Sanad said in a statement that the agreement deepens collaboration with Rolls-Royce on the Trent 700 engine family and extends their existing partnership through 2031. The deal covers an expanded scope of work that includes up to 612 engine shop visits while enhancing service delivery for operators of Airbus A330 aircraft powered by the Trent 700. The company noted that the arrangement leverages its facilities in Abu Dhabi to support a global customer base with comprehensive maintenance repair and overhaul services.
A Sanad press release distributed via the Emirates News Agency reported that the partnership dates to 2012 and has already seen more than 300 Trent 700 engines serviced on behalf of over 25 global operators. The latest agreement builds directly on that foundation by increasing Sanad’s role in the engine’s aftermarket support network. Rolls-Royce selected the Abu Dhabi firm for the expanded mandate following years of successful joint operations at the state-of-the-art facility near Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The statement from Sanad positioned the company as the largest independent Trent 700 MRO provider entrusted by Rolls-Royce under the new terms. This status will allow Sanad to handle a greater volume of overhauls while maintaining strict compliance with manufacturer specifications. Officials indicated the move strengthens regional capabilities in the Middle East for widebody engine maintenance at a time when fleet utilisation continues to rise.
Rolls-Royce data shows the Trent 700 has accumulated more than 60 million flight hours since entering service and now powers more than 70 percent of A330 operations across the Middle East. The engine family equips a substantial share of the global A330 fleet with an average on-wing time exceeding 40,000 hours before shop visits. Such performance metrics have made the Trent 700 a preferred choice for carriers seeking reliability on long-haul routes.
Mordor Intelligence figures place the Middle East aircraft MRO market at 10.55 billion dollars in 2026 with growth forecast at a compound annual rate of 4.82 percent through 2031 when it is expected to reach 13.35 billion dollars. Fleet expansion by GCC carriers and ongoing demand for engine services underpin the projection with independent providers scaling capacity faster than captive airline facilities. Sanad’s increased involvement in Trent 700 work contributes to that expansion by adding specialised shop capacity in a key logistics hub.
Earlier cooperation between the two companies included a 2019 arrangement that established Sanad Aerotech as an authorised maintenance centre and a subsequent 2021 contract valued at 6.5 billion dollars for Trent 700 overhauls. The current extension continues that trajectory by committing additional shop visits through the end of the decade. Industry observers anticipate the added capacity will help reduce turnaround times for operators while supporting sustained growth in regional aviation activity.
