RTA opens marine transit station

Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) recently launched a marine transit station at Mina Rashid as part of initiatives to enhance its marine transit network.

Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, chief executive officer of RTA, said the authority has been working through its marine transport arm to broaden and enhance the marine transit lines and integrate them with other mass transit means in the emirate. 'To run this vital service, we have deployed one ferry (from Dubai Ferry Fleet) and two boats (from the Water Bus Fleet),' Dossari said.

The new marine transit station will operate between Mina Rashid passengers terminal and Al Ghubaiba Station.

Reed Smith names project manager

The global programme management and construction consultancy Turner and Townsend has been appointed as project manager for international law firm Reed Smith as it relocates to new office space in Abu Dhabi.

Turner and Townsend will provide cost and project management services for the office fit-out for Reed Smith, which will be relocating its offices to the Al Sila Tower in Sowwah Square in Abu Dhabi’s new central business district early next year after 30 years in the emirate.

Empower upgrades plants network

Emirates Central Cooling Corporation (Empower), the biggest district cooling service provider in the region, has completed the fibre optic network at three of its major district cooling plants in Dubai to minimise consumption of chilling water.

The new system is designed to conserve water resources used in cooling as well as enhancing the efficacy and quality of service to customers.

Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, said: 'We are implementing this world-class control system project across three of our district cooling networks in Mirdif area, JISA and Tecom C area.'

Three control systems are installed in the building ETS (Energy Transfer Stations).

Work to begin on Louvre museum

Work on a branch of Paris’ world-famous Louvre museum will finally get under way in Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, next year.

The emirate’s tourism arm, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) – which is also building a branch of New York’s Guggenheim museum in the emirate – confirmed construction will begin in the first quarter of 2013.

Both museums were originally scheduled to open between 2013 and 2014 but were delayed due to a government review of projects.

Fübi and Al Tayer sign the agreement.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has entered into a joint venture with RWE Technology, a company within the RWE Group specialising in building power plants.

The agreement, signed by RWE Technology managing director Michael Fübi and Dewa chief executive officer and managing director Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, aims to develop a leading service company for energy consulting in the region. RWE Technology will provide its expertise as an international project and engineering specialist in the power plant sector. Its capabilities include project management and implementation, international sourcing of major components, and quality assurance. The venture will provide services to utilities, the oil and gas industry, as well as to the associated power-related activities of the steel, petrochemical and aluminium industry. The new company will operate in the GCC and Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region as a primary market, and could potentially cover global clients as a secondary market.

Emirates Steel production rises

Emirates Steel said its steel production volume has increased by 33 per cent through to the end of the third quarter of 2012. Owned by Senaat GHC, the company has increased its dispatch of prime quality finished goods by 10 per cent compared with the levels achieved in the same period of 2011.

According to figures released by the company, rebar production increased by 10 per cent in the nine months compared to the same period in 2011, and the output of wire rod increased by four per cent. Steel production increased by 33 per cent, and the production of direct reduced iron (DRI) went up by 20 per cent.

Dorma set to open Dubai showroom

Dorma, a leading supplier of door technology products and interior solutions, is set to open its first regional showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai next year. Designed by becc agency of Germany, the 280-sq-m 'World of Access' showroom will also provide display space to architects and corporate vendors. Dorma says it is the first company to introduce this novel concept to the region, the first of which it recently launched in New York, US.