Latest news with #SeanKelly
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Timelapse Shows New Mega Port at World's Biggest Construction Site
The port at Neom, the world's largest construction site, is edging toward operational status with a pilot of a new intermodal corridor that significantly shortens Red Sea trade routes, according to the Oxagon industrial hub company. Newsweek has contacted Neom and the Saudi government for comment. The pilot underscores Saudi Arabia's push to accelerate progress on Neom's key components amid growing scrutiny over delays and cost overruns. The port is central to the kingdom's Vision 2030 plans to transform itself into a global logistics hub and reduce its reliance on oil. Oxagon announced its first trial shipment from Egypt to Iraq via the Port of Neom, which seeks to reduce transit times and logistics costs. The new port city has a strategic location in one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. "This pilot cut down transit time from Egypt by over 50 percent," the company said in a statement this week. It opens doors for worldwide trade into Iraq via the Port of Neom, it continued. Cargo ships typically pass through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea, navigate Bab el-Mandeb, cross the Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz, and enter the Persian Gulf-docking at Iraqi ports, such as Umm Qasr, before inland road transport to Baghdad or Erbil. The new port is an upgrade of the existing Duba Port, of which management was transferred to Neom in 2022. Sean Kelly, the managing director of the Port of Neom, said in video released by Oxagon: "The port is catalyst for overall economic development for the northwest of the kingdom and for the broader region. The intermodal corridor opening up this historical trade lane is a primary initiative in this effort." Mousa Albargi, Saudi Arabia's deputy minister of logistics and services, said in the video: "Our logistics corridor is not only connecting Saudi importers and exporters, it is serving key destinations and origins in Africa, the Middle East and even beyond to the center of Asia." Nadhmi al-Nasr, the former Neom CEO, said in 2023: "The Port of NEOM will be pivotal to the continued commercial competitiveness, economic diversification and maritime trade ambitions of the Kingdom. Our vision is to build one of the world's most technologically advanced, efficient and sustainable ports with the first fully integrated and automated supply chain and logistics network, and this first phase of development is a step towards realizing that." Neom seeks to launch the port's first terminal by 2026. Related Articles New Aerial Photos Show Progress on World's Biggest Construction SiteNew Satellite Images Show Progress Building World's Biggest Roller CoasterSatellite Images Show Giant Port Emerge at World's Biggest Construction SiteImages Show Power Plant Nears Completion at World's Biggest Construction Site 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Timelapse Shows New Mega Port at World's Biggest Construction Site
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The port at Neom, the world's largest construction site, is edging toward operational status with a pilot of a new intermodal corridor that significantly shortens Red Sea trade routes, according to the Oxagon industrial hub company. Newsweek has contacted Neom and the Saudi government for comment. Why It Matters The pilot underscores Saudi Arabia's push to accelerate progress on Neom's key components amid growing scrutiny over delays and cost overruns. The port is central to the kingdom's Vision 2030 plans to transform itself into a global logistics hub and reduce its reliance on oil. This satellite image, captured in October 2024, shows construction progress at the Port of Neom within Oxagon city's infrastructure. This satellite image, captured in October 2024, shows construction progress at the Port of Neom within Oxagon city's infrastructure. Google Earth Pro What To Know Oxagon announced its first trial shipment from Egypt to Iraq via the Port of Neom, which seeks to reduce transit times and logistics costs. The new port city has a strategic location in one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. "This pilot cut down transit time from Egypt by over 50 percent," the company said in a statement this week. It opens doors for worldwide trade into Iraq via the Port of Neom, it continued. Cargo ships typically pass through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea, navigate Bab el-Mandeb, cross the Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz, and enter the Persian Gulf—docking at Iraqi ports, such as Umm Qasr, before inland road transport to Baghdad or Erbil. The new port is an upgrade of the existing Duba Port, of which management was transferred to Neom in 2022. What People Are Saying Sean Kelly, the managing director of the Port of Neom, said in video released by Oxagon: "The port is catalyst for overall economic development for the northwest of the kingdom and for the broader region. The intermodal corridor opening up this historical trade lane is a primary initiative in this effort." Mousa Albargi, Saudi Arabia's deputy minister of logistics and services, said in the video: "Our logistics corridor is not only connecting Saudi importers and exporters, it is serving key destinations and origins in Africa, the Middle East and even beyond to the center of Asia." Nadhmi al-Nasr, the former Neom CEO, said in 2023: "The Port of NEOM will be pivotal to the continued commercial competitiveness, economic diversification and maritime trade ambitions of the Kingdom. Our vision is to build one of the world's most technologically advanced, efficient and sustainable ports with the first fully integrated and automated supply chain and logistics network, and this first phase of development is a step towards realizing that." What Happens Next Neom seeks to launch the port's first terminal by 2026.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Saudi Arabia's NEOM port halves Cairo-Iraq trade transit times in regional trade pilot
Saudi Arabia's Port of NEOM has successfully completed a pilot program that reduced transit times by more than 50 percent on a key regional trade route connecting Egypt and Iraq, as the Kingdom seeks to establish itself as a major logistics hub under its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan. The initiative, conducted in partnership with the Logistics Partnership Council, tested an intermodal corridor spanning over 900 kilometers from Cairo via Egypt's Port of Safaga, across the Red Sea to Port of NEOM, and then overland to commercial warehouses in Erbil, Iraq. The pilot involved collaboration between Saudi government agencies including the Transport General Authority and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, along with private sector partners including shipowners, importers, exporters, and logistics companies. 'The Port of NEOM is the catalyst for overall economic development for the northwest region of the Kingdom and the broader region,' said Sean Kelly, managing director at the Port of NEOM. 'The intermodal corridor opening up this historical trade lane is a primary initiative in this effort. It's been proven many times that opening up supply chain options—reducing costs, reducing transit times—accelerates regional economic development and prosperity, and the intermodal corridor can play this role.' The project represents part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to develop its logistics sector and reduce the economy's dependence on oil revenues. The Kingdom is investing heavily in ports, roads, and customs infrastructure to capture more of the trade flows between Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Port of NEOM's location on the Red Sea and proximity to the Arar border crossing into Iraq positions it to serve growing trade between the regions. The success of the pilot suggests the route could offer an alternative to traditional shipping paths that currently handle Egypt–Iraq trade. The corridor is designed to be scalable and could be expanded to other regional trade routes, according to project organizers. Saudi officials say such initiatives support the Vision 2030 goal of building what they describe as a world-class integrated logistics ecosystem. The pilot's completion comes as regional countries seek to boost intra-regional trade and reduce logistics costs amid ongoing global supply chain challenges.
The Age
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Vilifying art-lovers at the NGV is a step too far
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@ Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. PROTESTS Exiting the NGV on Sunday, I was confronted by women protesting. My first instinct was to think they are women like me. As a teacher and Christian leader I've worked for peace, justice and reconciliation in education, churches and communities creating meaningful ways of offering hopeful transformation. I am a protester. But my instinct was wrong about these women as I don't target individuals and vilify them as they did to hundreds of us. A woman with the megaphone claimed 'anyone entering the NGV was ensuring the NGV thinks it's OK to hang out with fascists. You have blood on your hands and you support Zionism.' She then got personal to one woman saying 'you in the hat, you are supporting genocide entering the NGV'. I was collecting my bike nearby and foolishly engaged suggesting we can protest but it's wrong to target individuals as perpetrators of genocide. She then directed the megaphone at me chanting 'you support genocide'. She's right; we are all complicit in systemic and collective sins of commission and omission. But broad scale public vilification is not protest. It polarises, shuts down empathy and divides us further. Sally Apokis, South Melbourne Albanese should offer more than a gesture Anthony Albanese is correct in that the government should not recognise Palestine as a gesture only. He should do it as a commitment to the people of Palestine (''We won't make a decision as a gesture': Albanese says no imminent move to recognise Palestine ', 28/7). At the moment Albanese is gesturing, not acting. He is unprepared to take a bold stand, whether it be to recognise Palestine or sanction Israel for its blatant crimes. While acknowledging the heartbreak of seeing children starve, he makes no mention of genocide or ethnic cleansing. It's time he be a true leader. Lorel Thomas, Blackburn South Australia must act Sadly it appears the world's leaders are deaf and blind to what has been happening in Gaza. And as Sean Kelly noted (' Mere words won't pass our moral test ', 28/7) only two months after the horrific Hamas attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023, already 93 per cent of people were in phases 3, 4 or 5 of food insecurity. In May UN experts noted that 'while States debate terminology — is it or is it not genocide? — Israel continues its relentless destruction of life in Gaza, through attacks by land, air and sea, displacing and massacring the surviving population with impunity'. When will the Australian government take action? It's time we say to the US and the UK that we will not proceed with AUKUS unless arms supplies to Israel stop. Where is the power of leaders if they take no action to stop this carnage in Gaza? Peta Colebatch, Hawthorn Blame not so simple Regarding Sean Kelly, the Geneva Conventions allow the blocking of aid if the enemy is stealing or using it. Kelly cites a New York Times story denying Hamas is doing so, but a Washington Post report set out in detail, citing many witnesses including Gazans, how Hamas is in financial crisis because Israel has stopped it taxing aid, or stealing and selling it. Kelly writes about famine starting within months of the war beginning, but those warnings were retracted by the Famine Early Warning System, a US-funded monitoring group. The UN is also culpable. After ending its nine-week blockade in May, after having allowed enough aid into Gaza to last for some months, Israel not only facilitated the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has distributed around 95 million meals, but also resumed UN access. However, there were recently 900 truckloads of aid inside Gaza checkpoints the UN hadn't collected. As for the suggestion of recognising a Palestinian state, only Palestinian Authority intransigence has prevented such a state. Hamas would say recognition only happened because of the October 7 atrocities. Recognition would simply encourage further Palestinian rejectionism and terrorism. Jamie Hyams, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Statehood for Palestine The people of the world claiming statehood for Palestine are living in a world of delusion. There are so many questions that still need to be asked. Some of these are: What are the geographical boundaries that define this state called Palestine? Who are the citizens of Palestine and who makes the decisions as to who becomes a citizen? What are the institutions that govern this state called Palestine? Are Jews allowed to be citizens of this new state called Palestine? These are only a few of the questions that need to be considered. No leader nor a member of the lobby groups that are advocating for statehood have made proposals that define this state. It's disingenuous on all people wishing for a state called Palestine because it's a falsehood. The people who are most vulnerable and exploited are once again being led up a path of others making. Graham Haupt, Glen Waverley Revert to 1947 borders Yes, as several correspondents to this page have stated, there are other serious human massacres also occurring, right now, in Yemen, and in Sudan. The difference is that those wars are not openly supported by a vocal and prominent segment of Australians, or accepted by Australian governments. Injustice for the people of Gaza stings our collective conscience. Here, and around the world. The only fair and long-term solution is to formally recognise those 1947 UN borders and allow the two states to exist as equals — with equal rights to exist, and also equal rights to have the military capability to defend themselves. Geoffrey McNaughton, Glen Huntly
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Aid to Gaza has been co-opted and weaponised
Sean Kelly says the 'unsayable' — the Israeli government is starving Gazans (' The moral test for Labor has shifted on Gaza: Words are not enough', July 28.). In March 2025, Israel prohibited the delivery of aid to Gazans by independent organisations such as the UN, replacing it with the Israeli-appointed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) which provides aid sporadically. Netanyahu insists that Hamas was looting independent deliveries. No evidence of this has ever been revealed. On the contrary, facts indicate that, until March, enough aid was getting through to prevent starvation. Since then, the GHF has failed to provide adequately for Gazans. Even the American head of GHF, Jake Wood, has resigned because the aid plan failed to uphold the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality. He acknowledged that he witnessed innocent Gazans being fired upon while seeking aid. Netanyahu argues that Hamas must be defeated before aid can flow freely. He also vowed to 'defeat' Hamas in 2014. How much longer must starving Gazans wait? Nell Knight, Avoca Beach I think Premier Chris Minns needs to read the room better (' Pro-Palestine demonstration across Sydney Harbour Bridge to be blocked ', July 28). The Sydney Harbour Bridge carrying tens of thousands protesting against the starvation in Gaza would send a powerful image about Australians' attitudes about the current situation to the world. It would have far more impact than the words of politicians. What's the point of having such iconic locations that are immediately identifiable without being able to leverage them? Dale Bailey, St Leonards It was with some distress that I saw reports of the opposition's Dan Tehan pulling the 'where are the facts?' card on Gaza. Is this the blood-stained hill the Liberal Party wish to take a stand on? Politics so often sweeps real human choices under the rug, saying 'that's politics', or 'someone needs to make the tough decisions', divesting themselves of any real choice in the matter. The tough decision would have been to support the government to do anything it can to find a solution whereby civilians do not get slaughtered, and preventing the creation of a new generation of vengeance-fuelled agents of change. A moral party should be helping disclose the facts together with the government. You want the facts? Then go looking for them together. Stop treating politics like a two-team football league. Be a team player for the country and a better world instead. James Cottam, Enmore The opposition's insistence that criticism of the Israeli government be muted because it's all Hamas' fault sounds a lot like support for the infamous domestic violence excuse: 'Look what you made me do.' Tom Mangan, Woy Woy Please allow me to make the point that Hamas is not forcing Israel to use the tactics being employed – it is Israel's policy. Israel has never in reality 'targeted' Hamas. Witness the fact the 'war' is still going after 21 months, which may well be the intention. John Christie, Oatley Cost of addiction Addicted to smoking, many pensioners who don't have access to illicit tobacco actually do put their addiction before their need for food (' Jail time and evictions: Labor announces crackdown on illegal tobacco ', July 28). This isn't of any concern apparently to state and federal governments, whose focus is on the criminal syndicates and 'dealers″ in this strong drug and the revenue taxed on its hooked users, which for a moderate habit, a pack a day, is more than $300 a week and for a heavy smoker as I used to be, 60 plus daily, now attracts $50,000 per annum. Nicotine is acknowledged to be as or more addictive than heroin. These crises are totally the predictable results of policies which have backfired and now appear to be soon to cause more misery as the crime enforcement is ramped up to try to redirect revenue away from criminals who exploit millions of addicts. Andrew Cohen, Glebe The government and the anti-tobacco and vaping lobby groups are wasting their time. Draconian taxation and prohibition does not work. I can understand that they have the best of intentions, and have been chuffed that their jackbooted approach was considered the toughest in the world, but we live in a free country and a more mature, respectful approach to those who choose to smoke and vape is recommended. With a cut in taxes and the legalisation of vaping (including applying a lower level of taxation) the illicit trade would crumble and products would again be properly regulated. This is what every other developed, free country has done. Peter Barrett, Woonona Calming cannabis Cannabis is effectively legal. I have neither bought nor consumed it, but many people I know do it regularly (' The cannabis factory: How one doctor wrote 72,000 scripts in two years ', July 28). It is cheaper than alcohol and nicotine-derived products. It calms the user down and so reduces the level of violence and anxiety that are symptomatic of other drugs. True, it stays in the system longer and can still have long-term negative side-effects. But properly taxed and regulated, cannabis would be a better companion than Jack Daniels and Peter Stuyvesant. David Neilson, Araluen (NT) Joyce wide of target As part of his mission to demolish the net-zero emissions target, Barnaby Joyce declares that he wants people to have the cheapest forms of power generation, which he says are coal and nuclear (' Why Barnaby's war on net zero's already sunk ', July 26). If Barnaby were to have a look at the Open Electricity (National Electricity Market) website, he would soon see that renewables consistently come into the market at a cheaper price than coal. And given that most of our coal-fired power stations are reaching the end of their lives, it is even clearer that the price of coal-fired power will be way more expensive once the costs of building new power stations are factored in. Catherine Rossiter, Fadden (ACT) Amid his ramblings on climate change, Barnaby Joyce did make a valid point. Even if Australia's domestic energy consumption involved 100 per cent zero emissions, this would have negligible effect on global warming. For Australia to achieve any significant effect, we would need to cease exports of our coal and gas. But the annual revenue from these sources is respectively about $55 billion and $90 billion dollars. Are we as a nation prepared to forego this money, and how would it affect our economy? Regarding net zero emissions, there may be times when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow, meaning that we would occasionally need to fall back on gas temporarily to generate instant power. Perhaps total net zero is an illusion. Bruce Johnson, Lakewood The writers to this letters page are constantly questioning why the voters of New England consistently elect Barnaby Joyce as an MP (Letters, July 28). The simple reason is that most people in New England electorate enjoy a standard of living that is better than the average Australian and, as such, vote conservatively, the way their parents and grandparents voted. Barnaby is simply the beneficiary of that tradition. John Maunder, Quirindi Correspondent Neil Ormerod doesn't seem to understand the way the world works (Letters, July 27), and his analogy of coal being like heroin is taking it too far. At this point, the world needs fossil fuel. Countries around the world realise this. Has Neil heard of supply and demand? If we don't supply it, somebody else will. That is a fact. So Australia stopping exports will make absolutely zero difference, as will net zero make zero difference to the weather. Peter Phizacklea, Sydney Modern myths Ross Gittins tells us that the economics profession 'has never worried too much about ethics' (' When they say 'modelling', grab your bulldust detector ', July 28). This, surely, is a bit harsh. Really, the problem with the economics profession is that it has bought into two modern mythologies. These are that eternal growth is possible – it isn't – and that any benefits of improved productivity will flow through to working people – it won't. Until these myths are recognised and refuted, we will remain in this seemingly endless cycle of hand wringing. Greg Baker, Fitzroy Falls Strip-search violations Kate's story illustrates the dangers of this invasive, intimidating violation of personal safety (' No drugs found in 70,000-plus strip-searches ', July 28). In my view, strip-searches of adults, if deemed to be both absolutely necessary and completely lawful, should not as far as possible be carried out by police but by trained medical and trauma-informed care personnel. Moreover, police strip-searching of minors anywhere anytime is tantamount to institutionally sanctioned child abuse and should be totally banned. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills History shows that prohibition doesn't work. Even the financial pseudo-prohibition of cigarettes is failing. Meanwhile, in Portugal, where drug possession has been decriminalised, drug use has not increased, but there has been a significant increase in people entering rehabilitation. Overdoses, deaths and drug-related offences have been dramatically reduced. Decriminalisation of drug possession/usage, drug-testing facilities and increased funding for rehabilitation does work, with further evidence in Oregon and Washington state trials in America. Our politicians need to stop worrying about how strong they appear and focus on what works. The carrot always beats the stick, especially with the young. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle Could it be that the harms caused by police in using sniffer dogs and strip-searching young people are greater than those purportedly caused by the drugs themselves? Either way, I'd like to see the police searching people of all ages at the restaurant at the NSW Parliament. It would only take that to occur once and the practice would cease overnight. Well, Mr Minns? Shaun Davies, St Peters The push to eliminate strip-searches is both wrong and dangerous. The number of people found with drugs is small because of the fear of being nabbed. The message that the use of illegal drugs is criminal is a good one. Roger Cedergreen, Kirrawee Marina madness It's great to see residents fighting to stop the extension of the Woolwich marina (' Outrage at bid to expand marina ' July 28). We lost the battle in Blackwattle Bay. The new fish market is being built in the bay instead of on the existing site. New marinas and extensions are appearing and recreational activities such as rowing and dragon boat racing are increasingly problematic. The bay is fast becoming a pond like Darling Harbour, surrounded by commercial interests. Keep up the good fight to stop it happening on your side of the harbour. Richard Spencer, Glebe Higher ground In July 2022, at the height of the devastating rains and floods that followed the Black Summer bushfires, there was a call for Warragamba Dam's wall to be raised by 14 metres. Perhaps, with what we have learned now, the call should have been for developers to raise houses built on the floodplains by 14 metres (Letters, July 28). My cottage on a tributary of the Hawkesbury River was built in 1953 as a family fishing retreat by someone who knew about water and how it behaves. Yes, the water rose alarmingly three years ago, but the older houses here were safe because they had been built well back from the river many years ago by people who knew their trade. Alexandra Szalay, Coba Point All about size It's hardly surprising that Springwood residents value convenience, choice and apparent competition (' Woolies plan splits suburb' ', July 28). However, closer reading of the DA exposes the following serious shortcomings: extra pedestrian crossings, a roundabout fenced against pedestrians, an extra two customer carparks and an underground truck loading bay. All this in a tiny section of road a mere 150 metres long which is also the only access road to two childcare centres and the community's cultural precinct (theatre, community hub, library, gallery). There is ample evidence that a development of such magnitude cannot fail to damage the businesses and prosperity of any community. Residents are not necessarily opposed to this proposal, but to the sheer scale of it. We just want the best outcome for Springwood. Only the Blue Mountains residents know how to cut off their nose to spite their amenity. As a former resident of Leura for four years and then Springwood in the 80s and 90s, I remember fondly all the campaigns to keep development out of the Blue Mountains – Kmart in Katoomba, Fairmont Resort in Leura, Macca's in Blaxland. We lived in Springwood for eight of those years and how I would have loved a new Woolworths to walk up to, instead of having to drive to Winmalee, Katoomba or even Penrith Plaza to do more detailed shopping. There are many things I would have preferred not to have ever changed, but fortunately the splendid Blue Mountains themselves always knows how to outshine any crass developments. Reina French, Oak Flats Local control best I support Joanna Mendelssohn's support for council owned and operated childcare centres (Letters, July 27). This seems to be a field where good profits are assured – three large new centres have recently been built in my surrounding suburbs. This is a sector where council-owned and other non-profit agencies could have been encouraged. The federal Liberals had a fondness for small businesses and struck out in the profit-driven direction. Sadly, the cat is now out of the bag. David Rose, Nollamara (WA)
