Chartek ONE is designed as a single-coat, mesh-free solution. (Image source: Akzonobel)

AkzoNobel’s protective coatings brand, International, has unveiled its epoxy passive fire protection (PFP) system, Chartek ONE, to a global audience at GasTech 2025, following its successful Middle East debut last year

Chartek ONE is designed as a single-coat, mesh-free solution that simplifies application while delivering comprehensive protection for energy sector assets. By streamlining installation, the product boosts efficiency, improves workplace safety, and provides robust defence against a wide range of fire scenarios. It offers up to three hours of resistance to jet and pool fires, withstands cryogenic and hydrocarbon fire exposure, and delivers strong corrosion protection across varied operating temperatures.

Sustainability has been embedded in its design. Chartek ONE is formulated with 100% solids, free from boron and chlorinated plasticisers, lowering both occupational risks and environmental impact. Its mesh-free technology eliminates the need for reinforcement in jet and pool fire scenarios, reducing installation time, labour, and material costs while cutting down overall system weight, an important factor in weight-sensitive industries such as offshore oil and gas.

The system has demonstrated significant efficiency gains, with installation time in workshops reduced by up to 59%, offering tangible cost savings throughout a project’s lifecycle. Certified to meet leading international standards, including NORSOK M-501 Revision 7, ISO 21843, ISO 22899, and UL1709 Edition 5, Chartek ONE has also undergone rigorous real-world testing. Trials included exposure to jet fires, weathered beam performance, and termination detailing, areas where PFP systems often fail. By exceeding minimum testing benchmarks, the coating offers proven reliability beyond the laboratory.

AkzoNobel’s commitment to sustainability is reinforced by its top-tier rankings in global ESG indices such as Sustainalytics and EcoVadis, placing it among the leading one per cent of companies worldwide. This focus on reducing environmental impact throughout development adds to customer confidence in Chartek ONE’s durability, safety, and eco-performance.

Now available to customers across Europe, Chartek ONE joins AkzoNobel’s established portfolio of coatings trusted in some of the world’s harshest operating environments.

CDE wash plant. (Image source: CDE)

Progress is being made in cleaning up the world’s biggest anthropogenic oil spill in Kuwait

Over a decade ago, the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP) was established by the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), Kuwait National Focal Point (KNFP) and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) to address the extensive damage resulting from the Gulf War, which left Kuwait's landscape heavily contaminated with oil, including wet and dry oil lakes, contaminated soil, and sludge. The UNCC is contributing US$3bn towards the clean-up of 300 sq. km with around 26mn cubic meters of oil-contaminated soil.

Part of this remediation work is managed by KAK-LAMOR JV/C, a joint venture between Kuwaiti EPC contractors Khaled Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers Co. and Finnish remediation specialists Lamor. KAK-LAMOR JV/C are undertaking two remediation projects, one in northern Kuwait, and another in southern Kuwait which together account for around one quarter of the contaminated area. More than eight million tonnes of soil have been cleaned through washing and bioremediation as part of KAK-LAMOR JV/C’s clean-up efforts.

CDE, a leader in wet processing solutions, was appointed by KAK-LAMOR JV/C to supply two soil washing plants to support soil remediation efforts, one each in north and south Kuwait, in conjunction with its local partner Gulf Center United Industrial Equipment Co. Both facilities are now operational, with a capacity ranging from 50-100 tonnes per hour (tph) depending on the fines content of the feed material.

As the material is very diverse and has varying age particle size distribution (PSD), both soil washing and bioremediation are being used in this project. While the majority of the material will be processed through bioremediation, soil washing is preferential for soils with greater than 5% level of contamination.

Soil washing offers a highly efficient remediation strategy. It can provide a throughput of up to 250 tph in one line which ensures fast treatment times and makes it ideal for large volumes, while the plant’s compact footprint minimises land use. Since washing preserves the biological structure of the soil, treated soils remain biologically intact and suitable for recultivation. Soil washing also scores highly on ESG metrics thanks to its material recovery and reduced environmental liabilities. It is also easily integrated with treatments such as bioremediation or thermal desorption units (TDU), when needed as part of a treatment train. In the northern facility, the washed soil has an average clean output of <1%, which is then on some occasions processed by bioremediation.

Darren Eastwood, business development director at CDE commented, “The significance of this project cannot be understated. This program, the largest of its kind, aims to remediate and restore the affected areas, focusing on both environmental and socio-economic rehabilitation. The comprehensive approach of KERP includes cleaning, remediating, and revegetating the impacted zones to restore ecological balance and support the well-being of future generations.

“We have significant experience with this type of material which can be challenging to process, but we have a track record for successfully transforming this matter into valuable products which can be repurposed. And we can already see from the success of this project that washing works and is delivering the results we need. This cleanup effort is not just about restoring the land, it has major health and social implications, ensuring safer environments for communities and supporting Kuwait’s long-term sustainability goals.”

Completion of this project will offer significant opportunity in Kuwait, with recultivation projects already underway, and the Kuwaiti government plans to grow trees and introduce animals back to the area.

It is expected these sections of the soil remediation project will be completed in early 2026.

Rahul Misra, SVP & managing director, MEA at IFS. (image source: IFS)

IFS, a leading provider of enterprise cloud and Industrial AI software, is holding IFS Connect Middle East & Africa 2025, its customer and partner event in Saudi Arabia this year, underlining the scope for industrial AI solutions to contribute to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy

With the theme “Powering Vision 2030: Industry-Centric Innovation for National Transformation”, the event, taking place on 10 September at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, will showcase how IFS’s industrial solutions & Industrial AI are enabling organisations in the region achieve tangible business outcomes and accelerate their contribution to national visions.

IFS Connect MEA will spotlight the company’s Industrial AI strategy and platforms, including IFS.ai, Nexus Black, and the recent acquisitions of TheLoops and 7bridges - designed to deliver predictive intelligence, closed-loop automation, and real-time decision-making for asset- and service-centric industries.

Rahul Misra, SVP & managing director, MEA at IFS said, “Saudi Arabia is a priority market for IFS, representing a rare convergence of scale, ambition, and urgency, a combination that perfectly aligns with IFS’s strengths in enterprise software and industrial AI. From giga projects to local upskilling, IFS Connect MEA will highlight how IFS technologies directly contribute to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and wider regional transformation.”

IFS, which opened its regional headquarters in Riyadh in Q2 2024, also announced the appointment of Mohammed Sa’adeh as country sales leader in Saudi Arabia. 

Mark Moffat, CEO of IFS, will deliver the keynote session, outlining the company’s strategic commitment to the Middle East through sustained investment, talent development, and partnerships.

The exhibition hall will feature industry co-innovations, solution accelerators, and live demos, alongside five breakout sessions tackling sector-specific opportunities in Manufacturing, Energy, Utilities & Resources (EUR), Telecommunications, Service Industries and Aerospace & Defence (A&D).

The agreement signing. (Image source: OQ)

Energy ties between Oman and Iraq are set to strengthen with the signature of two MoUs between OQ, Oman’s global energy investment group, with Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), the federal oil marketing arm of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil

The first MoU establishes a long-term partnership to develop and operate an integrated crude oil storage project with state-of-the-art infrastructure for storage, loading and unloading at Ras Markaz in Duqm. It will have an initial capacity of 10 million barrels with the potential for expansion.

The second MoU enables OQ Trading to market Iraqi crude in international markets.

By developing modern storage facilities and expanding crude trading capabilities, the two countries aim to maximise value, stimulate cross-border investment, and reinforce their positions as vital hubs in global energy trade.

Eng. Salem bin Marhoon Al Hashmi, Managing Director of Oman Tank Terminal Company (OTTCO), highlighted that since commencing operations at Ras Markaz in 2023, OTTCO has handled more than 300 million barrels of crude oil. The terminal is strategically located outside the Strait of Hormuz, offering international companies large-scale and flexible storage solutions and positioning Oman at the forefront of global energy logistics.

OTTCO operates the products export terminal at Duqm Port, part of the Duqm Refinery (OQ8), and is advancing into clean energy infrastructure through global partnerships in ammonia and green hydrogen, in line with Oman Vision 2040 objectives and the shift toward low-carbon energy.

Wail bin Zuhair Al Jamali, chief executive officer of OQ Trading, said, “This collaboration opens a new platform to reshape the region’s oil trading landscape. At OQ Trading, our global network and deep expertise in complex trading operations enable us to forge innovative alliances that strengthen Oman’s role as a hub for trade and investment.”

The two agreements additionally pave the way for knowledge exchange between OQ and SOMO, foster bilateral investment, and create new jobs across both the public and private sectors.