Growth in Marine Coatings
The Middle East zinc oxide industry is witnessing sustained growth, owing to growing consumption of advanced marine coatings in coastal countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. The proximity of the region to important shipping channels like the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea Route ensures one of the busiest maritime business corridors in the world. Zinc oxide finds widespread application in marine coatings on account of its excellent corrosion resistance, ultraviolet light resistance, and fouling support characteristics. Such coatings help protect ships and offshore installations that are subjected to extremely saline and hot environments.
The UAE has been driving the demand for marine coatings, as witnessed by Jebel Ali port processing over 14 million TEUs per year, and continues to develop logistics capabilities. Marine coating systems incorporating zinc oxide have become increasingly popular among ship repair, offshore facilities, and oil terminal operators in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to increase their lifespan and maintenance cycle times. Similarly, investments in marine transportation in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030, including the development of new ports in the Red Sea coast, has resulted in rising demand for corrosion-resistant coatings. The growing number of offshore oil platforms and desalination plants in Saudi Arabia will further drive the use of zinc oxide in marine applications.
In addition, market growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states of Oman and Qatar is fueled by port construction and LNG export facilities. The construction of the Duqm port in Oman and the expansion of the North Field natural gas facility in Qatar has resulted in increased demand for marine coatings to protect equipment and offshore facilities from deterioration. Given that harsh climatic conditions in the Middle East, such as heat, sand, and saltwater exposure, contribute to accelerated coating wear, zinc oxide has become steadly growing market in the region.
Increasing Healthcare Infrastructure
The Middle East zinc oxide market is also experiencing growth on account of growing investments made by governments of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations as well as other regional economies like Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq in developing healthcare infrastructures. Hospitals, specialty clinics, pharmaceutical production facilities, and medical tourism hubs have been set up in large numbers. Zinc oxide has several applications in the healthcare industry due to its antimicrobial, soothing, and protective nature. This material can be found in dermatological creams, wound healing products, antiseptic ointments, and medical coatings among others. Increased healthcare spending in the region is driving the demand for zinc oxide-based products.
Saudi Arabia is a major investor in the healthcare industry and is witnessing constant growth in its hospital network owing to the Vision 2030 plan. Healthcare mega projects being developed in Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM are driving demand for advanced medical products such as zinc oxide-based topical solutions and disinfectants. In the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are emerging as major medical tourism destinations and thus driving the demand for high-quality skincare and pharmaceutical-grade creams and medical products which contain zinc oxide.
Other nations such as Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait are adopting a more modernized approach to their healthcare systems through public-private partnerships and new hospital projects. Egypt, which has a massive population base of more than 100 million people, is producing and importing more pharmaceutical ointments and hygiene products with zinc oxide. The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Jordan is growing its export business within the Middle East and Africa. With the increase in awareness about hygiene, protecting skin from infections, and infections in the Middle Eastern region, zinc oxide finds itself more commonly used in the field of medicine and healthcare.
