GCC 2023

This section includes:

UAE - Economic indicators 

UAE - National holidays  

UAE - Energy Prices 

UAE - Output 

UAE - Long-lead equipment (LLE) and Supply Chain narrative  

UAE - Macroeconomic overview 

UAE - Economic indicators

UAE - National holidays

UAE - Energy Prices

UAE - Output

UAE - Long-lead equipment (LLE) and Supply Chain narrative 

2022 was a turbulent year for the global supply chain with the fallout from the global pandemic combined with the emergence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leading to supply chain disruptions across the globe. However, 2023 is showing signs of relief in the market for long lead equipment (LLE). The following are the specifics of the LLE supply chain dynamic:​

1. Demand: Demand for LLE has remained exceptionally high across all regions and industry sectors. Organizations have moved to expand their supply chain portfolios and include secondary and tertiary suppliers, whilst most are continuing to invest in inventory management systems to prevent any supply chain disruptions. There is no sign of reduced demand, so the constraints to the supply chain will continue for the remainder of 2023. 
2. Supply: The stock levels of raw materials finally started to stabilize, alleviating some recent pressures on manufacturers and suppliers. However, it is worth noting that most LLE suppliers have reported being at operational capacity, with order books full up to Q3 2024, which may cause some concern for those relying on their products. Nevertheless, there is some hope as Tier 2 and Tier 3 supply chains have started to increase their capacity and support the larger demand within the market, which may help to mitigate any negative impact of capacity restrictions. ​
3. Freight durations and costs: Freight durations have begun to shorten in early 2023 as the global infrastructure and operations have developed to meet the rising demand and freight companies are shipping much faster than they did during the pandemic. Average freight costs have also reduced to align with pre-pandemic levels suggesting a return to normality within the industry. The benefits have been experienced in early 2023 and further reductions are expected throughout the rest of 2023.