Neom Project
NEOM is a futuristic mega-project in northwest Saudi Arabia, launched on 24 October 2017 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030, intended to transform the Red Sea coast into a high-tech, sustainable urban region powered by 100 % renewable energy and diversify the economy beyond oil. It originally encompassed multiple integrated developments, including The Line (a linear, car-free city), Trojena (a mountain resort), Oxagon (an industrial hub), Sindalah (a luxury island destination) and other tourist and residential zones, across more than 26 500 km².
Recent news (early 2026): Saudi authorities are significantly scaling back NEOM’s original ambitions after years of cost overruns and construction delays, with plans to redesign and reduce the size of flagship elements like The Line and focus on economically viable segments such as digital infrastructure and AI/data centres; this reassessment follows a strategic review launched in 2025 and was reported in late January 2026.
In parallel, NEOM continues to pursue partnerships and sector initiatives, such as agreements signed in January 2026to strengthen gaming startups and accelerate industrial transformation, showing that while scaled back, the project remains active in strategic diversification efforts.
Summary: NEOM remains one of the world’s most ambitious urban development projects, but in 2026 its scope is being reevaluated and reduced, shifting toward more sustainable and economically focused components while retaining its identity as a visionary future city.
ISO Approves New Environmental Performance Standard For Large Yachts
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has formally approved ISO/TS 23099, a new standardisation project inspired by the Water Revolution Foundation’s Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI).
With input from leading yacht builders, naval architects, technical experts, research institutes and classification societies, the Technical Specification aims to establish a robust and practical method to assess and compare the environmental performance of yachts greater than 30 metres in length.
Hanna Dąbrowska, technical director at Water Revolution Foundation, explains: “The method benchmarks yachts through a fixed median values operational profile that was statistically found of 10 per cent cruising, 34 per cent at anchor and 56 per cent in port, which is fundamentally different from that of commercial shipping. The result is indicated through a score against a reference line of central tendency of scores in different gross tonnage (volume) categories.”
