AJMAN // Police officers in the northern emirate are doing their part to help the environment by going green with eco-friendly patrol vehicles.
So far, nine fuel-guzzling 4x4 patrol vehicles have been converted to run on either natural gas or petrol. The move is the first step in a project with Emirates Transport that will eventually lead to 30 eco-friendly vehicles patrolling Ajman’s roads.
“These vehicles work on both natural gas and petrol. In case of running out of [natural] gas we can press a button to use petrol,” said the force’s Capt Essa Al Hosani.
He noted there was no difference in speed or performance between the fuel sources, but hybrids were cheaper to operate.
“The car can travel a distance of 140 kilometres [on natural gas], which costs just Dh20, and it doesn’t consume too much gas because we only use them inside the emirate. But to avoid the interruption of gas, we monitor the odometer and if the car has travelled about 120km we provide it with more gas.”
Converting each vehicle costs about Dh6,000, Capt Al Hosani said. However, a lack of filling stations that could supply the fuel meant plans to convert more vehicles was moving ahead slowly.
Natural gas is only available at a handful of Adnoc stations and from the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority. Both are working on ways to increase supply to Ajman.
The Ministry of the Interior has recommended that more police forces use hybrid vehicles, but so far only Ajman and Abu Dhabi do, Capt Al Hosani said.
He encouraged all governmental institutions to convert their vehicles to hybrids to be kinder to the environment.
Rasha Al Shamsi, manager at Emirates Transport’s Ajman branch, said the amount of vehicles using natural gas was expected to grow in the UAE.
“About four years ago we had provided a number of vehicles running on natural gas at certain agencies in Abu Dhabi, but we had started with Ajman police this year,” she said.
“We found a positive effect on the environment in terms of emissions and saving fuel cost, whereas petrol’s price is high. For this reason we found the alternative in natural gas.”
Emirates Transport plans to convert its entire 10,000-vehicle fleet to hybrids, but the project will take several years, Ms Al Shamsi said.
Rachel Bartz, of the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence, said natural gas was a more environmentally friendly fuel source.
“Natural gas has a higher octane than petrol. In essence, it mixes better in the air and burns more completely. This means fewer carbon deposits, leading to fewer oil changes. It actually has approximately 15 per cent lower carbon emissions than petrol.”
roueiti@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
