French transport infrastructure company Alstom has signed a five-year operation and maintenance contract with Jeddah Airports Company worth 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.3m) for Terminal 1 at the King Abdulaziz International Airport.
The company secured an initial contract in August 2019 to run until June 2021, with the new one now in place until 2027, Alstom said on Tuesday.
King Abdulaziz International Airport is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest, occupying an area of 102 square kilometres, and welcomes about 30 million passengers every year.
Under the new contract, Alstom will continue to provide operations and maintenance services for the Innovia automated people mover within the airport, it said.
"Alstom has been present in the kingdom for more than 70 years and our strategy is one of long-term partnership," said Mohamed Khalil, managing director of Alstom Saudi Arabia.
"It also reiterates Alstom’s commitment to supporting the development of Saudi Arabia's public infrastructure in line with Vision 2030."
Saudi Arabia is aggressively diversifying its economy away from oil as part of its Vision 2030 agenda, with tourism one of the key pillars.
To support the growth of the industry, the kingdom is investing heavily in aviation infrastructure.
The country has earmarked $147 billion to enhance airport facilities to serve 330 million passengers by 2030, expand its transport sector and launch a new national airline alongside the established Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal.
The kingdom's National Aviation Sector Strategy also aims to increase travel routes to 250 destinations and double air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tonnes.
The travel sector aims to generate 280bn riyals for Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product by 2030.
Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's largest economy, this year announced the privatisation of its airports' ownership, with 29 currently being prepared for the process. Plans are also under way for a new international airport in Riyadh.
Alstom has been expanding its presence in the kingdom and supported the Haramain high-speed rail line between Makkah and Madinah. It also supplies an integrated Metro system for lines 3, 4, 5 and 6, plus maintenance.
In August, the company signed a preliminary agreement with the kingdom's Ministry of Investment to identify opportunities in railway infrastructure powered by sustainable technology and energy sources with lower carbon emissions.
The deal will also look into the establishment of Alstom's regional headquarters in the kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency said at the time.
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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The%20Killer
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Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
AT%20A%20GLANCE
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Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
