NEOM partners with JLS Yachts as Sindalah island prepares for grand opening

The partnership aims to transform the island into a sought-after destination for yachting enthusiasts worldwide. (Supplied)
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Updated 24 August 2023
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NEOM partners with JLS Yachts as Sindalah island prepares for grand opening

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambitious tourism drive gains further momentum as NEOM, the $500-billion giga-project, has appointed JLS Yachts as a “key partner superyacht agency” for Sindalah, the luxurious island development within the megacity. 

The partnership aims to transform the island into a sought-after destination for yachting enthusiasts worldwide, according to a press release. 

JLS Yachts will establish an office at the marina on the island, providing a spectrum of services to visitors, including berthing, provisioning and bunkering as well as customs clearance, transportation and travel arrangements. 

This move follows NEOM’s previous announcement in June, where Monaco-based BWA Yachting was selected to establish an office at the Sindalah marina. 

Antoni Vives, chief urban development officer at NEOM, said: “Sindalah will demonstrate to the world another level of seamless luxury and invite the yachting community to a new seasonal destination in the majestic waters of the Red Sea.”  
He added: “JLS Yachts is a partner to help realize the bold vision of Sindalah as we welcome the world to the first physical showcase of NEOM.” 

Scheduled for a grand opening in 2024, Sindalah will emerge as NEOM’s premier tourism destination. It is set to host a world-class yachting ecosystem, boasting over 5,000 berths. 

“We are very pleased and honored to be selected as a key partner for NEOM’s magnificent Sindalah island on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. With our new operational offices based in Jeddah and Riyadh, it offers us great exposure and services to our VVIP owners, captains and crew,” said Stephen Corbett, CEO of JLS Yachts.  

He added: “As the largest and most experienced superyacht agency in the Middle East and northern Indian Ocean, we look forward to bringing our unique and rewarding services to the Red Sea and beyond.” 

Earlier this month, NEOM unveiled another milestone by partnering with IMG Golf Course Services to launch a nine-hole beachfront facility on Sindalah Island. 

This upcoming venue will offer pre-opening, marketing, and management services and will stand as an exclusive, year-round club, according to a press statement. 

NEOM is one of the most significant initiatives supporting Saudi Arabia’s national tourism plan as the Kingdom gradually diversifies its economy away from oil. 


Saudi Arabia’s NDMC raises $13bn for infrastructure projects 

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Saudi Arabia’s NDMC raises $13bn for infrastructure projects 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia raised $13 billion through a seven-year syndicated loan as the Kingdom steps up funding for infrastructure projects spanning power, water and public utilities.  

The financing was arranged by the National Debt Management Center as part of the government’s medium-term borrowing strategy, which aims to diversify funding sources and secure financing at competitive costs, the agency said in a statement. 

The transaction supports Saudi Arabia’s broader push to upgrade infrastructure under its Vision 2030 economic transformation program, as the government accelerates investment in utilities and development projects alongside private-sector participation. 

“This transaction aims to leverage market opportunities to execute alternative government financing activities that contribute to economic growth, including the financing of development and infrastructure projects aligned with Saudi Vision 2030,” said NDMC.  

NDMC was established in 2015 within the Ministry of Finance as the Debt Management Office before being restructured into its current form, with a mandate to manage public debt and meet the government’s financing needs across short-, medium- and long-term horizons. 

The syndicated loan follows a series of recent debt market transactions. In December, the center raised SR7.01 billion ($1.87 billion) through a domestic sukuk issuance split across five tranches, with the first one valued at SR1.23 billion set to mature in 2027.  
The second tranche amounted to SR335 million, maturing in 2029. 

The third tranche was valued at SR1.180 billion maturing in 2032, and the fourth tranche was SR1.692 billion set to expire in 2036.  

The fifth tranche was worth SR2.573 billion, maturing in 2039. 

In September, NDMC completed the issuance of a $5.5 billion (SR20.63 billion) international sukuk under the Kingdom’s Global Trust Certificate Issuance Program. 

The offering — the country’s first international sukuk based on an Ijarah structure — was issued in two tranches. A five-year sukuk maturing in 2030 raised $2.25 billion (SR8.44 billion), while a 10-year tranche maturing in 2035 secured $3.25 billion (SR12.19 billion, NDMC said at the time. 

The center added that the issuance aligns with its strategy to diversify the investor base and meet Saudi Arabia’s financing requirements through international debt capital markets in an efficient and effective manner.