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Al Jaber Aviation and Airbus showcase the
new A318 Elite Plus at MEBA 2010
The Al Jaber Aviation (AJA)
A318 Elite plus aircraft is on
display as the ideal design model
for corporate jets by Airbus, an
EADS company and leading aircraft
manufacturer at the ongoing Middle
East Business Aviation (MEBA)
2010 event in Dubai.
AJA, the new pinnacle of
VIP aviation and part of the Al
Jaber Group based in Abu Dhabi
will showcase the elegant and
comfortable ergonomic cabins
of the Airbus 318 that have been
designed to accommodate up to 19
passengers and two crew members.
With long haul capability, the A318 Elite
plus will be able to cater to requirements
from Heads of States, Rulers, VIPs and
those who wish to fly in comfort to far
destinations. The A318 aircraft is a more
viable option than traditional business jets
as it can fly larger groups making it ideal for
big companies and government delegations.
10 Link January 2011
This is further supported by the aircraft
offering cargo capability.
“The Middle East is a growing market
for business jets and is set to expand 15-
20% per annum over the next four years to
become a $1bn-per-year industry. We are
looking to secure a slice of this lucrative
segment and our aircraft are ready to cater
to this growth,” said Mohammed Al Jaber,
Petrochemical production in Gulf set to rise to $80b
Chemical production in the Gulf will rise
from $40 billion (Dh146 billion) to $80
billion by 2020 but that will not be enough
to achieve a major share of global output
in the sector, a senior industry professional
said yesterday.
“I would like to see the year 2020 value
hit the $120 billion to $150 billion per annum
range,” Saudi Aramco President and Chief
Executive Khalid A. Al Falih said at the fifth
Annual Forum of the Gulf Petrochemicals
and Chemicals Association (GPCA) in
Dubai.
“The strategic challenge for the region’s
chemical industry is not to grow from $40
billion to $50 billion in per-annum revenue
but to fundamentally alter its economic
role within the region... to leapfrog other
regions within the global petrochemicals
landscape,” Al Falih said.
Aramco will bring Wasit, its largest gas
plant, online in 2013, a year earlier than
expected, Al Falih said. The company
completed a crude expansion programme
last year that took its oil production capacity
to 12 million barrels per day.
Petrochemical production increased by
an average of 3.7 per cent in the Gulf last
year, with Saudi Arabia posting an increase
of 6.3 per cent; the UAE 4.4 per cent;
Kuwait 3.2 per cent and Qatar 7.4 per cent.
Global apprehension
“Last year at this time there was global
apprehension about economic recovery,”
said Mohammad H. Al Mady, Vice-
Chairman and Chief Executive of the Saudi
Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) and
chairman of GPCA.
“Thankfully, today, there is more
optimism about growth. But this is no time
for complacency,” he said.
Al Mady said he sees expanded margins
for petrochemicals as increased demand
comes from emerging economies such as
China, India, South Korea and Indonesia.
Concerns for 2011 include excess
capacity in the Gulf and the possibility of
CEO of AJA.
The Airbus 318 Elite plus is the
newest Airbus Corporate Jet, and
features a stylish and practical
single-aisle cabin created by
Lufthansa Technik. All equipment
and seats have been designed to
be very simple to use, and to offer
the most comfort and generous
storage in a VIP charter aircraft.
The A318 aircraft boasts
mood-lighting system, new touchscreen
technology, and advanced
passenger entertainment and
communications - including
a PFIS (Passenger Flight
Information System), Internet and audio and
video on-demand. The cabin cross-section
is almost twice as wide as that of traditional
business jets. The benefits to customers
include robust long-lasting airframe
and reliable systems and an advanced
aerodynamic design powered by modern
and efficient engines.
asset price bubbles in the global economy,
especially in commodities and metals, Al
Mady said.
Shaikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi,
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, said
the Gulf’s leading position in the global
petrochemical industry is expected to grow
as capacity increases.
“Expansion of capacity continued even
in the tough economic environment [in the
past two years].
“It will be accelerated by increased
foreign investment in the sector,” she said.
The UAE’s Borouge, for example, will
triple capacity to 4.5 million tonnes per
annum by the end of 2013. By 2015, nine
new crackers and downstream plants
will come online across the Gulf, giving
the region a 20 per cent share of global
petrochemical production, she said.
“The 10 years to 2020 will be the decisive
decade of opportunity, a golden age for our
region in terms of economic conditions and
commercial opportunities,” said Al Falih.