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AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION MARCH 2026 • VOLUME 20, ISSUE 03 In p a rt n e rs h ip w it h J o h n s o n A ra b ia SMART LIFTING Johnson Arabia’s leadership team is driving safety, capability, and innovation PMV_Mar2026_00_Cover_13857886.indd 106/03/2026 16:44plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / Vehicles EDITOR’S LETTER March 2026 | 3 Scaling up capacity Ryan Harmon Editor, PMV Across the Middle East, construction activity is entering a phase deﬁ ned by unprecedented scale. Major infrastructure, industrial and urban developments are advancing simultaneously across the region, reshaping how contractors deploy equipment, manage ﬂ eets and plan project delivery in increasingly complex construction environments. Our cover story explores how Johnson Arabia has positioned itself within this evolving landscape. As lifting operations become more technical and safety requirements intensify, engineering planning, ﬂ eet capability and operational discipline are becoming central to modern lifting solutions. The same dynamics are inﬂ uencing ﬂ eet strategy across the market, with contractors balancing owned equipment with ﬂ exible rental capacity. That growing demand for scalable machinery support is reﬂ ected in our Rental Power List, highlighting the companies helping power the region’s expanding construction pipeline. THE MULTI-ENERGY TRUCK STRATEGY IVECO expands its multi-energy truck portfolio and regional service network as ﬂ eet requirements diverge across EMEA markets. PAGE 18 SMART LIFTING Johnson Arabia’s Leadership Team is driving safety capability and innovation. PAGE 30 THE GIGA-PROJECT FLEET SHIFT Saudi and UAE megaprojects expose crane skills gap. PAGE 36 THE 40M FLEET CALCULATION Ultra-high reach access and the limits of ﬂ eet economics in the gulf. PAGE 38 MUST READ IN THIS ISSUE PMV_Mar2026_3_Editor Letter_13856424.indd 306/03/2026 17:41plantmachineryvehicles.com4 | March 2026Plant / Machinery / Vehicles CONTENTS 14 Inside The PMV Show Dubai brought together machinery, access and ﬂ eet technology leaders to discuss telematics, automation and safety 22 The GCC Rental Power List The companies shaping ﬂ eet capacity, equipment access and project delivery across the Gulf 30 Smart lifting Johnson Arabia is strengthening technical planning, ﬂ eet capability and safety systems to support complex projects across the Gulf 22 14 PMV_Mar2026_4-5_Contents_13856425.indd 406/03/2026 17:42plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / VehiclesMarch 2026 | 5 36 The lifting workforce challenge Megaproject pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are exposing workforce bottlenecks in lifting operations 38 The new logic of ﬂ eet strategy Parallel mega developments are encouraging hybrid ﬂ eet structures combining ownership, rental and redeployment 44 Why the GCC still runs on trucks Even as rail and ports expand, long-haul trucking remains the backbone of regional supply chains 38 30 36 44 PMV_Mar2026_4-5_Contents_13856425.indd 506/03/2026 17:42plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / Vehicles6 | March 2026 PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 www.itp.com Offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Mumbai, Riyadh & Geneva ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi Managing Director Martin Chambers Head of Business and Technology Thomas Shambler EDITORIAL Group Editor Thomas Mackie Group Editor Ryan Harmon ryan.harmon@itp.com +971 4 444 3521 Associate Editor Manuela Vergel manuela.vergel@itp.com +971 4 444 3816 Features Writer Nathan Baker nathan.baker@itp.com +971 4 444 3522 Commercial Editor Angitha Pradeep angitha.pradeep@itp.com +971 4 444 3278 ART Art Director Amjad Ayche Art Editor Tofiq Memon ADVERTISING Group Commercial Director Anup Nagpurkar anup.nagpurkar@itp.com +971 4 444 3573 Senior Commercial Manager Moeez Ali moeez.ali@itp.com +971 4 444 3497 PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Video Editor Liju Cheruvathur MARKETING Head of Events: Eleanor Ashton eleanor.ashton@itp.com Senior Events Manager: Kate Galaktionova Events Manager: Gavin Moeketsi Associate Events Manager: Vrinali Nazareth Associate Events Manager: Maria Trishina Event Sales Executive: Jan Mokoala Events Sales Assistant: Joyce Salonga Events Administrative Assistant: Bobbie Rosario PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Senior Production & Distribution Manager Balasubramanian P Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira ITP GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. To ﬂ ip through previous editions of Plant Machinery Vehicles Middle East magazine, visit plantmachineryvehicles.com/emagazines/digital-magazine Plant / Machinery / Vehicles PUBLISHED BY AND © 2026 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC. PMV_Mar2026_6_Flannel_13856426.indd 606/03/2026 17:43NEWS plantmachineryvehicles.com8 | March 2026Plant / Machinery / Vehicles WERIDE CONFIRMS 1,200 ROBOTAXI ROLLOUT ACROSS GULF CITIES Guangzhou based autonomous driving technology company WeRide has conﬁ rmed plans to deploy around 1,200 robotaxis across the Middle East, covering operations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh. The company said the rollout is scheduled to conclude by 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and operational benchmarks in each market. The deployment expands WeRide’s existing regional footprint, which currently includes more than 200 robotaxis in service. The vehicles will be accessible through the Uber app in all three cities, integrating autonomous services into the platform’s standard booking interface. WeRide conﬁ rmed that the rollout follows existing commercial robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi and ongoing passenger services in Dubai and Riyadh. The company described the programme as its largest commercial robotaxi commitment in the Middle East and North Africa. It said that ﬂ eet growth will proceed in phases, with vehicle numbers increasing as regulatory permissions are secured and performance thresholds are achieved. DUBAI PILOT OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN COASTAL DISTRICTS In Dubai, WeRide’s robotaxis are currently operating in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, two densely traffi cked coastal districts near major public beaches. The service remains in a pilot phase and includes a trained specialist driver seated in the vehicle during all journeys. The presence of an onboard driver is intended to ensure operational oversight while autonomous systems are evaluated under real world traffi c conditions. The Dubai deployment follows an announcement made in December by Roads and Transport Authority, conﬁ rming that WeRide’s robotaxis had been made available on the Uber app. The authority approved the initial service areas after technical assessments covering vehicle performance, safety protocols, and system reliability. Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority, stated that the service “is currently operating with a specialist driver on board to ensure a safe and reliable experience, paving the way for a fully driverless service in 2026.” WeRide plans to deploy 1,200 robotaxis across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh by 2027, with services available via the Uber app PMV_Mar2026_8-11_News_13860524.indd 806/03/2026 17:45NEWS plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / VehiclesMarch 2026 | 9 FIRST PHASE OF DUBAI LOOP PROJECT TO START IMMEDIATELY The ﬁ rst phase of the Dubai Loop project, an underground high speed transport network to be built by The Boring Company, will begin immediately, according to a UAE offi cial. The project forms part of a planned underground corridor designed to move passengers across central parts of Dubai using electric vehicles operating in dedicated tunnels. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, conﬁ rmed that the ﬁ rst construction works are scheduled to commence without delay. He said the overall Dubai Loop scheme will be delivered within a two- year timeframe once construction activity is fully mobilised. PROJECT SCOPE AND COST STRUCTURE Al Tayer said the Dubai Loop will cover a total length of 24 kilometres across the emirate, with an estimated overall cost of nearly 2.5 billion dirhams, equivalent to approximately $680.81 million. The initial phase will span six kilometres and is budgeted at 600 million AED. The underground system will be constructed in phases, with the ﬁ rst phase forming the foundation for subsequent route extensions. Alignment and station locations are to be determined by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Electric vehicles operating within the system are designed to reach speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour. This network is intended to provide point to point underground travel, with vehicles running on a closed loop system separated from surface road traffi c. DELIVERY TIMELINE AND OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS The RTA will oversee project execution, including regulatory approvals, integration with existing transport networks, and operational planning. The design is due to allow for continuous movement of vehicles through dedicated tunnels. No passenger capacity ﬁ gures or operating schedules have yet been disclosed. Al Tayer did not provide details on the number of vehicles to be deployed during the ﬁ rst phase or on future phase expansions beyond the initial 24-kilometre plan. Elon Musk, Tesla and Boring Company CEO, ﬁ rst announced the project via satellite during a panel discussion at the 2025 World Governments Summit in Dubai. He said: “I think once people try it out, they’ll be like wow this is really cool. It’ll seem so obvious in retrospect.” Dubai Loop ﬁ rst phase will start immediately, covering six kilometres at a cost of 600 million AED, with full completion planned within two years PMV_Mar2026_8-11_News_13860524.indd 906/03/2026 17:45Next >