Digitisation continues to shape smarter trade across industries globally, with two notable deals in the Middle East focused on natural gas supply and port management.
The Integrated Gas Company (IGC), Oman’s sole aggregator and supplier of natural gas, has launched its new Gas Applications Portal, a digital platform designed to streamline the process of applying for and managing natural gas requirements. The platform introduces several enhancements, allowing users to submit multiple applications under a single account, track their application status in real time, interact directly with IGC representatives for support, and manage multiple projects from a central dashboard. The mobile-friendly portal also supports spot sales and short-term gas supply auctions, providing faster processing for industrial-scale requests. Furthermore, the portal aligns with broader government initiatives aimed at positioning Oman as an investment hub, allowing investors to submit gas applications even before their projects are fully permitted, with standard gas sales agreements easily accessible on the platform.
Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, AD Ports Group, the exclusive developer and regulator of ports and related infrastructure in the emirate, has signed a strategic partnership agreement between its digital arm, Maqta Technologies Group, and the Indra Group, a leading promoter of technological progress. The partnership aims to explore opportunities for jointly providing digitalisation services for ports, logistics, and trade across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
This collaboration will focus on developing smart port solutions and trade digitalisation, including Port Community Systems (PCS), which enable seamless information exchange among port stakeholders. The partnership will also cover digital Single Window systems for port, maritime, and logistics operations, centralising all required information for ship clearance. Additionally, the companies will work together to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the logistics chain, as well as develop solutions for port, multi-modal terminal, and border management systems, and other smart mobility solutions.
