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BANKING-
#1- Our friends at Mashreq are deploying SAP Fieldglass technology into the bank’s cloud infrastructure to optimize its management of its contingent workforce and services management, streamlining processes and improving supplier collaboration, according to a press release. Mashreq is the first financial institution in the UAE to use a SAP Fieldglass-powered managed service provider model.
#2- Emirates Development Bank and Ajman Bank will create a joint credit guarantee scheme to support SMEs under their renewed partnership, according to a press release. Under the scheme, EDB will guarantee up to 50% of the loans handed out by Ajman Bank to SMEs.
The initiative focuses on the manufacturing, food security, advanced technology, healthcare, and renewables sectors. The two entities began their original agreement in 2021, through which Ajman Bank agreed to offer up to AED 10 mn in SME financing.
AGRICULTURE-
Adnoc carbon capture project receives DNV certification: The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has received a ‘Site Feasibility Certificate’ from Norway-based environmental assessor DNV for the West Aquifer carbon capture and storage (CCS) site in the UAE, according to a press release. Adnoc hopes to decarbonize its Ruwais industrial site through the project. The project is the first carbon storage location in the Middle East to receive the certification, which approves the initial feasibility for long-term CO2 storage.
AGRICULTURE-
The UAE’s Crysp Farms is partnering with agritech veteran Alesca Technologies to deploy 500 AI-powered vertical farms across Mena over the next five years, according to a press release. The farms will provide over 130 varieties of fresh, pesticide-free produce year-round within an hour of harvest, while using 90% less water and 99% less land compared to traditional agriculture.
The agreement targets major hospitality providers, including Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Jumeirah Group, with plans to expand to other sectors in the region.
TECH-
e& Enterprise, Cloudera to boost deployment of AI solutions: e&’s tech solutions arm e& Enterprise partnered with US data management company Cloudera to create industry-specific AI-powered solutions, aimed at ramping up operational efficiency and productivity across telecommunications, healthcare, finance, and government sectors in the Middle East, according to a press release.
CRYPTO-
KelpMe, Mavryk Network, and Hive secure wins at DMCC + Bybit’s Web3 hackathon: Three UAE-backed companies were the finalists at The Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) and global crypto exchange Bybit ’s second joint hackathon, alongside South Korea-Singapore Telegram-based app Trepa and Turkey’s browser extension Poppin, according to a press release. The UAE-linked projects included:
- KelpMe, a blockchain-based asset recovery system addressing private key loss and misdirected transactions (UAE, USA, and Greece);
- Mavryk Network, a Layer 1 blockchain for asset tokenization and DeFi applications (Dubai, Gibraltar, Singapore, Paris, and Kiev);
- Hive, GPU-sharing solution for democratizing tech access (Abu Dhabi and Belgium).
REFRESHER- DMCC and Bybit’s second joint hackathon took place on 20 November at DMCC’s Uptown Tower and focused on AI, gaming, and information security. A total prize pool of USD 160k was awarded to the most innovative Web3 businesses.
INFRASTRUCTURE-
Empower to develop district cooling services in northern emirates: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) signed an MoU with the Energy and Infrastructure Ministry to identify potential areas of collaboration for deploying district cooling solutions across the northern emirates, according to a press release (pdf).
FINTECH-
Fintech business clients at the Commercial Bank International (CBI) will be able to access areeba’s payment solutions under a fresh agreement between the two parties. The move makes CBI the first local bank to offer areeba’s products, according to a press release.
AVIATION-
#1- Flydubai will add new seasonal summer flights to Egypt’s Al Alamein International Airport. The daily flights will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport between 21 June and 7 September, 2025, Wam reports.
#2- Emirates received its first Airbus A350, A6-EXA, marking the start of a 65-aircraft order, according to a statement. The A350, the airline’s first new aircraft type since 2008, will enter commercial service in January, with Edinburgh as its debut destination, followed by eight other destinations across the Middle East, West Asia, and Europe.
#3- Etihad Airways is adding 10 new routes starting July 2025, according to a company statement. New destinations include Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Krabi, Phnom Penh, Taipei and Tunis.
ENERGY-
Transco launches new transformer and power systems to support green energy integration: Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (Transco) brought two of the largest phase-shifting transformers in Abu Dhabi online and launched the UAE’s largest dynamic reactive power system and a utility-scale reactive power system in Al Ain, Wam reports. The phase shifters aim to support the integration of renewable energy sources, optimize flow control and grid management, and decrease power loss.
LOGISTICS-
Adnoc Logistics & Services (L&S) received its first newbuild LNG carrier from China’s Jiangnan Shipyard, part of an order of six, according to a statement. The tanker, dubbed Al Shelila, was delivered two months ahead of schedule and has a capacity of 175k metric tons. It will be hired by an unnamed global energy trader and is designed to reduce emissions by up to 50% compared to older models. The remaining five carriers are expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2026.
This delivery is part of Adnoc L&S’s broader expansion strategy, which includes a USD 250 mn ammonia carrier order placed last month. The company plans to invest USD 5 bn in the medium term to meet the rising demand for natural gas. AW Shipping, a joint venture of Adnoc L&S, also placed a USD 1.9 bn order for 11 dual-fuel low-carbon carriers, with deliveries starting next year.
