EYE ON THE BALL

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* Italian multi-stage flash specialist Fisia Italimpianti enjoyed a stunning month in May, netting two projects – the Ras Abu Fontas A phase 1 in Qatar and the Jebel Ali M Station extension on the same day (see story p24).

* Italy’s triumph was Korea’s gloom. Doosan, which dominated the large-scale thermal desalination market in 2005 with a market share of nearly 70%, has not only been losing ground to Fisia, it has also seen Veolia’s Sidem subsidiary carve a chunk out of the thermal desalination market with its multi-effect distillation technology. With the bids in for the Fujairah 2 project in the UAE, Sidem looks well placed to continue its winning streak in the Gulf power and water market (see story p23), leaving Doosan looking empty-handed.

* In fact, Doosan is starting to look more like a membrane desalter. The only major desal project it has signed since January is the Shoaiba reverse osmosis extension (it is also EPC contractor for Barka 2, with Degrémont supplying the technology). Rumour has it that the Korean company is negotiating to step into ITT’s shoes, after the latter pulled out of the Port Qasim project in Pakistan (see story p31). ITT’s decision to pull out of Port Qasim would seem to confirm the US giant’s luke-warm attitude towards desalination (see GWI November 2006 p22).