Abu Dhabi contractor National Marine Dredging Company has won a Dh1.3 billion ($353.9 million) contract from AD Ports for the engineering and construction works on the Shamal Development marine project.
The Shamal Development is part of Khalifa Port, located in Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, midway between Mina Zayed and Jebel Ali Port, which was built on a reclaimed artificial island reaching 4.5 kilometres offshore.
"The contract is part of our strategic plans to expand our operations in the UAE and beyond," said Yasser Zaghloul, group chief executive of NMDC. "We have strategic expansion plans for 2022 and the following years and as a group, we will be entering new markets and enhancing our presence in existing ones undertaking complex projects and sharing our expertise."
The company, an engineering, procurement, construction and marine dredging contractor in the Middle East, said the project will also create significant in-country value through its localised project execution.
The UAE's national in-country value programme is expected to create up to 120,000 jobs, localise supply chains, attract more investment and raise the private sector's contribution to local gross domestic product, government officials said last week. The programme aims to redirect Dh55bn of government spending on goods and services into the local economy by 2025, up from Dh39bn in 2020 when the unified ICV certification was created.
Work on the project will include the dredging of 16.8 million cubic metres, 1.2 kilometres of quay wall, construction of an approximately 3.8 kilometre detached breakwater and ground improvement works covering a million square metres along with environmental monitoring and protection measures.
The entire project is scheduled for completion in October 2023, NMDC said.
"This new development will help us further augment our infrastructure, operational and cargo handling capabilities, supporting our growth and accelerating trade flows in the region. In turn, the expansion cements Khalifa Port’s position as a major global trade and logistics hub," said Mohamed Al Shamisi, managing director and group chief executive of AD Ports Group.
AD Ports Group owns and manages 11 ports and terminals in the UAE and Guinea, including Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, Musaffah Port, Fujairah Terminals, Community Ports, Kamsar Port and Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. It operates more than 550 square kilometres of industrial zones within Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi and ZonesCorp, the largest integrated trade, logistics and industrial business grouping in the Middle East.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
