It is with a degree of embarrassment that I admit I somehow managed to get lost in Bahrain. Bahrain is by no means a big country. In fact, at about 750 square kilometres, not only is it one of the smallest island nations in the world, but it also appears humorously small when you contrast it with its closest neighbour, the giant Saudi Arabia, where the land area of a single airport built 20 years ago is bigger than the entire country of Bahrain.
As you may imagine, there aren't many places to go to here and even fewer places to get lost in. Hence you might understand my dismay to find that, despite being a native of this island, I managed to misplace myself without even trying. A fleeting moment of daydreaming while driving is all it took to throw me off course. I took a right instead of a left, and suddenly I was at the mercy of monster freight lorries and armoured bulldozers.
I've always had a secret fascination with industrial zones. There is a certain charm in the imposing stature of the largest structures created by mankind and the rhythmic flow of monolithic heavy industry. Factories, refineries and ports, with their steel structure, bright lights and thick towering chimneys are a testament to how far we have come, innovated and created.
Logistics, assembly lines and workforce: I thought of these intriguing relevant terms as I drove through this industrial zone which is neatly tucked in the somewhat secluded but conveniently reachable Hidd area located south of Bahrain's second largest city, Muharraq.
Just a week into this year, Bahrain's Economic Development Board announced the inauguration of the new Salman Industrial City. This new zone had already attracted US$3.5 billion (Dh12.85bn) in investment, and is estimated to reach $8bn once its various projects are completed. For a country the size of Bahrain, these projects are impressive due to their relative magnitude.
The Bahrain International Investment Park offers 240 hectares for manufacturing and international services. The Bahrain Investment Wharf consists of 170ha of warehousing and logistics projects, and even includes residential zones for employees. The Hidd Industrial Area compromises 650ha with various industrial investments (such as the Hidd Power Company, which supplies 75 per cent of Bahrain's clean water requirements, and a newly planned integrated steel complex).
As I continued down the road to these projects, it was easy to see how the vision of Salman Industrial City will become a reality. The potential for new development is tremendous.
It seems to me that going back to traditional industries is a fitting end to a decade that started with the dot-com bubble, which by 2001 was deflating at full speed. Those who were burnt by the bust of the technology and internet sectors sought more traditional forms of investment, and so the housing bubble formed in the US. By 2005, housing prices had peaked. As of today, they may not yet have hit bottom.
And so we came to the subprime mortgage crisis, which crippled the financial markets and exposed pervasive weaknesses in financial industry regulation and the global financial system.
Perhaps, then, now is the right time to go back to basics and build the right foundations for the next great economic cycle. After all, the basis of the contemporary civilisation in which we live today can be directly traced back to the industrial revolution in the UK. The profound socioeconomic and cultural effects subsequently spread throughout the rest of the world, and so began an era of unprecedented capital growth.
This is not to suggest that Bahrain by itself is to usher in a new era of global economic development, but these little steps carried out by a small Gulf country are exactly what is needed to revitalise the region and incrementally rebuild the economy.
These plans and achievements in Bahrain are more interesting when considered in combination with several other key facts. One month before launching the Salman Industrial City, the king of Bahrain officially opened the Khalifa bin Salman Port, which is adjacent to the industrial zone and five minutes away from the international airport. While the port has been operational since April last year, the announcement's timeliness is not a coincidence.
There is a bigger plan here, and this co-ordinated launch of industrial projects comes after years of corresponding smaller steps. Yet greater proposals are in the pipeline, ranging from the expansion of both the main aluminium and petrochemical companies, Aluminium Bahrain and Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company, to building a causeway to Qatar and plans for a new port and international airport.
Bahrain has over the past few years marketed itself as a financial hub, flirted with massive developments and pushed for tourism and commerce, all to varying but not notable levels of success. But I believe this opportune local industrial revolution could be more successful than all past efforts combined.
I pondered these thoughts, and more, as I dodged a cement mixer and made for the nearest U-turn. In my mind, I imagined a day when the car I drive would be manufactured locally in a Bahraini factory at Salman Industrial City.
A Bahraini car, perhaps even with a built-in navigation system, so I never lose my way again.
@Email:business@thenational.ae
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
