Milaha, which is planning to modernise its fleet, particularly offshore vessels, has laid out plans to strengthen its presence in Kuwait and Iraq, deepen trade flows between Asia and the Middle East, explore new trade opportunities in East and North Africa, and selectively expand operations in Saudi Arabia and the UAE."Milaha’s strategy is firmly focused on strengthening its position as a leading maritime and logistics group through disciplined growth, long-term value creation, and operational resilience," its chairman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, told shareholders at the annual general assembly, which approved cash dividend of 45% of the nominal share value, equivalent to QR 0.45 per share and appointing KPMG as Auditors for 2026.He emphasised the company's continued investment in strategic assets, fleet modernisation, and integrated service capabilities, enabling Milaha to respond effectively to evolving market demands."For the energy platform, we plan to continue our investment programme in 2026, particularly in offshore vessels, driven by strong demand for long-term production expansion," said the board of directors' report.Milaha’s strategic outlook is strongly aligned with national priorities and focuses on long-term platform growth, the report added.For the trade platform, Milaha said its goal is to expand beyond Qatar by targeting regional and adjacent markets."Our priorities include strengthening our presence in the upper Gulf region (Iraq, Kuwait), deepening trade flows between Asia and the Middle East, exploring new trade opportunities in East Africa and North Africa, and selectively expanding operations in Saudi Arabia and the UAE," it said.The report said the company would also continue to develop industry-specific solutions, such as pharmaceutical logistics, alongside synchronised end-to-end multimodal offerings for major strategic clients in other industries."As we enter 2026, our focus will center on strengthening execution efficiency and completing awarded projects in line with approved schedules, while continuing the modernisation of the fleet and the expansion of operational capabilities," Fahad Saad al-Qahtani, Group chief executive officer said in the report.These "strategic priorities", according to him, would enhance the company's readiness for sustainable growth and reinforce its role in supporting Qatar’s national development trajectory.Highlighting that digital transformation represents a core strategic pillar of its institutional direction; he said, "We have accelerated the adoption of advanced digital solutions and artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled technologies to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen our ability to respond effectively to customer requirements."In parallel, Milaha has continued its disciplined investment in fleet modernisation and strict adherence to recognised environmental standards and best practices, in support of achieving long-term corporate sustainability objectives and reinforcing the responsibility towards the environment and society, he said.Within an increasingly dynamic and rapidly evolving business environment, Milaha has demonstrated a high level of organisational resilience and operational efficiency through the adoption of a disciplined approach to resource reallocation, enhanced asset allocation efficiency, and adherence to a well-considered, risk-based investment strategy, he said."These practices have contributed to mitigating the impact of volatility and reinforcing the sustainability of performance, in alignment with the principles of sound governance and the creation of long-term value," he added.As part of efforts to strengthen its competitive position and consolidate its strategic standing, Milaha has focused on establishing a portfolio of high-quality, long-term strategic partnerships, according to him.Milaha had in 2025 entered into a comprehensive, five-year strategic partnership with Qatar Airways Group in the field of logistics services, aimed at enhancing supply chain integration and improving operational efficiency.It also developed a collaborative partnership with Fincantieri in maritime services and technology, with a focus on knowledge exchange and the adoption of international best practices.Milaha had also signed a memorandum of understanding with NEXX and KEC to develop advanced, AI-enabled logistics solutions, supporting innovation and digital transformation.

Lebanon’s premier said his government can overcome differences with the International Monetary Fund over a proposed law that would let depositors recover billions of dollars trapped in the country’s beleaguered banking sector.The IMF “want more clarifications on a number of matters,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Bloomberg in an interview. “In my view, any observations and remarks constitute a gap that can be bridged.”Salam’s administration in December advanced the so-called financial gap law that allows depositors to reclaim as much as $100,000 each over the next four years, with larger sums being converted into bonds backed by the central bank’s assets. Cash payouts will be financed by local lenders and the regulator.The IMF, which is in talks with Lebanon on a loan program, is looking for a series of government measures before it will commit financing, prominent among them a restructuring of banks and the repaying of depositors.The Middle Eastern nation defaulted on about $30bn of international bonds in 2020 amid its worst economic crisis since the 19th-century, and investors see cooperation with the IMF as crucial to a turnaround.In the years prior, Lebanese lenders parked large sums of dollars at the central bank — Banque du Liban, or BDL. That unraveled in 2019 as foreign inflows dried up and the currency peg to the dollar collapsed. BDL couldn’t repay banks an estimated $80bn, leaving the two sides locked in a standoff and people lost their life savings.The IMF is “not fully satisfied” with the “language on the hierarchy of claims” in the draft law, which is soon to be reviewed by a parliamentary committee, Salam said in an interview at the Munich Security Conference.“It also has to do with the capacity to pay and the capacity to pay has to do with debt sustainability,” said Salam. “They want to make sure we have enough liquidity to live up to our commitments.”The legal hierarchy of claims suggests that losses should be absorbed by shareholders of local banks first, then creditors and depositors. The current draft law requires banks and BDL to share the burden of repaying small and large depositors.The IMF said the draft regulation should be aligned “with international principles, including to ensure that the hierarchy of claims will be respected and no losses would be allocated to depositors before they are allocated to shareholders or junior creditors.”BDL currently has $11.9bn in foreign-currency reserves and an estimated $45.8bn of gold holdings.A former president of the International Court of Justice, Salam quit about a year ago to head Lebanon’s government. The IMF concluded a four-day visit to Beirut on Friday, according to the premier, who said he met the delegation before traveling to Germany.Salam said BDL also claims the government owes $16.5bn but there isn’t yet an agreement on denomination and thus the exact amount of that debt. If approved, this could impact debt-sustainability levels.“It has a dimension that has to do with the IMF and we cleared it that we will also negotiate with them,” Salam said. “Hopefully in a matter of weeks we will have a figure agreed upon.”