules, building information modelling applications, procurement platforms, spreadsheets, IoT devices, and countless third-party applications all contribute valuable information. The challenge is not a lack of data. The challenge is that every source tells only part of the story.

Without an authoritative business reference, AI simply becomes exceptionally good at recognising statistical patterns across disconnected information. It may summarise documents, identify similarities, and answer questions, but it cannot reliably determine which information reflects the operational reality of the business. That distinction separates informative AI from enterprise-grade decision intelligence.

The Enterprise Knowledge Problem

Digital transformation has produced an unexpected side effect. Organisations have accumulated decades of valuable business knowledge that now resides across hundreds of disconnected systems. Consider a typical contractor or EPC organisation. Critical information exists simultaneously across ProjectVIEW ERP, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Excel workbooks, procurement portals, finance systems, legacy applications, document management systems, engineering calculations, equipment telemetry, and supplier correspondence.

While every repository contains useful information, none independently describes the complete business reality. The traditional response has been to spend months—or even years—trying to sanitise, standardise, migrate, and consolidate every dataset into a single repository before AI initiatives can begin. Unfortunately, by the time that effort is complete, the business has already changed.

The Missing Piece in Enterprise AI

Most AI platforms treat every data source equally. ProjectVIEW AI does not. At the heart of the platform lies ProjectVIEW ERP, which serves as the deterministic operational model of the enterprise. It defines the verified relationships between bills of quantities, work breakdown structures, cost codes, resources, procurement, contracts, variations, progress, payroll, cash flow, and project controls.

These relationships are not inferred by AI; they are established through the organisation’s operational processes and business rules. ProjectVIEW ERP therefore becomes far more than a standard software system. It becomes the organisation’s Enterprise Knowledge Foundation.

Deterministic AI: From Prediction to Understanding

Most AI solutions begin by asking: “What does the data probably mean?”

ProjectVIEW AI asks a fundamentally different question: “How does this information relate to the verified operational model of the organization?”

That difference changes everything. Instead of relying solely on probabilities, ProjectVIEW AI evaluates every new piece of information against an established framework of enterprise knowledge. It understands business context before generating conclusions. The deterministic layer does not replace AI; it gives AI something reliable to reason with.

Nothing Is Wasted

One of the greatest strengths of ProjectVIEW AI is that it does not require external data to be perfectly sanitised before becoming valuable. ProjectVIEW AI follows a different philosophy: nothing is wasted. Because the ERP provides a deterministic knowledge reference, the AI can interpret imperfect, incomplete, or externally generated information within the proper operational context.

A spreadsheet containing quantities immediately becomes associated with relevant items. A supplier email becomes evidence supporting procurement status, delivery risks, or potential claims. Publicly available information is evaluated against active projects to identify opportunities and risks. Instead of discarding unsanitised information, ProjectVIEW AI contextualises it, building a continuously expanding organisational memory.

From System Integration to Cognitive Integration

For years, enterprise software focused on system integration, moving information between applications. ProjectVIEW AI focuses on cognitive integration, explaining what that information means to the business. Imagine asking:

• “Which delayed purchase orders will impact next month’s critical path?”

• “Which subcontractors present the highest contractual risk?”

• “Which projects are likely to experience margin erosion?”

• “Which variations have sufficient technical, contractual, and financial evidence to support a claim?”

• “How will current procurement delays affect forecast cash flow?”

These are not document searches. They are business reasoning exercises. Large language models understand language but not the operational logic of an EPC organisation. ProjectVIEW AI builds upon the organisation's established knowledge anchor. The best AI doesn’t just generate answers; it understands your business before it answers.

The leading logistics, materials, and operations management specialist, ASCO, has officially opened its first corporate office in the Middle East.

Located in the capital city of Doha, this new presence strengthens the company's regional footprint and forms a key part of its broader international growth strategy. The office will support ASCO's expanding client base across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the wider Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions, bringing its proven international capability directly to customers in vital energy, port, and marine markets.

Through this targeted geographical expansion, ASCO aims to focus on expanding its international footprint, strengthening regional delivery capability, and positioning its business closer to clients in high-growth markets. The company will support operators, contractors, and ports across the Middle East, transforming major infrastructure projects and critical infrastructure into safe, efficient, and scalable day-to-day operations.

Strategic Leadership Appointments

ASCO's Middle East business will be managed by Craig Revie, who possesses more than 30 years of experience across offshore oil and gas, new energy, and defence markets. During his tenure with ASCO, Revie has successfully grown a number of the company's service lines, bringing strong operational and commercial leadership to the region.

Regional growth will be led from Qatar by Lee Vettese, who has transitioned from his role as business development manager in the UK to regional manager, Middle East. Vettese brings over 15 years of international energy experience, with a proven track record in client management, business growth, and driving strategic partnerships. He is supported by Walaa Mroueh, the newly appointed business services manager, who brings over 14 years of experience driving growth for businesses across the KSA, UAE, Egypt, and Iraq.

Meeting Regional Demand

With a strong pipeline of work already in place, ASCO is experiencing growing demand across energy expansion, port activity, marine logistics, materials management, decommissioning readiness, and environmental compliance.

Mike Pettigrew, group chief executive officer at ASCO, said: “The GCC and wider Middle East region is a significant growth area for ASCO, and opening our new office in Qatar is a natural next step for the business. With increasing demand for environmental handling and decommissioning services, our decades of experience across critical industries, combined with deep expertise in supply base management, materials management, lifting assurance and NORM waste management, means we are ideally positioned to partner closely with customers to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable operations across the region."

Lee Vettese added: “The Middle East has invested heavily in world-class infrastructure across energy, ports and marine sectors and our presence in Qatar will ensure we can support this activity and respond quickly to customers in-region. ASCO’s breadth of services means we are equipped to bring a high level of control and traceability into complex operations and help clients maximise the value of those assets, ensuring they operate efficiently and in full environmental compliance.”

Corporate Background and Global Footprint

This latest expansion follows recent contract wins around the globe and the successful rollout of ASCO's refreshed brand identity. Headquartered in Aberdeen, UK, ASCO operates from 70 locations worldwide, employs approximately 1,500 people, and is owned by Endless LLP.

As a full-service specialist, ASCO optimises the movements and operations of the world’s most critical industries. The company goes beyond logistics to make sure materials, resources, and processes are exactly where they need to be, fully managed end to end, so complex, high-value capital projects keep moving without delay. By managing and orchestrating everything from warehousing and global freight to specialist waste handling and safe lifting, ASCO successfully minimises risk and maximises efficiency for its global clients.