The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Middle East railway projects..[ 4920 ]


Europe cashing in on Middle East railway projects

TAKESHI KUMON, Nikkei staff writer
 November , 2014
DUBAI -- The Middle East is going on a railway-building spree, and the world's biggest makers want in.
     Railway car and facility providers from Europe, which have strong historical ties with the Middle East, are leading the race to capitalize on the boom. Chinese makers are also gradually gaining ground in the region. Japanese companies continue to lag.
     At stake are contracts related to mammoth railway projects in the Middle East and North Africa estimated to total $300 billion.
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International interest
Qatar, which is to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will soon select contractors for the Doha Metro project. Consisting of four lines, the metro will cover the Greater Doha area and play a central role in efforts to develop an urban transport network ahead of the sporting event. A consortium of Japanese companies that includes trading giant Mitsubishi Corp. is competing for related contracts.
     In Saudi Arabia, urban railway projects are underway in Riyadh, the capital, and Mecca. Intercity railways are also being built, including a line between Riyadh and Dammam, a city along Saudi Arabia's Persian Gulf coast, and another running from Qatar's capital to its border with Saudi Arabia.
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Market domination
A railway will also be built on a planned second bridge between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia at a total cost of $5 billion.
     The region's market for railway equipment has been dominated by leading European producers of railway cars and facilities. These include Alstom of France and Siemens of Germany, each of which is leading a consortium that won contracts for separate lines of the Riyadh Metro.
     Alstom has become the Middle East's largest railway contractor in terms of the total value of contracts for ongoing projects. Siemens is ranked second, excluding local businesses.
     In Arabian Peninsula nations, European consulting companies are often involved in railway projects from the planning stage, giving European contractors a competitive advantage.
     But Chinese players are starting to catch up, as their expanded operations have made their prices increasingly competitive. CSR has bagged a contract to supply cars for the United Arab Emirates' Etihad Rail, and a major Chinese construction company has clinched a deal to build a monorail in Mecca.
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Continued growth
Despite their advanced railway technology, Japanese companies have not done so well. A consortium that includes Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Obayashi and Kajima won a contract for the Dubai Metro; the deal is one of Japan Inc.'s only high-profile victories in the region. Some analysts say this is because Japanese rail companies tend to prioritize closer-to-home Asian markets.
     Ed James, a researcher for MEED, a Middle Eastern economic magazine, said countries in the region along with those in North Africa are keen to develop railway networks as their economies continue growing.
     The UAE has already started building a railway that will traverse the country, and there is a plan to connect the long-distance railways of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
     The GCC railway project calls for the construction of a rail network with a total length of 2,000km at a cost of more than $100 billion.

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