News

Expo 2020 unveils 47 contracts worth $3bn for 2017

The team responsible for the delivery of Expo 2020 Dubai has revealed plans to award 47 construction contracts, worth a total of $3bn (AED11bn), in 2017.

A further 98 non-construction contracts, totalling $98m (AED360m), will also be awarded before the end of the year.Contracts awarded this year, which are open to local, regional and international businesses, include the third and final infrastructure package for the event’s support areas.Other key contracts for 2017 will include the construction of three thematic districts which, in addition to hosting the majority of the event’s pavilions, will accommodate public areas and the design, development, and delivery of all temporary architecture and infrastructure required for the World’s Fair.

In addition to confirming that there will be billions of dollars’ worth of contracts up for grabs in 2017, the Expo 2020 team revealed details of a major recently sealed deal. In late 2016, an Orascom-Besix joint venture (JV) was awarded the contract to develop deep infrastructure for the Expo 2020 site in Dubai South. The scope of the JV’s infrastructure package will include irrigation and sewerage, pipes and cabling, roads, electrical and water, and telecoms ducting. Ultimately, the 4.38km2 site will be capable of hosting up to 300,000 visitors per day.

Kuwait to spend $15.6bn on infrastructure

Kuwait plans to spend $15.6bn on infrastructure and projects in fiscal year 2017-2018, local media reported.

According to Arabic newspaper Al Anba, the private sector is expected to contribute 16.9% of the spend on projects across the housing, transport, electricity, ports, aviation, telecommunications and renewable energy sectors. Dr Khaled Mahdi, the secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development was quoted as saying that the government will contribute 49.3% of the investments.

Top 10 GCC contract wins - March 2017

1. Shapoorji Pallonji appointed as main contractor for Dubai's Cayan Cantara  Shapoorji Pallonji International has been picked as main contractor for Dubai's Cayan Cantara development, a twin-tower project comprising residential and hospitality components.Site excavation works have been completed, and construction work on the project is due to commence shortly.Up to 60% of the project's residential units have been sold already, with the overall development expected to comprise 700 units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments and penthouses.

2. Saudi Aramco awards Saipem $1bn E&C contracts  Italian oil and gas contractor, Saipem has been awarded new contracts and change orders in the E&C offshore segment by Saudi Aramco for $1bn (SAR3.75bn).In particular, the most significant are the notification of award by Saudi Aramco of two EPIC contracts (engineering, procurement, installation, construction), under the long term agreement in force and renewed in 2015 until 2021 for activities in the country.

3. Qatar: GE wins seven substation contracts from L&T    GE Energy Connections said one of its units has won a contract from India-based Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to support seven 66/11kV substations at Lusail City mega-development in Doha, Qatar.GE's Grid Solutions business will be providing both the main relays marking the exclusive provision of all protection equipment for the substations.In addition, more than 400 protection panels and the full DS Agile substation automation system for the seven substations are provided by Grid Solutions.

4. Becon Construction bags Bloom Heights enabling contract  Bloom Properties has appointed Becon Construction to execute the enabling works at Bloom Heights, a mixed-use project in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) in Dubai.The developer has begun enabling works on the project, which is scheduled for completion in February 2017.Bloom Heights will comprise two high-rise towers linked internally across four podium levels.The project will offer 686 residential units ranging from studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

5. HLG Contracting bags Al Mutahidah Towers construction contract Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) Contracting has been awarded a contract worth $159m (QAR580m) for the construction of Al Mutahidah Towers by United Development Company (UDC).The contractor will be responsible for the construction of twin 25-storey residential towers consisting of 480 apartments, two parking levels, ground floor entrance lobby, and amenities areas with the gross floor area of 160,500m².

6. Serco ME nabs six-year Dubai Airports FM contract  Serco Middle East has been awarded a six-year contract to deliver facilities management (FM) services for Dubai Airports.The deal covers key assets that are part of the Dubai International Airport.FM services for the airport's Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, as well as its cargo and ancillary buildings will be provided by Serco.Serco's latest win in the city follows an extension it was awarded on an operation and maintenance (O&M) contract for the Downtown Dubai Trolley System by Emaar Properties in October.

7. Dutch Foundation bags $8m contract for Aldar's Mayan  Abu Dhabi-based developer Aldar Properties has awarded the early works contract for the first phase of Mayan, a luxury residential development located on Yas Island, to Dutch Foundation & Concrete Rehabilitation Company WLL.The $8m (AED30m) contract provides for shoring, piling, and earthworks for Mayan’s 512 luxury apartments, spread across five buildings.The Abu Dhabi-based full-service engineering foundation contractor has been appointed to carry out the work over a five month period with commencement effective immediately.

8. Posco E&C bags $900m construction contract in Saudi Arabia  Posco Engineering & Construction Co has bagged a construction contract for a hotel project in Saudi Arabia.The construction arm of global steelmaker Posco, said that its joint venture in Saudi Arabia has won a $900m (SAR3.3bn) project to build a hotel in the country, according to Yonhap News Agency.The deal was signed by Pecsa, a joint venture between Posco E&C and Saudi's Public Investment Fund.Under the deal, signed on 9 October 2016, the joint firm will build five four-star hotel towers with a combined total of 3,070 rooms by February 2019. 

9. HBK-CRCC JV to build Qatar's Lusail stadiumThe Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) announced the main contractor of Lusail Stadium, with Qatari company HBK Contracting (HBK) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) as a joint venture (JV).Designed by British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the schematic design of the 80,000-seat stadium was completed earlier this year.“The awarding of this contract represents another important project milestone and comes at a significant time as Qatar and the SC have just passed the six years to go anniversary and reach the halfway point in our 2022 FIFA World Cup journey,” said SC secretary general, Hassan al-Thawadi.

10. Spanish consortium to ink $7bn Haramain Saudi dealA consortium comprising 12 Spanish firms is preparing to ink agreements with Saudi Arabian officials for the development of the high-speed Haramain High Speed Rail link between Mecca and Madina.The value of the construction and maintenance contract for Haramain Rail is worth $7.11bn (SAR26.6bn).Following "a series of delays and setbacks", a preliminary deal has been reached between Saudi officials and the Al Shoula consortium that includes Spanish companies such as OHL and Indra, and two firms from the kingdom, Arabian Business reported.The consortium had reporteldy "become embroiled in a dispute over payments with the Saudi government".

Source: Construction Week Online Magazine