PLUS

AUGUST 2012 Fm and fire

safety
real estate
JULY 2012 arbitration
building iconic
UAE hotels

By royal
appointment
The exclusive story behind Saudi Arabias
$1.24bn King Khalid Medical City, from AECOM
vice president of buildings, Anthony McCarter

EVEN MORE tenders and new Top project listings

AD
 AUGUST

Contents REGULARS FEATURES

Editors letter 6 16 News analysis
Gavin Davids reports on how FM

20 Regional news 9 and fire regulations can increase life

safety standards

Top tenders 14
Rounding up the regions most
23 Legal comment
TLGs Fareya Azfar explains the
expensive new tenders
complications of real estate
arbitration clauses
In profile 20
Maskan Arabia CEO Engineer Hossam
Al Rashoudi shares his observations 30 Iconic structures
of Saudi Arabias affordable housing Project profiles of Harscos most
market challenging UAE hotel projects

23 Business brief 26
Best Interiors on why the luxury market
36 Cover story: By Royal
appointment
isnt always the most lucrative option The full story behind AECOMs
record breaking contract on King
30
and how to break out beyond it
Khalid Medical City, Saudi Arabia

Supplier news 43 46 Career ladder

Ammad Naser on the changing real
Tenders 49 estate market dynamics in Dubai

Diary 54

36
www.thebigprojectme.com | 3
AD
www.thebigprojectme.com | 5
 V1200
700 900 V32
V1200 V1800 V45 V2500 V55 V4500 V65
700MS 900MS V32MS
MS
EDITORS COMMENT

s
t 12 - 20 15 - 25 18 - 30 18 - 30 20 - 35 27 - 40 27 - 40 35 - 50 45 - 80 45 - 90

989 1120 1450 1739

d tool kg 1884 2547 2571 3430 4500 5589
1044 1190 1525 1805

thing contained in this brochure is intended to extend any warranty or representation expressed or implied, regarding the products described herein. Any such warranties or other terms and conditions of sale products shall be in
mm 112 118 122 122 140 150 160 170 190 202

Nothing contained in this brochure is intended to extend any warranty or representation expressed or implied, regarding the products described herein. Any such warranties or other terms and conditions of sale products shall be in
l mm 502 475 546 545 674 580 781 644 754 795
Publisher
Dominic De Sousa
kW 33 31 38 44 61 73 65 88 117 116Chief operations officer
Nadeem Hood
0 blows/ 400 - 510 - 440 -
880 800 540 - 770 310 - 800 350 - 800 500- 750 380 - 950
Managing director
min 1050 1160 1045 Richard Judd

ordance with Montabert's standard terms and conditions of sale for such products, which are available upon request. Specifications and machines can be modified at any time and without notice.
t top Editor
mm 1977 2120 2290 2500 2558 2658 2853 2925 3320 3510
Melanie Mingas

A new high
melanie@cpidubai.com
T +971 4 440 9117
l/min 80 - 140 100 - 150 120 - 170 120 - 170 140 - 220 180 - 265 175 - 250 240 - 320 280 - 380 380 - 420
M +971 56 758 7834

Publishing director
aker bar 140 125 135 155 165 165 155 165 185 165Raz Islam

I
raz@cpidubai.com
n the newspaper industry its know as Elsewhere, ADPC has announced T +971 4 440 9129
silly season, but despite the soaring the opening date for Khalifa Port and M +971 50 451 8213
e bar 16 10 6 12 25 6 25 6 15 6
temperatures, empty offices and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Commercial director
Ramadan working hours, summer 2012 has granted the licence for construction Michael Stansfield
50
is already 1 shaping 1 up to
15 be
autoanything
2 auto of two
2 auto nuclear2 auto
12 auto power 12 reactor
auto units
2 auto 12 auto
michael@cpidubai.com
other than a slow news day for the at Barakah, Abu Dhabi. Kuwait will T +971 4 440 9128
M +971 55 150 3849
construction industry. embark on the construction of the
New Option Option
statistics Standard
report that in Standard
2012 Standard Standard
regions Standard
largest Standard
oil refinery andStandard Standard
contracts Marketing manager
awarded building project values for Jeddahs sewerage network worth Carole McCarthy
20 will increase 13%, to hit $65.5bn; $53.3m have been awarded. carolem@cpidubai.com
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesT: +971 4 440 9157
completed construction projects will In this issue we bring new project M: +971 55 978 8605
increase 71%, to $79.75bn; and the tender announcements on everything
value
% thanks to the energy ofsystem.
recovery commercial real estate projects from Abu Dhabis Louvre to the Riyadh Online editor
will almost double, reaching $15.3bn. Monorail, with a new top tenders section Gavin Davids
gavin@cpidubai.com
The positive trends certainly reflect and dedicated online tenders section, T +971 4 4409118
what the industry has told The Big listing the top oil and gas, airport and rail
Project over recent weeks. projects. Designer
Rebecca Teece
o Last month Saudi Arabias Ministry of The influx of major projects in the rebecca@cpidubai.com
Health announced the first in a $4.4bn region has also been inspiring the
Photography
string of health care cities, King Khalid new Big Project team and September Cris Mejorada
rd Medical City. issue will mark the beginning of a new
Webmasters
Not only is it the largest such project chapter for the magazine. Troy Maagma
in the Kingdom, but its the largest to be With a new name and new look, we Jerus King Bation
undertaken by global healthcare specialists will be returning to the original concept Erik Briones
AECOM; appointed to handle consultancy of big projects; analysing the biggest Joel Azcuna

design services earlier this year.
In an exclusive interview with The Big
Project, the man who will coordinate the were asking readers to tell us what
city, Anthony McCarter, said the project
is indicative of a positive trend in the
development of social infrastructure in
the Kingdom.
and most significant from a range of Printed by
perspectives. Ahead of the changes, Printwell Printing Press LLC
they want to see more of and we look Published by
forward to hearing from you.
Until then, put your feet up while you
still can because things are about to hit
a new high. Head Office
Montabert: an international presence in more than 100 countries.
Optimize the performance of your demolition accessories by conta
PO Box 13700
which is designed to support our products. The Montabert networ
Melanie Mingas Dubai, UAE you with expertise during implementation, maintenance with orig
Tel: +971 (0)4 440 9100 technical assistance and training.
Editor
Fax: +971 (0)4 447 2409
Web: www.thebigprojectme.com
mail.info@montabert.com
w w w.montaber t .com
Copyright 2012 CPI.
All rights reserved.
2010 MONTABERT 86716172-EN (09-2010)
While the publishers have made every effort
to ensure the accuracy of all information in
this magazine, they will not be held responsible
for any errors therein.

Montabert: an international presence in more than 100 countries.

Optimize the performance of your demolition accessories by contacting our network
Montabert: an international presencetoinsupport
which is designed more than 100 countries.
our products. The Montabert network will provide
you withofexpertise
Optimize the performance during implementation,
your demolition maintenance
accessories by contacting ourwith original spare parts,
network
6 | www.thebigprojectme.com
which is designed totechnical
support assistance and The
our products. training.
Montabert network will provide
you with expertise during implementation, maintenance with original spare parts,
 .
accordance with Montabert's standard terms and conditions of sale for such products, which are available upon request. Specifications and machines can be modified at any time and without notice.

rk will provide
ginal spare parts,
acting our network

P.O. Box: 2841

HEAD OFFICE

Al Khobar - 31952, Saudi Arabia

Email: marketing@saudidiesel.com.sa
Tel: +966 3 8576769, Fax: +966 3 857 4681
BRANCHES
||

Jubail Tel: +966 3 362 4050 / Fax: +966 3 362 4050

Madina Tel: +966 4 8697313 / Fax: +966 4 8690322
Riyadh Tel: +966 1 231 1932 / Fax: +966 1 231 1031
Jeddah Tel: +966 2 659 8500 / Fax: +966 2 659 8600
MONTABERT SAS - 203, route de Grenoble - 69800 Saint Priest, France
Nothing contained in this brochure is intended to extend any warranty or representation expressed or implied, regarding the products described herein. Any such warranties or other terms and conditions of sale products shal
accordance with Montabert's standard terms and conditions of sale for such products, which are available upon request. Specifications and machines can be modified at any time and without notice.
Hydraulic Breakers Medium & Heavy Product Range
Hydraulic Breakers Medium & Heavy Product Range
Hydraulic Breake
SETTING THE STANDARD IN SECURITY SOLUTIONS

TOTAL SECURITY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Arkan provides complete safety and security 24/7 with advanced
Security Management Solutions for all sector communities
including commercial, retail, residential, healthcare, financial,
educational and more.
Our solutions include:

Security Surveillance
Security Guards
Parking Management
Life Guards

04-4337080

NEWS BULLETIN
AECOM appointed
to KSAs largest
health care
project
Tenders for $4.4bn medical city to
be launched 2012 end
A
ECOM has announced its appoint-
ment to the largest health care project
to be undertaken in Saudi Arabia: A
$1.24bn medical city, set on a 700,000m site
with a total built up area of 1,000,000m.
Located in Dammam and serving the
Eastern Provinces 4.1million inhabitants,
phase one of King Khalid Medical City
(KKMC) will comprise of a 1500 bed hospital
with six Centres of Excellence, housing and its
own utilities plant.
AECOMs consultancy design services
contract, worth $27.85m for the company,
will cover master planning, medical plan-
ning, architecture, interior design, medical
equipment planning, engineering services,
landscape and cost consultancy.
This is a very important project for
AECOM, vice president of buildings for the
Middle East, Anthony McCarter, told The
Big Project.
The Ministry of Health was very clear in
terms of wanting to ensure the medical city
has an identity, rather than being a large hos-
pital, so it has been carefully planned to
achieve that level of character, McCarter
added, explaining that the design was based
on function, rather than form.
AECOMs global healthcare portfolio to
date includes Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi;
American Hospital, Dubai; Qatar Orthopaedic
and Sports Medicine Hospital; Mayo Clinic,
Minnesota; Yonsei University Medial Centre,
Korea; Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital,
Virginia; Mary Washington Healthcare,
Virginia; University of Kentucky and the
Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
Tenders for the enabling works on King
Khalid Medical City will be launched by 2012
Save the
date: Khalifa
Port opening
announced
September 1, 2012 set by ADPC
A
bu Dhabi Ports Company
(ADPC) and its port operator
Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT)
have announced the regions only semi-
automated container terminal is set for
official opening on September 1, 2012.
During the course of the coming
months we will continue to transition
and test with individual shipping lines
NEWS | REGIONAL NEWS
end with the tender for the entire phase one
due to be launched and awarded by early 2013.
The project, as it is currently planned, is pre-
dicted to reach full capacity by 2022, by which
time a second phase providing additional
housing, medical education facilities and a
community hospital will be fully operational.
We are using evidence based design to
make the project flexible to meet future needs
in terms of the development of healthcare
technology, which will validate the design we
are currently undertaking, but equally looking
at advances in technology and endeavouring
to anticipate the potential developments in
healthcare, McCarter added.
Announced by Royal Decree in 2011, King
Khalid Medical City is one of four such cities
planned by the Ministry of Health with a total
budget of $4.4bn. The second largest city will
be based in Jeddah but details of the other
projects have yet to be released.
I think the scale of the development
reflects the fact the countries are growing very
quickly. We are seeing a greater emphasis on
these types of projects now, for example
healthcare, schooling and housing, particu-
larly in places like Saudi. Those are very strong
growth areas and that is why this is such a
great project for us, McCarter continued.
Turn to page 35A for the full story
and visit www.thebigprojectme.com to view
the King Khalid project gallery
with the aim of officially opening Khalifa
Ports new container terminal on
September 1, ADPC said.
The first phase of the Khalifa Port
Container Terminal will initially handle
2.5 million TEUs container traffic and 12
million tonnes of general cargo annually-
and by 2030, it is expected to be able to
handle 15 million TEUs and 35 million
tonnes of general cargo per year.
The new port has been designed to
service the worlds largest seagoing con-
tainer vessels. It covers a 9-km2 area,
including a 2.7 km2 man-made port
island.
A full background on the entire Kizad
and Khalifa Port and an interview with
ADPC CEO Tony Douglas project can be
found at www.thebigprojectme.com
www.thebigprojectme.com | 9
NEWS | REGIONAL NEWS

MENA region to become steel

world centre
Near 6% demand and production rises predicted for 2012

S
teel demand in the MENA region is pre-
dicted to rebound by 5.7% this year fol-
lowing a 2% contraction in 2011,
according to the World Steel Association,
with regional production increases in both
steel and iron driving the region to world
centre status within a decade.
The growth is driven by the construction
programmes planned for GCC countries
contributing to a Middle East sector pre-
dicted to grow 3.5% through 2015 and worth
$4.3 trillion by 2020 and huge state-funded
investments facilitated by high oil prices over
the last three years. In a global steel market
report, Frost and Sullivan attributed the 2%
contraction witnessed in 2011 to regional
political turmoil, but concluded the sector
now poses immense future business oppor-
tunities, regionally.
Currently the region is the second largest
producer globally, with a production com-
pound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%;
while this puts is more than four times ahead
of the third highest producer the rest of
Africa with 1.2% CAGR, it is significantly
behind leading producer Asia, at 11%.
Around 2% of global crude steel production
was from the MENA region in 2010, mainly in the GCC and demand for the product is
contributed by Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and rising higher than the current global produc-
Qatar. There are currently 67 steel plants tion capacity.

Nass subsidiary
removed from
India blacklist
100 workers permitted to leave Bahrain
after legal bar
Compensation for 17 after
B
ahraini construction firm Nass Contracting
Company, a subsidiary of Nass Corporation, has
announced it would allow more than 100 work-
ers to leave the country and return home after with-
Dubai Metro disturbances
drawing all cases filed against them, including RTA study recommends concrete barriers to absorb vibrations
accusations of absconding.

The Indian labourers were legally barred from exiting
Bahrain for six years after leaving the firm before complet-
ing their contract terms, which led to banning Nass
Contracting from recruiting workers from the
Subcontinent since 2006.
The issue prompted over 20,000 people to sign an online
petition to send the workers back to their home country.
We shall immediately withdraw all the court cases
pending as of today such that the present runaway workers
can leave Bahrain at any time, Sameer Nass, deputy chair-
man and managing director of Nass Corporation told the
Gulf Daily News.
The Indian Embassy said it will now inform authorities
in India to remove the construction firm from the govern-
ment blacklist. The embassy is now in talks with Indian
associations in the Kingdom to raise money to pay for the
workers plane tickets home.
A
s many as 17 families are to be
compensated by Dubais Roads
and Transport Authority (RTA)
for damages resulting from the vibra-
tions and disturbance by a Dubai
Metro station.
The move comes after the RTA con-
ducted a study which recommended that
residents living near the Al Rashidiya
Metro station are to receive monetary
compensation, according to Mattar Al
Tayer, chairman of the RTA. The study
recommended building underground
concrete barriers at a suitable depth suf-
ficient to absorb vibrations resulting
from the rail traffic and prohibiting the
use of horns within the Depot.
The initial results concluded by the
work team entrusted with carrying out
site studying and surveying include the
disbursement of funds for the mainte-
nance and refurbishment of 17 impacted
houses, said Al Tayer.
The compensation also includes
constructing sound barriers to shield
the noise from the affected houses pro-
vided that such barriers are high
enough to ensure the privacy of resi-
dents, he added.
The study could also provide lessons
for Qatars rail project, which will see
large portions of track built under exist-
ing buildings, through the use of tunnel
boring equipment.

10 | www.thebigprojectme.com

Dramatic month
in court for
Dubai World
Sleeping judge and sabotage
accusations mar tribunal
T
he Dubai World tribunal, being heard in
courts at DIFC, Dubai, has been plagued
with demands for re-trials and investiga-
tions after a tribunal member was spotted
asleep during proceedings and allegations of
sabotage were labelled unsubstantiated.
The first incident, on May 9, saw one of the
three tribunal judges, Michael Hwang, fall
asleep during a dispute hearing with The
World developer and investor Shokat
Mohammad Dalal.
As a result, David Thomas QC, barrister for
Clifford Chance, told the tribunal that anything
short of a retrial of the case would damage
public confidence in the judicial system of
Dubai, and that any result would be unfair to
all parties involved.
Tribunal chair Sir Anthony Evans admitted
the incident was a breach of duty, but that the
tribunal had dismissed Nakheels complaint
because a full transcript of the hearing was
available to Hwang, including a video.
In a separate hearing the Public Funds
Prosecution was asked to probe un-investigated
incidents relating to a graft case involving two
Nakheel executives to after almost three years
of proceedings.
The Australian suspects are accused of
allegedly causing deliberate loss of $11.98m to
Manchester
United legend
calls for
sustainable stadia
Spotlight on worldwide impact of
stadia construction
G
ary Neville, the former Manchester
United and England football star, has set
up a new foundation aimed at making
NEWS | REGIONAL NEWS
the state-owned developers Dubai Waterfront
project. The projects former executive director
and the ex-operations manager have both
denied the charges of abusing public office and
intentionally causing loss and dispersing pub-
lic funds.
Advocates who defended the two execu-
tives asked the court earlier to disregard the
financial report submitted by the financial
control department of the rulers court
because it was unsubstantiated and based on
unfounded reports and calculations, accord-
ing to Gulf News.
Saudi reviews
Nakheel has had some good news recently.
The same day as the second incident, it was
391 Riyadh
announced that Kele Contracting was the suc-
cessful bidder to build a 246 room hotel that
monorail bids
will become part the 177,000 m2 Dragon Mart Ministerial committee to release
Phase 2 development, on the outskirts of Dubai.
On July 1 it was announced Nakheel is to consortia shortlist
develop a $7.5m neighbourhood mall, Jumeirah
A
Park Community Centre, described as a key Saudi ministerial committee has met
part of its business plans. to review bids from 391 consortia
from 50 countries who have submit-
ted prequalification bids for the contract to
implement a monorail project in the capi-
tal, Riyadh.
The committee will draw up a shortlist of con-
sortia for the contract once the prequalification
process has been concluded. When completed,
the project will incorporate six main routes cov-
ering an approximate total length of 175km.
The network will form the backbone of the
public transport system in Riyadh, covering
densely populated areas in the city centre,
government facilities and commercial cen-
tres and will link to King Khaled
International Airport, King Abdullah finan-
cial district and major universities.
the construction and maintenance of sports sta-
diums more sustainable and eco-friendly, it was
throughout the world and delivering messages
on sustainability through sport can reach a
announced on July 16. diverse global audience, he added.
In partnership with Dale Vince, founder of He explained that Sustainability in Sport
Ecotricity, a UK based energy company, Neville aimed to set eco-standards for stadiums, sports
has set up the Sustainability in Sport foundation.
The organization aims to bring the sports gov-
pitches and other related facilities.
Furthermore, Neville said that the foundation
erning bodies, clubs and fans together to take on
more responsibility towards reducing the envi-
would partner with companies to develop tech-
nology that would help football clubs produce
ronmental impact of sport. their own renewable energy and improve their
The environmental impact of sport is mas- energy efficiency, so as to reduce costs and their
sive but often overlooked. With the Olympics carbon footprints.
putting sport at the forefront of peoples minds, Vince added that the foundations focus was to
we believe that the time is right to launch a green put environmental issues at the heart of all sport,
revolution in sport, Nevill said. with the Olympics providing a perfect example
Sporting stars are role models for people of the issues that needed to be addressed.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 11
NEWS | REGIONAL NEWS
Abu Dhabi
reactor
Doha Port authorities move to promote construction
greater transparency licences granted
Unprecedented move will see companies named ahead of appointment
P
arties bidding for work on New Doha
Port have been told their company name
will be published if they apply for pre-
qualification or are short listed to the project.
Part of an effort to increase transparency
in the tender process and improve the over-
all quality of submissions, authorities
involved in New Doha Port have suggested
this could become best practice, despite criti-
cism from contractors.
We are trying to improve transparency
between the client and bidders, explained
Nabeel Mohammed A. R. Al Buenain, project
executive director, New Doha Port.
Some companies have complained to us about
publishing their names when they have not pre-
qualified, but we believe this creates a more com-
petitive and fair marketplace, he added.
According to Al Buenain, bidders must
satisfy six criteria before tendering for pro-
jects, including: acceptable cash flow; expe-
rience in the field; equipment, skills and staff;
and the ability to be committed to the pro-
ject and Qatar.
In order to improve efficiency for the tender
process all tender and bid processes are now
completed online, where details of past, current
and future tender packages are also available.
It is very important that submissions
12 | www.thebigprojectme.com
demonstrate capability in each of these areas
Al Buenain continued.
During the Qatar Infrastructure Projects
conference, held last month in London, a
number of professionals looking to tap Qatars
opportunities, concluded the measures will
result in a need for contractors to be more
strategic regarding business development
practices in the Gulf state.
What we have now is a cultural disconnec-
tion between clients and companies.
Contractors need to change the way they
approach a deal, adding more value beyond
contractual communications by bringing new
ideas and being innovative. Companies have to
manage the client relationship as much as the
contract. It can mean the difference between
succeeding and losing the bid, said James
Brenan from law firm Herbert Smith.
In total, current calculations conclude that
there is more than $70bn in major projects to
be awarded in order to achieve 2022 objectives
September issue will carry an exclusive
interview with Martin Barnes, author of the
NEC; the contract of choice for sporting devel-
opment projects in Europe that is hailed by
experts as Qatars best options for transparency
and potential dispute resolution.
UAE nuclear body names Emirates
Nuclear Energy Corporation
T
he Federal Authority for Nuclear
Regulation (FANR) of the United
Arab Emirates announced on
Wednesday that it had granted the Emirates
Nuclear Energy Corporation a license to
construct two nuclear power reactor units at
its proposed Barakah site in Abu Dhabi.
The license authorises ENEC to construct
two Korean designed advanced pressurised
water reactors. The reactors are known as
APR1400, a type capable of producing
1,400MW of electricity.
However, the license does not allow ENEC
to operate them, as that would require the
corporation to apply for a separate license
from FANR, said Hamad Al Kaabi, the
UAEs permanent representative to the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
The issuance of a construction license is a
significant milestone in the UAEs nuclear
energy programme, he added.
Al Kaabi also confirmed that the license
for the construction of Units One and Two
of the Barakah Nuclear Facility and Related
Regulated Activities was approved by the
FANR Board of Management, which is
chaired by Dr Ahmed Al Mazrouei, during a
meeting on July 17, 2012.

Top tenders
Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum Project -
Saadiyat Island Development
Territory Abu Dhabi
Client TDIC
Budget $1,000,000,000
Address Behind Khalifa Park,
Eastern Ring Road (Salam
Street)
City Abu Dhabi
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-2) 406 1400
Fax (+971-2) 406 1500
Web http://www.tdic.ae
Email info@tdic.ae
Description Construction of
Louvre Abu Dhabi museum
comprising a dome-shaped
building, covering an area of 24,000
square metres, including 6,000
square metres of galleries devoted
to permanent installations and
2,000 square metres reserved for
temporary exhibitions
Status New Tender
Remarks Abu Dhabi Executive
Council (ADEC) has given its approval
to resume work on this development.
It is understood that ADEC has
approved the budget and deadline for
inauguration of the project on Saadiyat
Island in close coordination with its
partner Agence France Musees.
Client has announced its decision
to extend the completion date of
this project due to the immense
magnitude of work associated with
the development. The company is
currently working closely with its
valued partners on the creation of
a new delivery timeline and looks
forward to announcing this in due
course. Significant progress has already
been made on the museum, including
Doha Metro Project - Phase 1
Territory Qatar
Client Qatar Railways Company (QRC)
Budget $3,000,000,000
Address C/o. Qatari Diar Real
Estate Investment Company,
Qatari Diar Visitors Centre, Lusail
District Bldg.
City Doha
Phone (+974) 4497 4444
finalised and detailed architectural
designs, and all foundation and piling
work. The acquisition of vast art
collections that will be housed in the
museum is already taking place, as well
as the training of expertise that will
operate this institution.
This 24,000sqm Saadiyat Island
projects will feature collections drawn
from the Louvre and eminent French
public museums Centre Pompidou,
Chateau de Versailles, Musee dOrsay,
Musee Rodin and Bibliotheque
Nationale de France.
Client has invited contractors to
submit bids for the main contract on
this scheme.
Design Consultant Nathalie Criniere
Agency (France)
Engineering Consultant Buro
Happold Consulting Engineers Ltd.
(Dubai)
Main Architect Jean Nouvel
(France)
Main Consultant Pascall & Watson
Architects (Abu Dhabi)
Project Manager AECOM Middle
East (Abu Dhabi)
Civil Engineering Contractor Mero
Middle East L.L.C (Dubai)
Foundations, Enabling & Piling
Contractor Bauer International (Abu
Dhabi)
Steel Products Supplier Mero
Middle East L.L.C (Dubai)
Tender categories Construction
& Contracting, Leisure &
Entertainment
Fax (+974) 4497 4333
Web www.qataridiar.com
Email info@qataridiar.com
Description Design and execution
of Doha Metro spanning 360
kilometres comprising four lines
Tenders provided by
and 100 stations - Phase 1.
Status New Tender
Remarks According to the
client, drilling works for this
development will commence at
the beginning of 2013. Tenders are
expected to be awarded by the end
of this year.
Client is currently evaluating
prequalification entries before
short-listing the consortiums
to invite to bid for the planned
elevated works on this scheme.
Tenders for the elevated part of the
scheme are expected to be issued
by the end of 2012.
The metro will eventually
Brinckerhoff Middle East
consist of four lines: Red, NDIA
to West Bay; Gold, NDIA and
airport city to industrial west
Doha; Green, from industrial areas
in the south through the center
of Doha and to the Education
Riyadh Metro Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client Saudi Arabia
Budget $ 3,000,000,000
City Riyadh 11614
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-1) 488 3331
Fax (+966-1) 482 9331
Web http://www.arriyadh.
com
Email info@arriyadh.com
Description Design and build
(DB) contract for the construction
of Riyadh Metro, involving the
construction of two light rail lines
running over a total distance of
about 42 kilometres, including 36
stations.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project involves the
first stage of a light railway scheme
in Riyadh. It will include one 25km
line with 23 stations and one 17km
track with 13 stations.
The client is currently
preparing to release ITB to
international consultants for the
contract to carry out a 30% design
of the planned light railway. The
design contract will cover both
XXXXXXXX
NEWS | TOP TENDERS
| XXXXXXXXXX
City; and Blue following the coast
road and run from NDIA to West
Bay, the Pearl and Lusail with a
spur linking up to the Education
City.
A joint venture of local Qatari
Diar Real Estate Investment
Company and Germanys
Deutsche Bahn is acting as the
conceptual design and supervision
consultant.
Design Consultant Qatari Diar
Real Estate Investment Company
(Qatar)
Design Consultant-1 Deutsche
Bahn AG (Germany)
Project Manager Parsons
(Dubai)
Project Manager-1 Turner
& Townsend Construction
& Management Consultants
(Qatar)
light rail lines running north-
south and east-west. It is still not
clear whether the project would be
implemented on a design-build, a
design-build-operate or a design-
build-operate-finance scheme.
The client is also in the process
of evaluating proposals from
international consultants to carry
out a comprehensive study for
the light railway network. Seven
companies, including Parsons
Brinckerhoff and Systra, submitted
proposals for the contract. The
study is expected to take 12-18
months. While the 30 % design
will be based on over-ground
options only, the comprehensive
study might re-introduce an
underground element.
Design Consultant Dar Al
Handasah (Shair & Partners) -
Saudi Arabia
Design Consultant-1 Egis Rail
(France)
Tender categories Public
Transportation Projects
www.thebigprojectme.com | 13
NEWS | TOP
REGIONAL
Top tenders
TENDERS
NEWS
Kuwait Clean fuels project
Clean Fuels Project
Territory Kuwait
Client Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
Budget $18,000,000,000
Address Imad Commercial
CentreCity
Postal/zip Safat 13001
Country Kuwait
Phone (+965) 2398 9900
Fax (+965) 2398 6188
Web http://www.knpc.com.kw
Email aayprj@knpc.com.kw
Description Engineering,
procurement and construction (EPC)
contract for implementation of Clean
Fuels scheme involving upgrading
and increase in capacity at three
refineries.
Status New Tender
Remarks Work will be split into three
main EPC packages: process units at
Mina Abdullah refinery; revamp of
Mina Abdullah and Shuaiba plants
together with off-sites and utilities;
revamp and installation of units and
interfaces at Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
Six companies have submitted bids
for a contract to supply reactors for
this scheme. Indias Larsen & Toubro
(L&T) is the lowest bidder at $609
million, followed by Italys Belleli at
$734 million. Four other companies
Jubail storage tanks expansion project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client Sabic Terminal Services Company (Saudi Arabia)
Budget $450,000,000
Address C/o. Saudi Basic Industries
Corporation Bldg.
City Riyadh 11422
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-1) 225 8000
Fax (+966-1) 225 9701
Web http://www.sabic.com
Email info@sabic.com
Description Engineering,
procurement and construction
14 | www.thebigprojectme.com
submitted bids in the range of $789
million-$836 million. The client may
award this contract to several bidders
to ensure speedy delivery of reactors.
A joint venture of local System
Development Project Management
(SDPM) and US Hill International are
the project consultants.
It is understood that bids have been
opened for the project management
consultancy (PMC) contract on this
scheme. Australias WorlyParsons is
understood to be the lowest bidder
at a price of $459-million. Other
bidders include: US Foster Wheeler;
UKs Amec; Frances Technip and US
Flour.
FEED Consultant Fluor Mideast
(Kuwait)
Main Consultant Hill International
Middle East Ltd. (Kuwait)
Main Consultant-1 System
Development & Project Management -
SDPM (Kuwait)
Project Manager Fluor Mideast
(Kuwait)
Tender categories Oilfields &
Refineries, Gas Processing
(EPC) contract for the expansion
of storage tanks in Jubail industrial
area.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is in Saudi
Arabia. It aims at increasing
the capacity from (77) tanks to
150-200 tanks. The scheme is
currently under planning. The
projects implementation schedule
is expected to be revealed in first cubic metres. A handling unit will
quarter of 2012. also need to be constructed as well
A joint venture of local Saudi as berth facilities, substation, fire
Basic Industries Corporation fighting and truck loading and
and Netherlands Vopak has unloading facilities. Tank will be
prequalified at least five international mainly used to store petrochemical
contractors for the scheme. products produced at the Jubail
The contractors include: South Industrial City before export.
Koreas Hanwa Engineering & Client has received six bids on July
Construction, Hyundai Engineering 01, 2012 for the EPC contract on this
& Construction and SK Engineering scheme and a decision is expected
& Construction; Local/Singapores in the late third quarter or early
Petro Steel and Chinas Sinopec. The fourth quarter of 2012. Contractors
contractors are formulating the bids. who submitted the bids include:
Bids submission date is on May 31, US CB&I; Chinas China National
2012. A decision is expected in the Chemical Corporation, Wison
third quarter of 2012. Project is being and Sinopec; South Koreas Hanwa
executed on a lump-sum-turnkey Engineering & Construction and
basis. The main scope of expansion Local/Singapores Petro Steel.
includes construction of (37) storage Tender categories Gas Processing
tanks with a total capacity of 330,000 & Distribution, Oilfields
Follow the top transport tenders online via www.thebigprojectme.
com and turn to page 49 for The Big Projects listing to all this
months newest tenders, in association with Emirates Tenders
Julys top web stories
Chinese contractors quit Saudi market
over standards, quality
Regional CEO made Hastie exit from
Middle East over arrest fears
In pictures: the worlds tallest. Lego towers
Expert calls on FM companies to revamp
approach to Fire and Life Safety
Consortium obtain rights for Medinah Airport
Get involved:
Visit: www.thebigprojectme.com
Follow us on Twitter: METheBigProject
Become a group member on LinkedIn
Or become a fan on Facebook: Thebigproject ME
VOLVO OCEAN RACE ABU DHABI STOPOVER DECEMBER 31 JANUARY 14
NEWS ANALYSIS | FIRE SAFETY
Playing with fire
Gavin Davids hears from top FM and fire safety experts on the major
issues facing the proper implementation of fire systems in the region
A
t the end of May 2012 the GCC was
rocked by the news that 19 people, most
of them young children, were killed by a
fire that began in a nursery and swept through
Dohas Villaggio Mall. As accusations flew and
the families grief grew, details slowly began to
emerge about the cause of the tragedy.
Investigations into the incident by the Qatari
civil defence forces found that the fire and life
safety systems specified for the mall did not
function as well as they could have; contributing
significantly to the deaths of children, nursery
staff and fire-fighters.
As a result, the tragedy has highlighted a
number of issues, prompting mall owners and
civil authorities across the Gulf to seriously re-
evaluate the importance of the fire and life
safety codes in operation. In addition, authori-
ties have begun to examine the guidelines in
place at shopping malls and revamp them, so as
to ensure the events in Doha are never repeated.
One such positive development is the begin-
ning of dialogue between the government
authorities and the facilities management com-
panies maintaining malls and other public
areas. This progress has been welcomed by some
of the regions leading fire and life safety experts.
Developers need to talk to each other more.
When I first started in this field around 10 years
ago, developers really had a suspicion of local
16 | www.thebigprojectme.com
ABOVE: Afschin Soleimani.
In order to further develop the progress
There should be a made, Gregory has called for the UAE govern-
ment to establish an inter-body lobby, so as to
lobby to the insurance help change current practices.
Furthermore, he believes the UAE could help
industry, maybe through set the tone for the GCC when it comes to
the government. It adopting fire and life safety codes that have been
proven to work.
could be something There should be a lobby to the insurance
industry, maybe through the government. It
RERA could take on and could be something RERA could take on and
they should be pushing they should be pushing this and not accepting
the current insurance methodologies, he says.
this and not accepting I think as well that more government agencies
should be included in handovers. It would
the current insurance increase costs but at the end of the day its a tiny
amount compared to the capital costs of an asset.
methodologies Exemplifying London, Gregory explains that
in the UK capital, inspections by the fire brigade
authority, recalls Martin Gregory, managing and civil defence are required before a building
director of Facilities Management Overseas. can be operated.
They wouldnt talk to civil defence, police, It doesnt really happen here. You get inspec-
and department of health or the municipality tion from DEWA but only so they know the
authorities, because they felt that if they spoke to metres are in. There should be an inspection at
them they would interfere, he adds. least by civil defence, he asserts, adding: The
He says the need for a coherent fire code UAE is the most mature GCC market because it
and the prevention of loss of life and property was built ahead of others. When I first arrived
has encouraged both developers and civil here, Dubais FM market was very immature,
defence authorities to be more receptive to but now there is a recognition that people need
each others input. to engage in FM [to move forward].

Theres a saying thats appropriate in this circumstance, and thats
what is cheap, will end up costing you
RIGHT: Martin Gregory, FMO.
Afschin Soleimani, director of fire and life
safety at Ramboll agrees and wants to take it
one step further.
With respect to the management of facilities,
especially public facilities, there are always
improvements that can be undertaken. Major
public buildings should have dedicated fire
safety wardens and staff that routinely inspect
such facilities, he says.
With respect to compliance with fire sys-
tem provisions, some of the key responsibili-
ties of a fire safety warden should consist of
regular visual inspections, ensuring that exit
doors are not locked, and so on. It is not
This is a young code
thats attempting to
address a lot of issues
in the first place, while
the more mature model
codes seen in other
countries have had time
to mature and develop
more organically
uncommon for exit stair doors of public build-
ings to be locked in order to maintain security
of such buildings and prevent theft and break-
ins, Soleimani reveals, before confirming
such measures are strictly forbidden and not
the best way to maintain security.
However, Soleimani points out that the situa-
tion is steadily improving in the region, with
clients becoming more and more likely to prior-
itise fire and life safety and detection systems.
Furthermore, recent major fires in the
Middle East have taught clients not to underesti-
mate the disastrous effects of a fire, not just on
lives but also on property, loss of business and
interruptions to operations, he adds.
Soleimani believes ont thing that will have a
positive impact is the UAE Fire and Life Safety
Code of Practice, which was launched in July
2011. Often referred to as the Civil Defence
Code, it was established to integrate internation-
ally recognised fire and life safety codes and the
needs of the local environment.
The code draws reference from well estab-
lished international regulations, including the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
standards; British standards; and the Gulf
Cooperation Council Code of Practice.
However, the predominant influence on the
code is from the NFPA standards, which can
clearly be seen in the references to NFPA 101:
NEWS ANALYSIS
| REGIONAL |NEWS
FIRE SAFETY
Life Safety Code, NFPA 5000: Building
Construction and Safety Code and NFPA 13:
Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler
Systems, Soleimani says.
Although this is a major step in the right
direction, Garald Todd, head of fire and life
safety at WSP Middle East, warns that the code
is still very much in its infancy.
This is a young code thats attempting to
address a lot of issues in the first place, while the
more mature model codes seen in other coun-
tries have had time to mature and develop more
organically. This is why the NFPA is a great base
to start from as its got substantial amounts of
history and experience captured in the require-
ments of the code, he explains.
Looking beyond the implementation of the
code, Todd admits that he has greater concerns
about the actual installation of systems and their
maintenance, based on contractor competency,
commissioning of systems and maintenance.
In order to overcome this hindrance, Todd
says that education is the only answer, especially
in light of the shifting landscape in the wake of
the market crash.
We work very closely with civil defence and
contractors in raising awareness of the need for
inspections throughout the construction pro-
cess and [we stress] on ensuring competent,
qualified third parties are involved in the testing
and commissioning to ensure the intent of the
strategy and system installations are main-
tained, he explains.
Whereas pre-crash, major issue hindering
installation of tried and tested systems was a lack
of time, post crash Todd says the issue is financial.
Financial pressures in other countries have
forced consultants from those countries into the
GCC markets to look for work. These consult-
ants often arent familiar with the codes and
requirements adopted here, so we end up seeing
designs that loosely fit their home countries,
with some small tokens to local requirements
thrown in, he observes.
These are usually poorly implemented due to
a lack of understanding and experience behind
the intent of these requirements, Todd warns.
The other issue is that developers and end
clients are also facing extreme financial pres-
sures. So the attractiveness of some of the
smaller firms lower fees, based on the basic
scope of services, is quite high. Theres a say-
ing thats appropriate in this circumstance,
and thats what is cheap, will end up costing
you, he concludes.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 17
IN PROFILE | MASKAN ARABIA

The wrong project

Since his last interview with The Big Project, Maskan Arabia CEO Engineer Hossam Al
Rashoudi, says little has changed to tackle the quality, supply and legislative issues in Saudi
Arabias real estate market, but that it wont stop the developer expanding its operations
across the entire Kingdom. Melanie Mingas reports

C
reated to address a gap in the market for
trustworthy developers and quality
developments, Maskan Arabia was
somewhat of a personal mission for the busi-
nessmen who established it.
Entering the market four years ago with a
clear remit to build smaller, easier to manage
and affordable villas and apartments, its an
approach that is paying off with a track record
of 100% lease rates on all its projects to date.
We were not happy about the quality of
development, so we create Maskan to fill in the
gap, says company CEO Engineer Hossam Al
Rashoudi, who today runs the company along-
side chair Waleed Abdulaziz Al Saghyr.
We understand that individual buyers do
not have a trust in developers because they are
not up to standard, once you have a gap in any
business, it is very smart to take the opportu-
nity and work on exploiting that, and focus on
the basic needs to meet the consumers
ABOVE: Engineer Hossam Al Rashoudi.
demands, continues Al Rashoudi, who worked
as a consultant designing residential units
There is no limit before the business was established.
Today the developer is working on a string of
to our ambitions; residential projects including a 300 unit project
north of Riyadh financed by an award win-
we want to be in ning SAR600m fund while aiming to create a
brand synonymous with trust and aligned to
Rashoudi relays, explaining the business is struc-
tured to assign dedicated teams to research,
product development and engineering, as well as
the more abstract quality and excellency.
But in the grand scheme of Saudi Arabias
housing demands Al Rashoudi says these pro-
jects are far from enough to house a population
that is predicted to hit 31.6 million by 2020. Its
an issue not even $15bn of state spending looks
likely to solve.
We do observe a lot of projects coming in,
but even with all these projects there is still a
huge shortage of supply.
Also, most of what is supplied today in the
market does not meet the demand in terms of
the project type and the price. Up to date, the
final resolutions of the mortgage law have not
been announced, but at least, introducing this
law is part of regulating the market, and any
regulations should have a positive impact in the
future, he adds.
Growth
Harnessing the opportunities while they still
exist, Maskan is planning to expand into the
countrys lucrative Eastern province in Q1 of
next year with major and secondary cities next
on its radar.

every single city in both its commercial and social responsibilities.

In reality, this is a very complicated job. It
But despite the massive opportunities to be
had on the back of rapid population growth,

the Kingdom and requires a lot of skills, starting from under-

standing what todays market needs are and
challenges remain. Practically, building in sec-
ondary cities is still nigh on impossible as there

beyond then developing different products that will

cater to the different market segments, Al
is little or no provision for quality utilities
infrastructure.

20 | www.thebigprojectme.com
 IN PROFILE | MASKAN ARABIA
It is very competitive industry and what developers need
to understand is the residential market is very limited in
the kingdom

Additionally, municipality regulations approve

only five housing typographies for construction,
whereas worldwide there is closer to 15.
For Al Rashoudi, who lives by the mantra
that nothing is impossible in engineering, these
challenges too will have an effect on the price of
any completed development.
Right now we are working on developing
new products, such as rural housing and
other different kinds of residential units, but
these would require municipality approval.
The main challenge is presenting this kind of
development to the municipality and trying
to get approval for these kinds of develop-
ment. This will definitely have a tremendous
effect on the pricing per unit, he predicts,
and he would know. Graduating from
KFPUM with a major in architectural engi-
neering, Al Rashoudi wrote a thesis on value
engineering and begin his career in project
management.
Maskans project pipeline may be a drop in
the ocean when compared to the 500,000 units Right now we
by 2013 target set by the housing ministry, but it
is market awareness that has seen the developer are working on
grow from start up to dramatic prosperity in
four years. developing new
We worked very hard and built on our inter-
nal and external procedures to create a team of products, such as
successful members and employees in the com-
pany, Al Rashoudi says.
It is very competitive industry and what
rural housing and
developers need to understand is the residential
market is very limited in the kingdom, he adds.
other different kinds
Yet his observations are far from a white flag to
the Kingdoms challenges.
of residential units,
There is no limit to our ambitions; we
want to be in every single city in the Kingdom
but these would
and beyond. Our company name is Maskan
Arabia and we would like to be in the GCC
require municipality
area and then the rest of the world within the
coming decade. approval

www.thebigprojectme.com | 21
 LEGAL | Fareya Azfar
Jurisdiction clauses of arbitration
- hitting the ball in the right court
Following the recent decision by the Dubai Real Estate Court which rejected a lawsuit by
investors in Victory Tower in Business Bay, Dubai, that both the plaintiff and the defendant will
lose their right to proceed if they had agreed to an arbitration clause in the contract before the
dispute, Fareya Azfar, head of arbitration at TLG The Legal Group, looks at the background

ABOVE: Fareya Azfar.
The courts are also
allowed to rule on
issues of jurisdiction on
their own motion, even
if neither party has
raised an objection
T
he United Arab Emirates have always
adopted a pro freedom-of-contract atti-
tude when it comes to formation of con-
tracts, including the freedom to decide the
governing law and jurisdiction, provided that
such is not prohibited by law or is contrary to
public order or morals. The parties to a contract
usually decide upon the jurisdiction of a body
to hear any dispute arising from the contract in
the jurisdiction clause.
Book one of Federal Law No.11 of 1992 (as
amended) (the Civil Procedure Code) deals
with the jurisdiction of the UAE Courts to hear
all civil, commercial and administrative dis-
putes. However, Article 23 of the Civil
Procedure Code also provides, If the
Defendant does not appear and the court does
not have jurisdiction to hear the action in
accordance with the foregoing article, the court
shall rule of its own motion that it does not
have jurisdiction. This Article demonstrates
that the courts should reject hearing cases,
where it does not have jurisdiction. While it is
true that the Dubai Courts jealously guard their
jurisdiction for matters of a public nature such
as criminal matters or cases relating to personal
status, it has been quite meticulous in uphold-
ing the principle of freedom to contract by
refusing to hear matters, where parties have
expressly agreed to a different jurisdiction for
commercial and civil matters.
Arbitration clauses and
jurisdiction of the court
With the rise of alternative methods of dispute
resolution, conferring the jurisdiction of arbi-
tration to hear disputes has become a popular
practice in commercial and real estate con-
tracts. It is mandatory that the parties agreeing
to a jurisdiction of arbitration have expressly
agreed so in writing in order for it to be
binding.
Where parties have agreed to resolve any
dispute in arbitration, they are said to have
waived the jurisdiction of the court to hear the
dispute. In these cases, the jurisdiction of the
court is ousted and the Dubai Courts have
rejected cases for want of jurisdiction, provided
that the parties have expressly signed an arbi-
tration agreement contracting out of the
national courts.
Article 203 (5) of the UAE Civil Procedure
Code says: If the parties to a dispute agree to
refer the dispute to arbitration, no suit may be
filed before the courts
The Dubai Courts have demonstrated a posi-
tive stance in honoring the arbitration

www.thebigprojectme.com | 23
LEGAL | Fareya AzfaR
BELOW: Business Bay, Dubai, where Victory Tower is based.
agreement and stepping down where the parties
have agreed to refer the dispute to arbitration.
In the Dubai Court of Decision 192/2007, the
judge stated that arbitration is exceptional
mode of dispute resolution and has regarded it
to be a departure from the general rule that it
is the courts that have jurisdiction over all dis-
putes save those are excepted by a special provi-
sion of the law The Courts have construed the
arbitration clause narrowly and are alert to see
anything that may amount to a waiver of it.
Raising objections to the
jurisdiction of Court in the
presence of arbitration
agreement
Having strongly upheld the jurisdiction of arbi-
tration in the presence of an express arbitration
agreement, the UAE Civil Procedure Code also
provides instances where a dispute can be heard
before the court if the other party does not
object to the filing at the first hearing. Most
people would believe that a party can only rely
on the arbitration clause if they object to the
filing of the case in the first hearing, but this
interpretation would lessen the significance and
purpose of the arbitration agreement and for
this reason the courts must be cautious of
deciding so. It is also worth noting that the
provisions of the UAE Civil Procedure Code
also provides that any party can raise the
defence of the court having no jurisdiction at
any stage of the proceedings.
24 | www.thebigprojectme.com
Moreover, the courts are also allowed to rule
on issues of jurisdiction on their own motion,
even if neither party has raised an objection.
The Dubai courts have rigorously upheld
these provisions and further, went on to state
that an appeal on a question of jurisdiction,
whether raised by the parties or not, is deemed
to exist as matter of question within the scope
of the appeal before the court In Decision
256/2008, the Dubai Court of Cassation stated:
Questions of jurisdiction of authority and
jurisdiction by category are matters of public
order, and are always deemed to be in existence
in litigation before the court. The court is
obliged to deal with such matters of its own
motion, and the parties may rely on lack of
jurisdiction of authority or jurisdiction by cate-
gory at any stage of the proceedings
Non-objection to the
jurisdiction of Courts by
implicit acceptance
Article 203 (5) of the UAE Procedural Code
allows the issue to be heard in court if the other
party does not object to the jurisdiction in the
first hearing by taking it as an implicit accept-
ance. However, given that the parties have the
right to raise objections on jurisdiction at any
time during the proceedings by law, the non-
objection of filing the suit in the court is not to
be taken lightly.
The Dubai Courts have been wary of con-
cluding that a non-objection to an arbitration
clause is to be considered as acceptance of the
jurisdiction of the court, since the parties may
not resort to the courts if they had agreed that
disputes between them should be resolved by
arbitration.
There may be instances when the other party
did not have the chance to raise an objection in
the first hearing by reason of absence or by not
being notified of the proceedings in the proper
manner. Secondly, if the party raises an objec-
tion in subsequent hearings, this demonstrates
they have not accepted the jurisdiction of the
court, and in the absence of a clear and une-
quivocal intention of the party to waive the
arbitration clause or agreement, the courts
must reject to hear the suit, which was wrongly
filed.
As lawyers, we have on numerous occasions
raised objections to the jurisdiction of the
court, where the contract contained an arbitra-
tion clause and have found the judges rejecting
the cases for lack of jurisdiction.
The Courts have decided that where the par-
ties have expressly agreed to refer the matter to
arbitration, they have waived their right to refer
the dispute to litigation and therefore the right
jurisdiction to hear the matter lies in arbitra-
tion. Therefore, the Courts are steadfast in pre-
serving the sanctity of the contract and the
principle of freedom of contract by upholding
the jurisdiction of the governing body agreed
between the parties.
Conclusion
As seen above, the rejection of the suit filed in
the courts, in the presence of an express agree-
ment to arbitrate, is not a new practice and this
approach has been adopted by the Dubai
Courts for some time. This stance derives from
the provisions of the UAE Civil Procedure
Code, which clearly provides that the parties to
a contract cannot file the case in the court,
where they have expressly agreed to the juris-
diction of arbitration by way of an arbitration
clause or a separate arbitration agreement. The
Courts have retained the power to intervene
only in certain instances. The Courts have also
shown flexibility in hearing objections as to the
jurisdiction at any stage of the proceedings as
provided in the Civil Procedure Code as non-
objection to the jurisdiction of the Court has to
be clearly demonstrated. It is also worth noting
that the courts also have the right to decide the
issue of jurisdiction on its own motion and this
encourages them to adopt a pro-contract
approach even where the parties have not raised
any objections to the jurisdiction.
XXXXXXXX
Business
BELOW: A luxury yacht project designed by the firm.
Brief
| XXXXXXXXXX
| Best interiors
Beyond luxury
Interior designer for Best Interiors, Johann Kruger, explains
how to break out beyond the niche and the value of hard work
A
s far as business plans go, luxury in the
Middle East seems a fairly safe bet. But
when your core market experiences a
crash and need replaces want, it soon becomes
necessary to broaden horizons.
Its always very difficult to get your first
chance at something you havent done before,
says Best Interiors Johann Kruger.
The challenge is actually breaking beyond
your niche market, because the minute some-
body likes your approach and they have the
faith and courage to give you a shot, that is it.
From there on if you can prove yourself the
door is open. You work and work and dont
look back, he adds.
For Best Interiors that break came with the
contract for Marina 23; a 93 storey residential
tower project located at Dubai Marina, to which
Best Interiors was introduced as the interior
designer of choice by the projects architect.
Once assigned to the project, three fully cus-
tomisable pre-designed packages were created
for the 48 duplex apartments in the tower
which all have private pools and the show
apartment. It was through the show apartment
design that demand then saw the company
26 | www.thebigprojectme.com
approached to help buyers of the smaller, single
storey, apartments; many of whom were buying a
second property or holiday home and therefore
could not commit to their own fit out project.
From there, the projects grandeur and
investor packages were put together, ranging
from a customised small apartment design to
furniture and fabrics only.
We have done high end luxury residential
palaces, private yachts, private planes, all things
associated with royalty, in a market few can
afford, but we are now tailoring solutions to a
market that isnt so high end and maybe just
wants to fit out a second home in the region,
Kruger explains.
Its about making luxury a little bit more
accessible, but at the same time not compromis-
ing the chance to get involved in larger projects,
he adds. As the portfolio continues to diversify,
ABOVE: Johann Kruger.
other projects currently include large office
developments in Qatar and residential and hos-
pitality projects in India.
With one finger remaining firmly on the lux-
ury pulse, the higher end of the current portfolio
includes a VIP residence in Fujairah; a high end
residential project in Thailand; and an
 Business Brief | Best interiors
When the economy
went south it filtered
out a lot of people
who didnt want to
ride out the storm.
When I came to
Dubai 12 years ago
it was the only city
in the world where
even bad designers
could get work, but
the people who are
here now are the
strong design firms
and for that reason
they are bringing
the cream of design
ABOVE: This Indian residential project drew inspiration from local culture.
talent to the UAE
architecture, interior design and landscaping Reaching out geographical expansion and with even more
project Kruger describes as a very exclusive Beyond the diversity in target project budgets projects in India, the far east and north Africa,
villa in Angola. The work in your portfolio comes a diversity in commercial focus, which Best Interiors has established one office in Delhi
shows your diversity and we want to set ourselves will be operated under a newly established and will support this with another in Mumbai.
apart, he asserts. umbrella company Best Networks. When the economy went south it filtered out
I see challenges everywhere but I dont shy We are assuming that sooner or later we will a lot of people who didnt want to ride out the
away from them. We have been able to break into branch out beyond interiors, into for example storm. When I came to Dubai 12 years ago it
a market with which we have no previous associ- into architectural consultation and maybe our was the only city in the world where even bad
ation, for example changing our majority clients own line of custom made branded furniture for designers could get work, but the people who
from high luxury residential and palaces to cor- hotels. Then its good to have a mother company are here now are the strong design firms and for
porate hotel developments and high rise build- over those brands, Kruger says of the initiative. that reason they are bringing the cream of
ings, he adds. In line with the market expansion comes a design talent to the UAE.

www.thebigprojectme.com | 27
XXXXXXXX
Business Brief
| XXXXXXXXXX
| Best interiors

I think the
In addition people are capitalising on the moving more towards modern technology, not
fact that while previously they may have been so much for the fact that its a design trend, but
able to get a better deal from somebody else, the its a comfort trend. Technology I would say is

eyes of Dubai quality of the product would have been sub-

grade, Kruger observes.
always going to be at the forefront of design and
it will shape the future of it, he says.

have been
They are still tight on budgets, but they Predicting that locally developed design
know that any one of the designers in the UAE trends will soon spread beyond the region,
that is still here will provide a substantial prod- Kruger says this will all depend on the con-

opened up to uct that is worth their money, he adds, saying

the melting pot of talent currently in the mar-
tinuation of a trend that is seeing local stu-
dents nurtured to study the arts as much as

world-wide
ket has changed the mentality of design. they are sciences.
I think the eyes of Dubai have been opened What is happening here is something that
up to world-wide design trends and what is hasnt been seen before and it hasnt been dupli-

design trends considered to be on the cutting edge globally,

Kruger adds.
cated that much either.
Sooner or later the Middle East will become

and what is
the hub of design and architecture for the world.
Design quality We have good overseas talent and I feel the
Citing the main lifestyle influences on design UAE is investing a lot into cultivating an ambi-

considered to as technology, local culture and sustainabil-

ity, Kruger predicts the sectors future success
tion among the young people to study the arts
as well as sciences and that is the best way to

be cutting edge
will depend on how much and how well inno- infuse the local essence and culture into the
vation can be integrated into a project, as well design, he adds, concluding: As the markets
as how projects can be designed into their start recovering now and confidence comes

globally Middle Eastern surroundings, rather than

contradicting them.
back in regards to building, development and
decoration, I think things will only become
even better than they are now.
Its the nature of the beast. Design is definitely

28 | www.thebigprojectme.com
 AD

GYPFINE.
THE ULTIMATE SKIM PLASTER
FOR A PERFECT FINISH.
Register for an information pack at www.gyproc.ae/register or call free on 800 GYPROC (497762).
GypFine is a superior gypsum-based plaster range for interior walls and ceilings, where the highest level of finish is essential.
Specially formulated for easy application combined with excellent coverage, GypFine plasters offer the ultimate finish in fewer
coats. So unlike other powder products and ready-mixed putties you can save time and effort in achieving perfection. Whether its
GypFine - Board Skim for skimming plasterboard, GypFine - Multi Skim for skimming cement render, fair face concrete and precast
panels, or GypFine - Ultra Skim for skimming all surfaces without the need for primers, your projects will be sure to take centre stage.

Like us on
ICONIC STRUCTURES | UAE HOTELS

ABOVE: Kingdom of Sheba.

Harsco Hotel
Formwork supplier Harsco has supplied more than 20 hotel projects in the UAE. But
increasingly complex architecture and higher demands from luxury brand clients, bring
their own challenges to each project. With the countrys hotel building boom still in full
swing, The Big Project takes a look at the most difficult projects in the firms portfolio

Fairmont Hotel, Sheikh Zayed
Road, Dubai
Building size: 34 storey
Building type: Mixed use hotel, office
and retail
Materials: Mark II Soldiers
Frame time: 18 months
Challenge: Complete formwork
solutions using standard and special
material to tackle complex architectural
shapes and construction methods
This Dubai-based new build project is
one of Harscos best known and over the
18 months spent onsite, the company
devised three systems:
- Ground up scaffold for larger voids in
the distinctive recesses
- Mark II Soldiers beamed across
narrower inserts, which were themselves
supported with diagonal raking shores
- Lift shaft and stair core walls used
special steel formwork panels that can be
re-used on complex geometric shapes.
Standard support and decking systems
were used to construct all typical floors
and transfer beams with a depth of 6m
were constructed using a mix of standard
innovative construction techniques
agreed with the contractor
Nation Towers, Abu Dhabi
Building size: Two towers of 64 and
51 storeys
Building type: Mixed use
Materials: ID15 / H20 Tables / MANTO
panels/ Mark II Soldiers Cuplok
Frame time: 15 months
Challenge: Provide support for a steel
truss for an aerial sky bridge connecting
the towers
This two tower project features a
connecting sky-bridge for which the steel
truss had to be supported from ground
level. Harsco engineered the support to
enable the entire truss to be assembled

30 | www.thebigprojectme.com

before lifting. The wall formwork was
designed to take self-compacting concrete
and used shutters reaching 10 metres in
height for the construction of the walls at
the basement and lower level.
Kingdom of Sheba, The Palm
Jumeirah, Dubai
Plot size: 141,500m
Building type: Mixed use
Materials: Cuplok / Metriform / Rapid
Column Arms / S150 Beams
Frame time: Drawings produced by
Harsco between September 2008 and
February 2010
Challenge: More than 500 drawings
were completed for various villas plus
three blocks of main building consisting
of 12 storeys and roof.
Another project for Fairmont Hotels,
Kingdom of Sheba is composed of four
and five bedroom beach villas, health
clubs and a private residential club. The
BELOW: Bridgeway Hotel.
repetitive nature of the project helped
speed up construction.
Landmark Tower, Abu Dhabi
Building size: 72 storey
Building type: Mixed use
Materials: Cuplok / Tube &Fittings /
Mark II Soldiers
Frame time: 10 months
Challenge: Providing the equipment
and personnel to erect complex
geometric scaffolding
to support structural steelwork for two
steel and glass canopies
Located on Abu Dhabi corniche,
this 330m project will be the tallest
building on Abu Dhabi Island. During
construction of the canopies fixed
above the north and south entrances, a
grid of complex scaffolding designed,
supplied and erected by Harsco
Infrastructure was used to support the
structures.
ICONIC STRUCTURES | UAE HOTELS
News
$260m
The value of the Nation Towers
project, Abu Dhabi
ABOVE: Ibn Battuta Gate.
There is really no limit to
the type of architectural
design you may receive,
but this puts pressure
on the formwork
suppliers to deliver
solutions to achieve an
iconic structure. For
example hotels often
have big void atriums
which require the use
of advanced scaffolding
and formwork solutions,
Stuart Bland, senior
scaffolding and
formwork consultant,
Harsco.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 31
ICONIC STRUCTURES | UAE HOTELS
BELOW: Formwork in place at Ibn Battuta Gate, Dubai.
Conrad Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Road, Dubai
Project size: 46451m
Building type: Mixed use
Materials: ID15 / Lightshore tables /
Cuplok / Mark II Soldiers / Special Steel
Formwork
Frame time: 36 months
Challenge: Client expectations for a
newly introduced luxury branded hotel
chain
This 559 room hotel is a flagship for
Hiltons luxury brand, Conrad.
Movenpick, Ibn Battuta Gate,
Dubai
Building size: 400,000 sq ft
Building type: Mixed use residential,
offices and hotel
Frame time: 26 months
32 | www.thebigprojectme.com
Challenge: Construction of a 60m arch
way, larger than Arc de Triomphe, Paris
The arch is in fact, a bridge between
two buildings. The project, described
by Harsco as being wrought with
complexity began with the gantry
arrangement over the main road by the
contractor. Harsco then:
- Built supports reaching a height of
38m to provide a workable platform
height for the top of the final archway
in the later stages.
- Erected 4.7m high supports and
shutters of 4.8m,to form the four main
beams creating the bridge between the
two buildings.
- A third level of 4.8m high supports
were erected to form the top slab
linking the bridge beams and creating
the main walkway between the two
pre-constructed buildings.
- Columns were built, further supports
added to form the roof of the walkway
$500m
value of Landmark Tower, Abu Dhabi
and the castellated feature at the top of
the bridge.
- Almost 26 months later the work
to, and above the bridge, was
completed and the top sections of the
support scaffold were removed. The
Contractor was thus provided with a
working platform at 38m for finishing
works to be completed and to erect
the top section of the pre-fabricated
architectural archway.
Wind load calculations were completed
for each element of the design to take
into account the tall buildings on each
side of the structure, which had the
potential to cause a tunneling effect on
the temporary support scaffolding and
the formwork.
The final leg load calculations were
complicated because of the various
erection stages, differing grid sizes and
differing heights involved, self-weight of
the system and high wind loads.
 ICONIC STRUCTURES | UAE HOTELS
News
$194m
value of Conrad Dubai

ABOVE: Conrad Hotel.

UAE project name Contractor

Burj Khalifa - Dubai SIXCO / Samsung / Arabtec
Emirates Towers Hotel SIXCO
Fairmont Hotel Palm Jumeirah, Dubai DCC
Fairmont Hotel Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai DCC / Arabtec
Ibn Batutta Gate Hotel Dubai Higgs & Hill
Kingdom of Sheba Palm Jumeirah DCC
Conrad Dubai Arabtec/ DCC JV
Dusit Hotel, Dubai Al Habtoor Eng.
Bab Al Qasr Hotel Abu Dhabi NUROL contracting
Bridgeway Hotel & Resort - Abu Dhabi Al Husam / OEC
Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites Al Naboodah Building
Khaladiyah Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi NUROL Contracting
Rotana Hotel Yas Island Abu Dhabi J&P
Sadiyat Island HLGMR
Laguna Beach Hotel Ajman SEDICO
Madinat Jumeriah ALEC / Bu Haleebah
Ritz Carlton Hotel DIFC, Dubai Bouyges

ABOVE:The Fairmont Hotel, Dubai. Meridien Al Aqua Dibba, Fujairah FNC

www.thebigprojectme.com | 33
FOAMGLAS Insulation

Tapered roof and void former on metal deck

New Doha International Airport (NDIA) is slated to replace the old Doha International Airport
as Qatars only international airport in 2011. It was expected to be the first airport worldwide
to fully handle Airbus A380, the worlds biggest commercial aircraft. Qatar has witnessed a
high growth in passenger and cargo traffic in the recent years, so the old terminal suffered
from overcapacity. The FOAMGLAS roof system is used on the metal roofs of the 54 roofs
of the jet bridges. The build up comprises on the corrugated metal deck a dense deck to
span the gap between the big support. The gypsum board is mechanically fixed. The first
layer of FOAMGLAS is used instead of light weight concrete because of the high rigidity
without compression, non combustibility and the light weight. Above the FOAMGLAS
TAPERED ROOF SYSTEM with integrated slope is used to create the slope and provide thermal
protection. FOAMGLAS contains 66% recycling glass content and is environmentally sound
in its manufacturing, usage and eventual disposal.

AD

New Doha International Airport, Qatar

Architect Bechtel / HOW Engineering Bechtel
Construction 2007 2012
FOAMGLAS Roof Insulation 11000 m2 as TAPERED ROOF SYSTEM (54 jet bridge roofs)

6
5 Build-up
1 Metal Deck
4
2 Substrate board
3 FOAMGLAS T4 180 mm flat
4 FOAMGLAS T4 TAPERED ROOF SYSTEM
50 350 mm laid in hot bitumen
3
5 Roof cover board
6 Two layers of bituminous waterproofing
2 membranes, top layer UV-resistant

Light, rigid, safe and durable. The most simple system on metal deck.
Web: www.foamglas.ae Email: info@foamglas.ae Dubai office Tel: +9714 434 7140 Doha office Tel: +974 465 5360
 COVER STORY | AECOM
By royal
appointment
Last year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a US$4.4bn Royal Decree for the development
of four major tertiary care Medial Cities across the Kingdom. On July 10 it was announced via the
New York Stock Exchange that the design consultancy services for the largest of these, the $1.24bn
King Khalid Medical City, will be completed by AECOM. Vice president of buildings for the Middle
East, Anthony McCarter, tells The Big Project about coordinating, building and future-proofing
the Kingdom's largest healthcare mega-project

H
owever successful a company is, its
not every day a project with a total
phase one built up area of
1,000,000m is awarded by a government
ministry based in one of the most lucrative
construction markets in the world. But on
July 10, that is exactly the announcement
AECOM shared with the world.
Following nine months of feasibility
studies and masterplanning, multidisci-
plinary global construction powerhouse
AECOM announced its appointment to a
$1.24bn project with a contract value of
$27.85m, to undertake consultancy design
services for the largest health care project
in both Saudi Arabias and its own history.
King Khalid Medical City will be built
on a 700,000m greenfield site and will
comprise a 1500 bed hospital; six Centres
of Excellence; research offices; residential
staff accommodation; gardens; a commu-
nity centre; and its own utilities plant.
This phase, the first of two planned to
date, will be functional by 2017 but is due
to reach full capacity by 2022. When that
happens the city will grow again to
include additional housing; a hospice;
medical education facilities; and a hotel. A
third phase has not been ruled out.
This is a very important project for
AECOM, says vice president of buildings
for the Middle East, Anthony McCarter,
who was personally responsible for finalis-
ing the contract and who will now steer
the execution stage, liaising between the
Kingdoms Ministry of Health, project
managers and other project partners.
Clients look for the best interna-
tional expertise, coupled with local
knowledge, and AECOM has been in the
Kingdom for more than 45 years in one
form or another.
Far from replacing existing medical
facilities, King Khalid Medical City
(KKMC) will support its neighbouring
hospitals and clinics while providing the
specialist tertiary care they cannot, with a
remit to set new standards for the

www.thebigprojectme.com | 35
COVER STORY | AECOM

A number of different concepts were developed in terms of look but function

has driven the whole planning of the project

delivery of complex health care for residents of
the Eastern region.
Now in the schematic design stage, tenders
for the enabling works will be awarded before
the end of this year with construction con-
tracts awarded, and beginning, early 2013.
I am excited to be continually involved in
this project because it is such a high profile
and high quality development, he adds with
an air of excitement that is measured yet evi-
dent as he explains that while AECOMs other
regional flagship healthcare project
Clevelend Clinic, Abu Dhabi may be more
expensive than KKMC, this far exceeds it in
terms of built up area.
AECOMs contract commenced on March 3
this year and will last 24 months a tight
deadline, but one McCarter reassures will
need nothing but expertise, global support
and collaborative technology.
Having already hit the ground running, he
comments: It will be a challenge but luckily
were a large company with a lot of resources
and we will draw on those, getting the teams
to work very efficiently. We will utilise BIM
platforms that were specified in the tender but
are used as an AECOM standard. This will
allow us to draw on the significant experience
and expertise of our staff who have worked on
healthcare projects around the world.
provide outdoors facilities for those patients AECOMS responsibilities
able to enjoy them, and similar features Master planning
brought inside through the channelling of
natural light to entrances and public spaces. Medical planning
The buildings are designed to be attrac- Architecture
tive and to create a statement, but equally its
a healthcare facility very much designed with Interior design
the patient and end user in mind. There will
Medial equipment planning
be very attractive buildings and there will be
very appealing spaces, but their purpose is Engineering services (civil, structural, mechanical,
that they are designed to be very efficient, electrical, public health/ plumbing)
says McCarter.
Landscape
Aside from the efficient and aesthetic ele-
ments of design, KKMC is also planned to be Cost consultancy
self sufficient in terms of utilities provision,
with full onsite power and safety infrastruc-
ture covering electricity, water, fire prevention,
district cooling, waste water treatment, waste
transfer, medical gases and steam generation.

Design
The centre piece of it all is the main hospital
facility, housing 1500 beds and six Centres of
Excellence, which will specialise in cardiovas-
cular, neuroscience, metabolic and genetic
diseases, oncology, multi organ transplants
and ophthalmology.
The Ministry of Health was very clear in
terms of wanting to ensure the medical city
has an identity, rather than being a large hos-
pital. So it has been carefully planned to
achieve that level of character, McCarter says,
explaining that design is based on function,
rather than form.
A number of different concepts were devel-
oped in terms of look but function has driven
the whole planning of the project, he adds,
naming efficiency and future maintenance of
the built asset as key aesthetic drivers.
The curved and coloured roof is one such
demonstration of the character specified as
essential to the project, and master planning
has ensured the built environment is punctu-
ABOVE: A rendering of the completed plaza area.
ated with healing gardens, landscaped to

36 | www.thebigprojectme.com

Despite the complexities of coordinating a
construction project of such scale, it is these
elements that present the greatest challenges
during the execution of healthcare projects;
along with building services designed to
prevent the spread of bacteria and disease;
and the future proofing of facilities in order
to accommodate the next generation of
medical equipment: considerations that are
COVER STORY | AECOM
The Ministry of Health
was very clear in terms
of wanting to ensure
the medical city has an
identity, rather than
being a large hospital,
so it has been carefully
planned to achieve that
level of character
Project stats
US$4.4bn total project budget for all four
planned Medical Cities across Saudi Arabia
US$1.24bn budget value for King Khalid
Medical City, the biggest of these projects and
the largest health case project in the history of
the Kingdom
$27.85m the value of AECOMs contract
1,000,000m total build up space
700,000m Greenfield site in Dammam
1500 beds across six Centres of Excellence
and supporting facilities planned for phase one
4.1 million people living in Easter region
catchment zone
Project owner/ sponsor: Ministry of
Health, Saudi Arabia
Client: King Fahad Specialist Hospital
Dammam (KFSH-D).
March 3 2012, AECOMs contract
commencement date
all achieved through the use of evidence
based design. 24 month contract duration
Building services need to be very well
planned, as do power services in terms of 2012 site preparation to begin
uninterruptable supply. The challenges are, in 2013 main works to tender in Q1
addition to the medical and equipment plan-
ning, future proofing the design and being 2017 planned opening
able to incorporate the latest equipment tech-
2222 estimated year phase two will be required
nology within that design, comments
www.thebigprojectme.com | 37
COVER STORY | AECOM

We are seeing a greater emphasis on these types of projects now, for

example healthcare, schooling and housing, particularly in places like
Saudi. Those are very strong growth areas and that is why this is such a
great project for us

ABOVE: One of the early stage development drawings.

McCarter, exemplifying the recent develop-
ments in bedside technology used by patients
that is more akin to an inflight entertainment
system than a hospital ward.
Equally significant is the move towards
electronic records because those IT systems
need to be very carefully designed. Healthcare
projects do present many interesting chal-
lenges for the design team.
Healthy outlook
While the building systems themselves are the
underlying factor in achieving a sustainable
development, the sustainability of KKMC isnt
solely about the technology that will be used
within the city, but the technology used to
build its individual components and the feasi-
bility of that building programme as a whole.
While the feasibility study itself identified
the main facilities KKMC would require to
serve the local population (see box), further
studies took into account travel distances
between facilities, the materials used to build
the facilities in particular, facades and the
orientation of them. Well rehearsed steps that
when combined, could in future contribute
towards a LEED certification.
Its a subject for which McCarter is an advo-
cate, having spoken publically on everything
from the frequency of lifts in a building to the
importance of modern engineering tech- ABOVE: Anthony McCarter.
niques, in order to promote sustainability.

38 | www.thebigprojectme.com
 COVER STORY | AECOM
In a statement AECOM
said it is: Working
collaboratively with
the Client and project
stakeholders to achieve
this ambitious project
within a challenging
schedule using best
international healthcare
planning and design
expertise from our
US based business
in association with
our regionally based
healthcare experts and
designers in the Middle
East and our locally
knowledgeable resources
in Saudi Arabia
ABOVE: Planned interior design for the South Lobby area.

Recruited by AECOM two years ago, he first Hospital facilities identified AECOMS healthcare
arrived in the region in 1994, initially for a two during feasibility studies highlights
year period, but ended up staying due to the 30 operating theatres Dubai Healthcare City and Partners Harvard Medical
continuity of once in a career projects. International Dubai, UAE
Radiography suite
The region has great opportunities from a
projects perspective and also from an overall Nuclear medicine The City Hospital, Dubai UAE
economic perspective, he comments.
Radiation therapy University of Sharjah Teaching Hospital, Sharjah
But the ambition is what is appealing. It is
the scale and the nature of the projects and Emergency departments American Hospital of Dubai, UAE
from a personal point of view I thought the
project I initially came here for back in 1994 In and out-patient beds and wards MDHC Hospital, Sharjah, UAE
would be the pinnacle of my career. RAK Private Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Procedural rooms
Thats the benefit to our staff and for us as a
company. The scale of the projects does pro- Diagnostic and treatment areas Sidra Hospital, Doha, Qatar
vide an opportunity to bring that talent to Creek Hospital, Dubai, UAE
Logistics support, including a central utility plant
them, he says.

www.thebigprojectme.com | 39
COVER STORY | AECOM

Building services
need to be very well
planned, as do power
services in terms
of uninterruptable
supply. The challenges
are, in addition to
the medical and
equipment planning,
future proofing the
design

ABOVE: Another of AECOM's concept stage renderings.

Now heading the AECOM division currently
working on Yas Mall and Etihad Towers, Abu
Dhabi; UAE University, Al Ain; healthcare pro-
jects in Sharjah; Barwa City and Barwa
Commercial Avenue, Qatar; he rightly describes
the team as active and diverse.
The talent required to execute this project
will be drawn from almost every AECOM office
globally, with architects in America and engi-
neers in the Middle East. Combined, this net-
work of offices employs around 50,000
personnel who are connected via Revit, the BIM
platform used in every AECOM project.
King Khalid Medical City is a multi-loca-
tion project, which presents a challenge, but all
our skills come from the international AECOM
network, so its a truly international collabora-
tion, McCarter says, continuing to explain that
talent working specifically on healthcare and
equipment planning has been tapped from
American offices, with engineering drawn from
throughout AECOMs network and project
overview provided by the global healthcare
leader in Australia.
In turn, these people then support the 3500
workers already based regionally, who are
working directly on AECOMs other current
projects, including the Jeddah stormwater
drainage project, designed to prevent another
occurrence of the floods that have caused doz-
ens of casualties and deaths over recent years.
Other active projects include Doha Port and
Saadiyat Island; the experience of which will
be used to leverage new, similar contracts in
the region.
I think the scale of the development reflects
the fact that these countries are growing very
quickly. We are seeing a greater emphasis on
these types of projects now, for example health-
care, schooling and housing, particularly in
places like Saudi. Those are very strong growth
areas and that is why this is such a great project
for us, McCarter concludes.
The other cities outlined
by Royal Decree in 2011
King Fahd Medical City-Riyadh
King Abdullah Medical City-Makkah
King Faisal Medical City-Southern Region
Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul
Rahman Al Saud Medical City -Northern Region.

40 | www.thebigprojectme.com
AD
AD

Supplier news
A round-up of the latest news and announcements
Summertown Interiors
Carbon neutrality on track for 2020
Sustainable fit-out contractor, Summertown
Interiors, has announced it is due to achieve car-
bon neutrality by 2020.
The target will be achieved through the com-
panys Eco-Leaders Green Committee, an inter-
nal body established one year ago to implement
and track the nine year plan.
As a green fit-out partner, the Eco-Leaders Green
Committee forms an integral part of our CSR strat-
egy, commented MD, Marcos Bish.
The plan will be used as case study by Dubai
Chambers Centre for Responsible Business to
educate other UAE businesses on Integrating
CSR into Business Strategy. According to studies
conducted by the chamber, only 28% of Dubai
companies have an environmental policy.
The UAEs Vision 2021 aims to further the
position of the country as a sustainable nation
and our goal to become carbon-neutral is in
accordance with this. It is just as important for
companies in the private sector to integrate sus-
tainability into their business strategies as it is for
government entities.
However, a company cannot fully achieve its
sustainable goals if they do not secure their
employees commitment to these and develop an
environmentally-conscious culture both within
and outside of the workplace.
Summertown, which has a LEED certified
showroom in Dubai, focuses on executing green
projects for its clients, of which it has completed three
in 2012. The committee will now ensure that all pro-
jects undertaken by the company will achieve such
objectives, whether specified by the client or not and
green products are being developed at the companys
joinery facility.
Jotun Powder Coatings
STAND Reveal Tempo launched
A new generation of low temperature curing prod-
uct has been introduced to global markets by Jotun
Power Coatings.
The new coating product is designed to address
the demand for a faster curing product that does
not require high temperatures in order to be effec-
tive, currently seen in the OEM market. Developed
for both wet and dry applications, the coating
reduced energy costs and can cover more heat
sensitive objects, allowing for wider applications
on products such as fixtures and furniture.
We are very excited to launch this innovative
product to the global market. Reveal Tempo is
our answer to the OEM markets growing
demands for a low temperature cure powder
coating that is highly productive, energy effi-
cient, and meets the corrosion, chemical and
mechanical requirements of the industry, said
Olaf Conreur, industrial category manager for
Jotun Powder Coatings.
The call for a highly efficient and eco-
friendly low curing product has long been a key
focus area for the powder coating industry. The
release of Reveal Tempo demonstrates our abil-
ity to meet these requirements, Conreur added.
The product can cure at temperatures ranging
from 130C/20min, to 180C/3min. Because it
can be applied at a thickness of 55 m or lower
when applied on an organic primer such as an
e-coat, its efficiency increases the number of goods
that can be coated.
The product reduces energy use by 25%; contrib-
utes towards coating heat sensitive objects; facilitates
the curing of pre-assembled materials, or even com-
bine several of these benefits, resulting in a mix of
increased productivity and energy savings.
CAREER LADDER
SUPPLIER
| NEWS | Coryn Hellewell
DuPont
Surfacing materials provided in Romania
Global surfacing supplier DuPont has provided
its Corian product for a Romanian project exe-
cuted for the Petrom headquarters in
Bucharest, Romania, as part of its modernisa-
tion programme.
The south east European oil and gas producer
specified DuPont Corian in order to create a
unique office environment and align the com-
pany with international standards.
Based on the Working Environmental
Branding (WEB) concept, Petrom City is a five-
building complex. Between two of the buildings,
DuPont has supplied organic shaped furnishing
elements that guide visitors to a primary
atrium area. DuPont Corian was also used to
create a 14 metre reception desk, signage panels,
benches and flower pot containers in two of the
buildings atria. Each furnishing element is
based on the same concept: natural stone for the
base and a DuPont Corian organic skin for the
functional upper part.
The project was realised in collaboration with
Bucharest-based Square One Studio.
We had to choose a material that could be
curved and twisted to thermoform the parts,
Square One GM, Adrian Cancer, said.
Also, we had a strict deadline to finish the
work and for this reason we did not use tradi-
tional architectural sketches that would have
taken too long to implement. Instead, we sent
the 3D files of our project to the fabricator that
made the molds very quickly, helping us save
considerable time. The entire process from vir-
tual shapes to the physical implementation on
site was incredibly smart and quick, with great
results, he added.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 43
SUPPLIER | NEWS
It is just as important for companies in the
private sector to integrate sustainability
into their business strategies as it is for
government entities
Danube
Regional expansion yields 20% growth
Compared to H1 2011, Danube has registered
sales growth of 20% over the same period in
2012, due to regional expansion that has ser-
viced growing demand in Middle East and
African markets.
Following the establishment of new branches
in Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the
UAE-based merchant is now planning to explore
potential investment opportunities in Africa.
This year is a landmark year for us and the
expansion has not only strengthened our market
presence in the region, but has also helped us
reach a wider audience. The company is in excel-
lent position to meet its target for the annual year
with record volumes and sound profitability,
said Danube chairman Rizwan Sajan.
In the last 12 months Danube has opened a
new 550,000 square feet warehouse in JAFZA
South, Dubai and Sajan has accepted the Dubai
Quality Appreciation Award, The Mohammad
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award
(MRM) and the Businessman of the Year Award.
I think businesses should take calculated
risks and learn to be more aggressive. You should
learn to be more aggressive and always be on the
lookout for opportunities, regardless of being big
or small, Sajan told The Big Project last year.
Danube was founded in Deira, Dubai in 1993
and began as a single store operation, led by
Sajan. In 2010 the company reported annual
turnover of AED 1.25billion, with a growth rate
of 25%; the target for the coming years was then
to achieve the same growth rate and revenues of
US $1bn by 2015 at the latest.
Today the company sells 25,000 products to
international markets and is planning a SAR
300m investment in Saudi Arabia alone.
44 | www.thebigprojectme.com
Schck ME FZE
Bent GFRP Bars launched
A new high strength glass fibre bent bar, Bent
GFRP, has been added to the Schck ComBAR
portfolio by its German producer Schck.
Designed specifically for use in the shaft
walls of tunnelling projects, the bent bar can
achieve strengths similar to those of the
straight bars. Schck also says the bars
enhance the safety and speed at which projects
are executed.
Allowing tunnel boring machines (TBM)
to dig a tunnel without being interrupted
by supporting steel rebar, steel reinforced
concrete diaphragm, or drilled pile walls,
the use of the new generation Bent GFRP
Bars reduces project timescales and creates
a more cost effective design.
The company is now eyeing the regions
massive infrastructure projects for intro-
ductory applications of the bars in the
Middle East. These projects include sub-
ways, sewers and tunnels, all of which are
constructed with use of the TBM.
The development of high strength Glass
Fibre Reinforced Polymer rebars brought the
solution to this problem. The GFRP bars are
installed in that portion of concrete shaft walls
which the TBM has to penetrate, the so called
soft-eye. Even though the material is more
expensive than steel rebar, the overall savings
in construction time and cost are substantial,
a statement from the company read.
Like its parent company, Schck ME FZE,
the Middle East freezone subsidiary of Schck
AG, specialises in the reinforcement of indus-
trial flooring, facade, bridge engineering,
marine and harbour construction, and coastal
protection, amongst other project types.
25%
potential energy savings can be made
through application of the new Jotun
Reveal Tempo
Dow Corning
New colours added to glazing sealant range
The construction division of Dow Corning has
announced the introduction of new colours for a
string of its sealant and glazing products.
Dow Corning 993 Silicone Structural
Glazing Sealant, Dow Corning 3362 Silicone
Insulating Glass Sealant and Dow Corning 895
Silicone Structural Glazing Sealant are now
available in black, white, light grey, middle
grey and dark grey. Custom colours are also
available on request.
The expansion increases the design versatility
of the products and will be targeted to architects,
contractors, building owners, consultants, for-
mulators and design specifiers and is compli-
mented with a colour matching service.
The products have also been approved by the
EOTA for structural applications: 993 Silicone
Structural Glazing Sealant approved ETA-
01/0005; and 3362 Silicone Insulating Glass
Sealant approved ETA-03/0003.
They are accompanied by a range of compat-
ible, proven silicone weatherproofing sealants
and also the one part structural sealant 895
Silicone Structural Glazing Sealant in match-
ing shades.
Dow Corning also last month announced a
new to market cost-effective cleaning material to
its 7000 product catalogue. Engineered to flush
the catalyst elements of manual and automatic
two-component pump dispensing equipment,
the Dow Corning 3535 Catalyst Cleaner offers a
quick and easy cleaning solution, particularly
when a fast switch over of different colour cata-
lysts is needed.
A video demonstrating the new colour range
and how the products can be used can be viewed
via http://tinyurl.com/bun4hgs .
AD
CAREER LADDER | Ammad Naser

Specialist subject
The Legal Groups head of real estate, Ammad Naser, tells
Melanie Mingas about his new employers expansion drive
in the face of the UAEs developing real estate regulation

T
he figures speak for themselves.
Earlier in 2012, statistics showed real
estate transactions in Dubai to be up
9% on the previous quarter with the total
number of transactions up 5% year on year.
While the Emirates emerging residential handle the transactional side, Naser adds.
locations, such as IMPZ, Sports City Silicon
Oasis and Jumeirah Village, still struggle to
attract tenants ahead of the completion of vital
infrastructure, the market is also witnessing
an increase in foreign investors willing to buy
distressed assets.
The partners here have realised that the
market is gaining traction again and that they
require the diversity and ability to handle
transactional work as well as the disputes that
are going on, explains The Legal Group
(TLG) recently appointed head of real estate,
Ammad Naser, who has been brought in by
TLG to do just that, in light of observations of
the changing market dynamics.
Disputes unfortunately are always going to
be there because of what happened in 2008,
but because there is now more movement on
the transactional side, and with foreign invest-
ments coming in to buy distressed projects,
there needs to be somebody there who can
The changes are being driven by the intro-
duction of a number of laws and regulations,
covering property and local and interna-
tional investment.
We have actually seen a reduction in ser-
vice charges since the Strata Law was intro-
duced and there are more transactions as a
result. Also investors can actually see a differ-
ence with regards to the development they live
in or have invested in, Naser observes, fur-
ther commenting that the impact on the mar-
ket has been fantastic.
ABOVE: Ammad Naser.
It was whilst working for Bangash Holdings
that Naser had his first opportunity to be
involved in the development of Dubais new
real estate legislation; restructuring the JOPD

46 | www.thebigprojectme.com

prior to obtaining disclosure for his client.
As opposed to outsourcing the work, it was
decided to keep the work in house, thus provid-
ing Naser opportunity to draft and prepare all
documentation required by RERA.
Recalling the work was stressful, he
says the regulations introduced by the body
are integral to the continuous improvement
of investor confidence.
It will take time and personally I think it
will be about five years before the market sees a
steady incline; not to the same levels as pre-
2008, but I do see Dubai in five to ten years
time at the same levels as New York and Paris,
where you always have an increment in the
prices and values of properties, he predicts,
saying the upturn in the market will be com-
pletely dependent on new laws, specifically to
protect investors.
The trust account was a fantastic move,
albeit a little late, but these sorts of small
nuances are helping the market regain its trac-
tion, he continues.
Criticism of Dubai law has been levied from
all corners; but mostly disgruntled investors and
overseas business people, but Naser responds:
One thing everybody has to remember is that
Dubais legal system is still in its early stages.
The powers that be realise new laws need to be
implemented and it will be a slow process.
Its not a case of not wanting to evolve, they
want to become the hub of business trading in
the Middle East, the next Singapore or New
York, and it will get there, he adds.
Dubai bug
Born and raised in Manchester, UK, Naser
initially studied accountancy and finance
before realising that his interests lay in law. A
graduate of the University of Central
Lancashire, Nasers career began with a vol-
untary internship at Wolstenholmes, south
Manchester, which then led to three and a
half years paid work with the firm, during
which time Naser worked his way through
the ranks to the position of non-executive,
associate director.
Naser has also acted as external counsel
for Main Finance, HBOS and Santander
where independent counsel was required in
addition to the lawyers working on transac-
tions. Naser recalls that is was after this he
caught the Dubai bug.
To be honest with you, even at law school
ABOVE: Henrik Ulrich.
XXXXXXXX
CAREER
News LADDER
| XXXXXXXXXX
| Ammad Naser
I didnt see myself finishing my career in the The laws that are being implemented at
UK. I wanted to move abroad, take the skills the moment in regards to the protection of
I had honed in the UK and export them to a investors have actually been emailed across to
place like Dubai that was and still is grow- all lawyers through West Law providing a
ing as a legal entity, he says. medium for them to pass comments.
Now that Dubai is his home, Naser says For a lawyer its fantastic to have that
the best opportunity is to be involved in the involvement because you can actually have a
development of the Emirates laws and has say in the laws that are being created, whereas
completed the DEIR owner association man- if you are back in the UK, its all done much
agement programme, since moving to Dubai higher in the echelons of government and by
in order to gain the bigger picture overview the lobbyists that are dealing with the laws
of how various legislations interlink. that are being passed, he concludes.
Disputes unfortunately are always going to
be there because of what happened in 2008,
but because there is now more movement
on the transactional side, and with foreign
investments coming in to buy distressed
projects, there needs to be somebody there
who can handle the transactional side
CAREER Close up
Head of Real Estate - The Legal Group, Dubai
Ammad specialises in legislative and regulatory issues for investors, owners and
developers particularly advising on the 2007 Jointly Owned Property Law or Strata Law.
He advises Owners Associations and managers on mixed use, sub division, acquisition,
sale and compliance with Strata legislation. Ammad also focuses on portfolio
management, acquisitions and sales, contract drafting and negotiation.
Associate Director Bangash Holdings, Dubai
In house legal director responsible for all legal and commercial contracts for parent and
associated companies, reporting to the Board
Property Lawyer Ross Coates, Solicitors, UK
Property solicitor representing UK corporate and private clients on commercial and
residential property transactions.
Property Lawyer Wolstenholmes LLP, Solicitors, UK
Real estate solicitor acting for national & international investors on commercial &
residential transactions, advised lenders such as HBOS plc, Santander (UK) plc and
Blemain Finance plc on high value development facilities.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 47
Passive fire protection

AD

RENITHERM intumescent coatings AUDAX-Keck GmbH

Germany
for steel, wood and cables. Phone +49 70 51/16 25-0
fire@audax.de
INTUMEX sealants, seal, collars, www.renitherm.com
mortar and more.
Saving time for more safety!

TenderS
Saudi Arabia
Project name King
Khalid International
Airport Expansion Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client General Authority of Civil Aviation
- GACA (Saudi Arabia)
Address Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
City Jeddah
Postal/zip 21421
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-2) 640 5000
Fax (+966-2) 640 1477
Web http://www.gaca.gov.sa
Email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa
Description
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is in Northern
Region of Saudi Arabia. The complex
will have academic and clinical centres,
as well as research centre, office
buildings, service station and car
parking. Client has invited companies to
submit bids by March 12, 2012 for the
project management contract on this
scheme.
US Hill International has been awarded
the project management consultancy
(PMC) contract on this scheme.
Tender categories Construction &
Contracting, Airport
Project name Mixed-
Use Development Project
- Obhur District
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client Rayadah Investment Company
(Saudi Arabia)
City Riyadh
Postal/zip 11564
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-1) 205 9911
Fax (+966-1) 205 9922
Web http://www.raid.com.sa
Email info@raid.com.sa
Description Design and construction of
a 2.4 million square metre mixed-use
development in Obhur, which includes
(240 Nos.) residential towers, (1,200 Nos.)
villas, a five-star hotel, hospital, clinics,
mosques, commercial district, schools and
municipal buildings.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is at Jeddah
in Saudi Arabia. Client has received
prequalification entries for an
infrastructure package on the residential
scheme and is planning to issue
tender documents for the contract
by July 2012. Local office of KEO
International Consultants has been
appointed as the project manager on this
development.
Client has invited contractors to submit
bids for the first infrastructure and
Tenders provided by
earthworks package on this scheme.
Client has set a deadline of August 13,
2012 for the tender. Local Saud Consult
has been appointed as the infrastructure
consultant on this scheme.
Infrastructure Consultant Saudi
Consulting Services (SaudConsult) - Saudi
Arabia
Project Manager KEO International
Consultants (Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories Construction
& Contracting, Hotels, Medical &
Healthcare
Project name Riyadh
Monorail Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client High Commission for the
Development of ArRiyadh
City Riyadh 11614
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-1) 488 3331
Fax (+966-1) 482 9331
Web http://www.arriyadh.com
Email info@arriyadh.com
Description Construction of monorail
system with six main routes covering a
total length of about 175-kilometre in
Riyadh.
Remarks This project is in Saudi Arabia.
The network will be the backbone of
the public transport system in Riyadh,
covering densely populated areas in
the city center, government facilities,
commercial centers and link to King
Khalid International Airport, King
Abdullah Financial Districts and major
universities. It will relieve pressure on the
roads and also ease traffic congestion,
especially during peak hours. It will use
state-of- theart technology to help its
integration with a network of buses and
other modes of transport. Trains will
operate without driver. Air conditioning
system will work both inside the trains
and also at the stations. Communication
system has been designed to cater people
with special needs. Train stations are also
designed to facilitate easy movement
between train and other means of
transport through public parking facilities
to cars as well as supporting facilities
for the network such as maintenance
and warehouse stations, offices and
depots for the trains and control centers.
The client is examining the bids from
number of consortiums vying for a
contract to implement the scheme. (391)
Companies from (50) countries applied
during the prequalification process. A
shortlist of consortiums will be drawn-up
once the prequalification process is
completed.
Tender categories Public Transportation
Projects
Project name Mixed-
Use Development Project
- Obhur District
Territory Saudi Arabia
ESTIMATING
AND PROJECT CONTROL
Client Rayadah Investment Company
(Saudi Arabia)
City Riyadh 11564
Phone (+966-1) 205 9911
Fax (+966-1) 205 9922
Web http://www.raid.com.sa
Email info@raid.com.sa
Description Design and construction of
a 2.4 million square metre mixed-use
development in Obhur, which includes
(240 Nos.) residential towers, (1,200 Nos.)
villas, a five-star hotel, hospital, clinics,
mosques, commercial district, schools and
municipal buildings.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is at Jeddah
in Saudi Arabia. Client has received
prequalification entries for an
infrastructure package on the residential
scheme and is planning to issue
tender documents for the contract
by July 2012. Local office of KEO
International Consultants has been
appointed as the project manager on this
development.
Client has invited contractors to submit
bids for the first infrastructure and
earthworks package on this scheme.
Client has set a deadline of August 13,
2012 for the tender. Local Saud Consult
has been appointed as the infrastructure
consultant on this scheme.
Infrastructure Consultant Saudi
Consulting Services (SaudConsult) - Saudi
Arabia
Project Manager KEO International
Consultants (Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories Construction
& Contracting, Hotels, Medical &
Healthcare
Project name Umm
Waal Phosphate Mine
Development Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client Saudi Arabian Mining Company
(MAADEN)
City Riyadh 11537
Postal/zip
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-1) 874 8000
Fax (+966-1) 874 8300
Web http://www.maaden.com.sa
Email info@maaden.com.sa
Description Engineering, procurement
and construction (EPC) contract for the
development of Umm Waal phosphate
mine including construction of 10
plants to produce 16-million tonnes a
year (t/y) of phosphate concentrate,
sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, calcium
mono-phosphate and calcium di-
phosphate.
Status New Tender
Budget $5,600,000,000
Remarks Client is planning to increase
its phosphate production through the
MENA PROJECTS | TenderS
exploration of new mining reserves at
Al Khabra mining deposit in Umm Waal
near North East Tarif in Saudi Arabia.
Project will cover an area of 150 square
kilometres and it would add 1.5-milliomn
t/y of phosphorous oxide to clients
planned phosphate capacity. Measured
reserves o the mine are estimated at
234-million tons of phosphate with
low heavy metal content. It include
construction of (10) production plants, 7
of which will be built in Waad El Shammal
Industrial City and 3 will be built in Ras Al
Khair. Client is carrying out an in-house
pre-feasibility study on this scheme.
Project completion is expected in the
fourth quarter of 2016.
Client has appointed UKs HSBC to act as
financial adviser on this scheme. Project is
expected to start production in late 2016
and banks are expected to be approached
to finance the scheme in 2013.
FEED Consultant Jacobs Engineering
(Saudi Arabia)
Financial Consultant HSBC Ltd. (Saudi
Arabia)
Project Manager Jacobs Engineering
(Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories Industrial & Special
Projects
Project name King
Abdulaziz International
Airport Expansion Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client General Authority of Civil Aviation
- GACA (Saudi Arabia)
Address Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
City Jeddah
Postal/zip 21421
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-2) 640 5000
Fax (+966-2) 640 1477
Web http://www.gaca.gov.sa
Email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa
Description Expansion of King Abdulaziz
International Airport involving construction
of two new passenger terminals,
passenger gangways, car parks, etc.
Budget $7,200,000,000
Remarks This project is in Jeddah. Scope
of work includes construction of two new
passenger terminals, refurbishment of
the existing terminal, a new concourse
with 25 contact gates, three connector
buildings, additional parking facilities and
a new access road. The upgrade of both
landside and airside infrastructure and
utilities is also planned. The expansion
will relieve growing pressure on KAIA and
will also push capacity from 13 million to
21 million passengers a year. The client is
expected to issue an international tender
in early 2002 for the contract. Work is
www.thebigprojectme.com | 49
MENA PROJECTS | TenderS
VIEW MORE TENDERS AT
WWW.THEBIGPROJECTME.COM
expected to commence in the middle of
2002. Netherlands Airport Consultants
(NACO) is carrying out a review of the
original master plan on this scheme.
Design Consultant Aeroports de Paris -
AdP (France)
Financial Consultant International
Finance Corporation - IFC (USA)
Financial Consultant-1 Gulf International
Bank - GIB (Bahrain)
Main Consultant Khatib & Alami
Consolidated Engineering Company
(Saudi Arabia)
Master Plan Consultant Netherlands
Airport Consultants - NACO
(Netherlands)
Project Manager Dar Al Handasah (Shair
& Partners) - Saudi Arabia
Specialist Consultant-1 Hill International
Middle East Ltd. (Saudi Arabia)
Contractors Almabani General
Contractors (Saudi Arabia), Saudi
Binladin Group (Saudi Arabia), Aquatech
International Corporation (USA), WTD
(Italy), Huta-Sete Marine Works Ltd.
(Saudi Arabia),
Al-Shaer Engineering (Saudi Arabia),
Bong Kyung Construction Company Ltd.
(Saudi Arabia), Consolidated Contractors
International Company - CCC (Saudi
Arabia), Saudi Oger Limited (Saudi
Arabia)
Specialist Contractor-1 Lakesmere Ltd.
(UK)
Tender categories Water Works,
Roads, Bridges & Infrastructure, Airport,
Sewerage & Drainage, Power Plants &
Alternative Energy, Communications/
Telecommunications, Construction &
Contracting
Project name Apron
Construction Project -
King Khalid International
Airport
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client General Authority of Civil Aviation
- GACA (Saudi Arabia)
Address Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
City Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-2) 640 5000
Fax (+966-2) 640 1477
Web http://www.gaca.gov.sa
Email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa
Description Construction of a new apron
at King Khalid International Airport.
Status Current Project
Budget $60,000,000
Remarks This project is in Riyadh. Scope
of work involves construction of an apron
at the existing Terminal 3 and the future
Terminal 4. Terminal 3 is currently used
for domestic flights by national carrier
Saudi Arabian Airlines and budget airlines
Sama Air and Nas Air. The contract is part
of an overall expansion plan for Riyadh
airport. This expansion is expected to
increase the airport's annual capacity to
50 | www.thebigprojectme.com
about 24 million passengers from the
current 14 million. It is understood that
bids have been submitted for the main
construction contract. Local Al-Mabani
General Contractors has submitted the
lowest bid of $58.5 million. Other bidders
include a joint venture of Turkey's TAV
and local Al-Arrab Contracting at $76
million; local Unimac at $60 million;
local Shibh Al-Jazira at $73 million; local
Al-Khodari at $91 million; and local Al-
Yamama, with Nassir Hazza al-Subaei at
$75 million. Evaluation of bids is expected
to take about two months before the
contract is awarded. Netherlands Airport
Consultants (Naco) is acting as the
consultant on this scheme.
Local Al-Mabani General Contractors has
been awarded an estimated $58.5-million
main contract on this scheme.
Main Consultant Netherlands Airport
Consultants - NACO (Netherlands)
Main Contractor Al-Mabani General
Contractors (Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories Construction &
Contracting, Airport
Project name King
Khalid International
Airport Expansion Project
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client General Authority of Civil Aviation
- GACA (Saudi Arabia)
Address Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
City Jeddah
Postal/zip 21421
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-2) 640 5000
Fax (+966-2) 640 1477
Web http://www.gaca.gov.sa
Email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa
Description Carrying out expansion of
King Khalid International Airport.
Remarks This airport is located about 35
kilometres North of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Expansion will increase the airports annual
capacity to about 24 million passengers
from the current 14 million. Scope of work
involves construction of a new terminal,
Terminal 5, including renovation of the
existing Terminal 3 and Terminal 4, as well
as adding (4) new concourses A, B, C
and D. Preliminary studies and design work
for this development has been completed.
Construction is expected to commence
within six months and completed by
November 2013. Client has invited
companies to submit bids for the project
management consultancy (PMC) contract
on this scheme. Firms have until June 16,
2012 to submit bids.
At least seven groups have been submitted
bids for the project management
consultancy (PMC) contract on this
scheme. US Parsons International is
understood to be submitted the lowest
price of $72-million for the contract. Other
bidders and prices include:
US Aecom submitted a price of
$76-million
South Koreas Incheon International
Airport Corporation submitted
$76-million
US Hill International submitted
ESTIMATING
AND PROJECT CONTROL
$77-million
US Parsons Brinckerhoff submitted
$84-million
Lebanons Dar Al Handasa submitted
$89-million
UKs Halcrow / US CH2M Hill / Bahrains It is understood that key documents
Projacs submitted $93-million.
Tender categories Construction &
Contracting, Airport
Project name Medina
International Airport
Expansion Project - Phase
1 in the first phase, which will be ready in
Territory Saudi Arabia
Client General Authority of Civil Aviation
- GACA (Saudi Arabia)
Address Bin Malek Street, Old Airport
Area
City Jeddah
Postal/zip 21421
Country Saudi Arabia
Phone (+966-2) 640 5000
Fax (+966-2) 640 1477
Web http://www.gaca.gov.sa
Email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa
Description Expansion of Medina
International Airport to develop airside
and landside facilities, including the
construction of a new terminal with
capacity of 14 million passengers a year,
renovation of an existing runway and
construction of a second runway.
Budget $1,500,000,000
Remarks This project is in Saudi Arabia.
It will be developed in two phases on a
public-private partnership (PPP) basis.
The airport currently handles about 3.5
million passengers a year. Later expansion
plans involve the construction of a new
passenger terminal, the renovation of
existing runway, the possible construction
of a second runway. Client has pre-
qualified eight consortiums to bid for the
main contract. They include:
- South Africa's Airports Company
- Turkey's YDA, Spain's Aena Desarrollo
Internacional and OHL
- Badr Consortium comprising local
Integrated Transportation Company,
South Korea's Incheon International
Airport Corporation, Central Japan
International Airport and South Korea's
Samsung.
- Local Saudi Binladin Group, France's
Aeroports de Paris and Bouygues.
- The Saudi airplex consortium comprising
local El-Seif Engineering, Canada's
MMM Group, US' Airport Development
Corporation & Houston Airport System
and UAE's Emirates NBD.
- Turkey's Limak Investment, India's
GMR Infrastructure and Turkey's Mapa
Construction.
- The Tibah consortium comprising
Turkey's TAV, local Saudi Oger, Al Rajhi
Holding Group and Athens-based
Consolidated Contractors Company.
- The Saudi-Malaysian consortium
comprising local Bakri International
Energy Company, Malaysia Airports
Holdings Berhad, local Almabani General
Contractors, Italy's Impregilo and local/
Malaysian Riyad Bank. The International
Finance Corporation, part of Washington-
based World Bank, has been appointed as
the financial and legal advisor.
has been signed with banks and
investors. The documents included the
build, transfer and operate agreement
(BTOA) and direct credit agreement with
banks that are to finance the project.
New airport will have a capacity to
accommodate eight million passengers
three years. The capacity will be increased
by 12-million in the second phase, which
will be completed in 2020.
TAV Airports Holding Company has
reached financial close on this scheme.
The deal has been financed by the local
National Commercial Bank (NCB), SABB
and Arab National Bank after Japans
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
pulled out of the deal in the final stages.
NCB is the largest lender to the project,
and also acted as documentation
bank.
Financial Consultant International
Finance Corporation - IFC (Saudi
Arabia)
Main Contractor TAV Airports Holding
Company (Turkey)
Main Contractor-1 Saudi Oger Limited
(Saudi Arabia)
Main Contractor-1 Al Rajhi Saudi Group
(Saudi Arabia)
Tender categories Roads, Bridges
& Infrastructure, Construction &
Contracting, Airport
Tender products
UAE
Project name Khalifa
Port & Industrial Zone
Project - Phase 1
Territory Abu Dhabi
Client Abu Dhabi Ports Company
(ADPC)
Address Mina Zayed
City Abu Dhabi
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-2) 673 0600 / 673 2600 /
673 0051
Fax (+971-2) 673 1023 / 697 5174
Web http://www.portzayed.gov.ae
Email minazayd@emirates.net.ae
Description Construction of Khalifa
Port & Industrial Zone comprising a
container handling terminal and piers to
handle raw and bulk cargo, as well as an
industrial area serving basic and heavy
industries.
Budget $7,000,000,000
Remarks This project will be located
near Taweelah in Abu Dhabi. It will be
built on a public-private partnership
basis. The scheme will eventually replace
Mina Zayed port, which will in turn be

used for real estate. The project will
eventually have capacity of 8 million
20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), 8 million
tonnes a year (t/y) of break bulk and
15 million t/y of bulk cargo. It will be
made up of an eight-square-kilometre
offshore port, connected to the mainland
by a 4.5-kilometre-long causeway.
A new authority, the Committee for
the Restructuring of Abu Dhabi Port
Sector, is overseeing this project. The
authority includes representatives from
Abu Dhabi Seaport Authority, Mubadala
Development Company and the Higher
Corporation for Specialised Economic
Zones.
It is understood that client has announced
the arrival of first ever commercial
container vessel to call at the Khalifa Port,
which is schedule to open on September
01, 2012. The vessel Ever Dynamic from
Evergreen Line sailed from Shanghai and
reached port on July 18, 2012.
Design Consultant Halcrow International
Partnership (Abu Dhabi)
Financial Consultant HSBC Bank Middle
East Limited (Abu Dhabi)
Financial Consultant-1 National Bank of
Abu Dhabi
Master Plan Consultant Han Padron
Associates (Dubai)
Master Plan Consultant-1 GHD Global
Pty. Ltd. (Abu Dhabi)
Project Manager Bechtel (International)
Company Limited (Abu Dhabi)
Specialist Consultant-1 Injazat Data
Systems (Dubai)
Specialist Consultant-2 Arcadis Gulf
(Abu Dhabi)
Specialist Consultant-3 EC Harris
International Limited (Abu Dhabi)
Aluminium Products Supplier Alumco
L.L.C (Dubai)
Cables Supplier Tratos Group (Italy)
CCTV & Access Control Systems
Supplier Al Jaber GIS Establishment
(Abu Dhabi)
Communication Systems & Equipment
Supplier Al Jaber GIS Establishment (Abu
Dhabi)
Crane Supplier Konecranes Plc
(Finland)
Electrical Contractor Larsen & Toubro
Ltd. (Abu Dhabi)
Main Contractor Archirodon
Construction (Overseas) Company - Abu
Dhabi
Main Contractors Boskalis Westminster
Middle East Ltd. (Abu Dhabi), Hyundai
Engineering & Construction Company
Limited (Abu Dhabi), Ed Zublin AG
(Abu Dhabi), Al Jaber Transport &
General Contracting Establishment (Abu
Dhabi)
Project name Restless
Planet Theme Park
Project - City of Arabia
Development - Dubailand
Territory Dubai
Client I & M Galadari Group (Dubai)
Address 10th Floor, Capricorn Tower,
Sheikh Zayed Road
City Dubai
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-4) 331 1022
Fax (+971-4) 332 2311
Web http://www.imgaladari.com
Email info@imgaladari.com
Description Development of Restless
Planet Theme Park comprising a fully
air-conditioned indoor resort and theme
park, including three rides and more
than (100) life-like, real-size robotic
dinosaurs.
Budget $165,000,000
Remarks This project will form a part
of City of Arabia development, located
adjacent to Global Village in Dubailand,
off Emirates Road. The park will cover
an area of approximately 0.5 million
square feet (including a 90-metre-high
translucent dome) of which built-up area
will be about 42,000 square metres.
Thirty-four species of dinosaurs will be
on display and be able to move, roar
and walk. Invitation to bid for the main
contract is expected in May 2007. An
award for the main contract is anticipated
by December 2007, with construction
expected to commence in January
2008. Bidders for the piling contract
include Bauer, Swissboring, Middle East
Foundations and local NSCC. An award is
expected shortly. The package, worth $80
million, will take six months to complete
and involve the sinking of 26,500 piles
covering a 20 million square feet area.
Dubai-based Palmer & Turner Architects
(P&T) is acting as the engineering and
design consultant. Japan's Kokoro
Company will construct the dinosaur
replicas. US' Jack Rouse Associates is
acting as project manager for the theme
park. Local Wade Adams Contracting
has commenced grading and excavation
works. Completion is expected by the
beginning of June 2005.
The client is busy with advanced
negotiations for the piling contract.
Local Middle East Foundations is the
front-runner. Specifications for the
piling contract have been modified, with
reduction of the number of piles from
26,500 to 16,000.
It is understood that work on this scheme
has been restarted. Project completion is
expected in December 2013.
Tender categories Leisure &
Entertainment, Construction &
Contracting, Agriculture & Irrigation
Project name Bu Hassa,
Bab & Thamamma Pipeline
Construction Project
Territory Abu Dhabi
Client Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited
(GASCO)
Address Tower H, Corniche, Near Al Ain
Palace Hotel
City Abu Dhabi
Phone (+971-2) 603 0000
Fax (+971-2) 603 7414
Web http://www.gasco.ae
Email info@gasco.ae
Description Engineering, procurement
and construction (EPC) contract to build
a 50-kilometre, 24 inch in diameter
ESTIMATING
AND PROJECT CONTROL
VIEW MORE TENDERS AT
WWW.THEBIGPROJECTME.COM
pipeline linking Bu Hassa, Bab and
Thamamma.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is at Habshan in
Abu Dhabi. Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the
EPC contract is expected to be issued
by the end of July 2012, with an award
expected in the first quarter of 2013.
Project completion is expected in the first
quarter of 2014.
Tender categories Gas Processing &
Distribution
Project name
Expansion Joints - Dubai
International Airport
Expansion (Phase II)
Territory Dubai
Client Al-Jaber L.E.G.T Engineering &
Contracting - ALEC (Dubai)
Address 3rd Floor, Bldg. 1, Dubai
Industrial City, Emirates Road
City Dubai
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-4) 429 0599
Fax (+971-4) 429 0216
Web http://www.alec.ae
Email dubaioffice@alec.ae
Description Procurement and
construction of Expansion Joints,
including all backing; priming; metal
strips; accessories and protections
of works as per the tender drawings
and in accordance with the applicable
specifications and within the designated
timeframe, as part of an international
airport expansion project.
Status Current Project
Remarks This tender is in pre-qualification
stage - Package Ref. No. AX124/DOM16.
The project is part of the continuing
development of Dubai International
Airport expansion (Phase II). Local Al
Jaber L.E.G.T Engineering & Contracting
LLC (ALEC), being the Main Contractor
for construction, completion and
maintenance of the civil, architectural,
MEP, SAS and signage works of
Concourse 3 at Dubai International
Airport, has invited interested specialist
sub-contractors to pre-qualify for this
package, which will form part of the
Main Contractor Scope of Works. The
new Concourse 3 is to accommodate
20 Aircraft Contact Gates, out of which
18 are for A-380, in addition to 6 gates
for Remote Stands. The footprint of
Concourse 3 is 90 metres wide and 645
metres long, and its built-up area is
approximately 528,000 square metres,
including in addition to the arrivals
and departure floors, Emirates Airline
lounges, four and five-star hotels, and a
large Duty Free shopping area. Interested
Sub-contractors must have the necessary
capacity and experience of undertaking
the above works on this project. The Sub-
contractor will be appointed by the Main
Contractor (ALEC). The selected Sub-
contractor will be required to co-ordinate
his works with the Main Contractor and
other Associated Contractors and Sub-
contractors. In order to be considered for
participation, applicants are to provide
a fully completed Pre-qualification
Questionnaire for assessment. Applicants
are requested to attend a pre-
MENA PROJECTS | TenderS
qualification briefing, which will be held
on June 25, 2009 at 11am in the Site
Office (Marrakech St) where the necessary
documents will be issued and explained.
Any queries shall be directed to:
The procurement Manager,
ALEC L.L.C
E-mail: prequal@alec.ae
Applicants must submit in person 4 hard
copies and 4 CD copies of their pre-
qualification documents to:
Project Procurement Manager,
ALEC
Site Office, Marrakech Street,
Dubai, UAE.
Local Al Naboodah Contracting has
been awarded the main contract on this
scheme.
Main Consultant Aeroports de Paris
International - ADPi (Dubai)
Main Contractor Al Naboodah
Contracting Company L.L.C. (Dubai)
MEP Contractor Emirates Trading Agency
L.L.C. - ETA-Ascon (Dubai)
Tender categories Construction &
Contracting, Airport
Project name Alumina
Refinery Project
Client Mubadala Development Company
- MDC (Abu Dhabi)
Address Mubadala Development
Company - MDC (Abu Dhabi)
City Abu Dhabi
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-2) 413 0000
Fax (+971-2) 413 0001
Web http://www.mubadala.ae
Description Engineering, Procurement
and Construction (EPC) contract to build
an alumina refinery with capacity of at
least 1.5 million tonnes a year (t/y).
Status New Tender
Budget $1,500,000,000
Remarks This project will be build next to
the Emirates Aluminium (Emal) Smelter
at Taweelah in Abu Dhabi and will be
the first upstream aluminium plant of
its type to be built in the UAE. Client
has received bids from international
engineering consultancies to conduct
a feasibility study on this scheme.
Engineering consultancies that have bid
on the scheme include: US Bechtel,
Flour Corporation; Canadas Hatch, SNC
Lavalin; Frances Technip and Australias
WorleyParsons. Project is still in early
stage, exact scope of the work has not
yet been formulated.
Canadas Hatch and SNC Lavalin have
been appointed to carry out feasibility
studies on this scheme. The two
engineering firms will carry out separate
studies for the project, with Hatch looking
at the core technology and SNC Lavalin
responsible for other proponents such as
utilities and offsites. Separate studies will
be conducted over the coming months
and when the studies are completed a
decision regarding the scheme will be
made.
www.thebigprojectme.com | 51
MENA PROJECTS | TenderS
VIEW MORE TENDERS AT
WWW.THEBIGPROJECTME.COM
Specialist Consultant-1 Hatch (Abu
Dhabi)
Specialist Consultant-2 SNC-Lavalin
International Inc. (Abu Dhabi)
Project name Fujairah
Oil Refinery Project
Territory Northern Emirates
Budget $1,400,000,000
Client International Petroleum Investment
Company - IPIC (Abu Dhabi)
Phone (+971-2) 633 6555
Fax (+971-2) 633 6555
Web http://www.ipic.ae
Description Construction of a refinery
consisting eight reservoirs to store crude
oil in Fujairah.
Status New Tender
Remarks This project is in United Arab
Emirates (UAE). It will have (8) reservoirs,
each with capacity to accommodate over
8-million barrels of oil. Client is planning
to conduct technical and technological
studies to set up the biggest oil refinery
in the region. Work on this scheme is
expected to commence in the second half
of 2013.
Project name Reem
Diamond Tower Project -
Shams Abu Dhabi - Al Reem
Island Development
Client Sorouh Real Estate (Abu
Dhabi)
Address Abu Dhabi Mall, 5th Floor, East
Tower, Tourist Club Area
City Abu Dhabi
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-2) 444 0006 / 697
8888
Fax (+971-2) 444 0066
Web http://www.sorouh.com
Email customerservices@sorouh.com
Description Design and construction of
12-storey Reem Diamond Tower, including
duplex and penthouse, two basement
roofs and associated facilities such as
swimming pool, Jacuzzi and smart home
systems.
Status Current Project
Remarks This project will be located at
Sector 6, Plot No. S6-C05 at Shams Abu
Dhabi in Al-Reem Island development.
The tower will have a height of 39.67
metres. The plot is being developed by
local Smartwill Asia Ltd. a subsidiary of
Hong Kongs Chun Wo Development
Holdings Ltd.. Abu Dhabi-based Chun
Wo Building Construction Ltd. has been
awarded the main contract to carry out
this scheme. Local Meera Engineering
Consultancy is acting as the main
consultant. Hong Kongs Leigh & Orange
is the main architect. It is understood that
parking and ground level work has been
completed. Formwork is in progress.It is
understood that level 5-construction work
has been completed.
52 | www.thebigprojectme.com
It is understood that level-9 construction
work is currently underway on this
scheme
Main Architect Leigh & Orange (L&O) Ltd.
(Hong Kong)
Main Consultant Meera Engineering
Consultancy Bureau (Abu Dhabi)
Main Contractor Chun Wo Building
Construction Ltd. (Abu Dhabi)
Tender categories Leisure &
Entertainment, Construction &
Contracting
Project name Ras Al
Khaimah International
Airport Expansion Project
Budget $50,000,000
Client Department of Civil Aviation (Ras
Al Khaimah)
City Ras Al Khaimah
Country United Arab Emirates
Phone (+971-7) 244 9111
Fax (+971-7) 244 8861
Web http://www.rakdca.com
Email dcaservice@rakdca.com
Description Carrying out expansion of
Ras Al Khaimah International Airport
involving the installation of flight
information display system (FIDS), a new
cargo hangar covering an area of 600
square metres, landscaping, renovation
of VIP and passenger boarding halls,
the arrival hall, expansion of the duty
free area, including modernisation of air
navigation equipment and runway.
Design Consultant Aeroports de Paris
International - ADPi (Abu Dhabi)
Main Architect Khatib & Alami
Consolidated Engineering Company
(Dubai)
Main Contractor Siemens L.L.C. (Abu
Dhabi)
Main Contractor-1 Al Hamra
Construction Company (Ras Al
Khaimah)
Status Current Project
Remarks This project is in Ras Al
Khaimah. The scheme is part of an overall
20-year master plan for the airport.
Tender categories Construction &
Contracting, Airport, Roads, Bridges &
Infrastructure
Iraq
Project name Basra
Power & Steel Plant
Project
Client State Company for Iron & Steel
(Iraq)
City Al Basra
Country Iraq
Phone (+964-770) 904 5628
Web http://www.steel-iraq.com
Email steelbasra@yahoo.com
Description Construction of a power and
steel plant in Basra.
Status New Tender
Budget $3,000,000,000
Remarks This project is in Iraq. Client is
planning to build the integrated power
and steel complex in two or three phases,
with the first phase costing $730-million,
including a 500MW gas-thermal power
plant and electric furnace. The power
plant will supply 300MW to the steel mill
and rest to the city of Basra. Ministry of
Industry & Minerals is currently evaluating
the seven bids to build the scheme. The
bidders are from Turkey, Korea, Italy and
German- Egyptian consortium, with the
Turkish bid is understood to be most
likely to win the scheme. An award will
be announced before December 2012
and work on plant construction will
commence in early 2013.
Tender categories Industrial & Special
Projects, Power Plants & Alternative
Energy
Project name Zubair
- Fao Field Onshore Gas
Pipeline Project
Client South Oil Company (Iraq)
Address South Oil Company Complex,
Bab Al Zubair Area
City Basrah
Phone (+964-40) 319 310
Web http://www.soc-basrah.com
Email info@soc-basrah.com
Description Lump sum turnkey
(LSTK) engineering, procurement and
construction (EPC) contract to build a
105-kilometre-long, 18-inch-diameter
onshore carbon steel gas pipeline to
transport 100 million cubic feet a day
of gas from Zubair field to the Fao
field.
Status New Tender
Budget $150,000,000
Remarks This project is in Iraq. Scope of
work involves construction of an onshore
pipeline, including:
- Execution of a 10-metre-wide service
road along the pipeline route.
- Dredging of pipeline route.
- Welding and boring procedure for the
road, railway and cable crossings.
- Excavations of the pipeline trench.
- Hydrostatic testing and creating
collaboration between the Zubair and
Fao fields.
- Tie-in works with the Zubair and Fao
depots.
Invitation to bid (ITB) has been issued for
the EPC contract.
It is understood that the client has issued
another re-tender for the EPC contract on
this scheme. This is the sixth re-tender for
the deal. At least seven firms have been
submitted the technical proposals in early
May 2012. Some of the bidders include:
Italys Saipem and Dubai-based Dodsal.
Commercial proposals are duel on July
22, 2012. Construction work is expected
to take (10) months.
Tender categories Gas Processing &
Distribution
Project name Crude
Oil Production Facilities
Rehabilitation Project -
Majnoon
Budget $100,000,000
Territory Iraq
Client Shell Group (Netherlands)
Address 5201 AN The Hague
Country Netherlands
Phone (+31-70) 377 9111
Description Carrying out rehabilitation of
crude oil processing facilities at Majnoon
Oilfield.
Status Current Project
Remarks This project is in Iraq. Client
has invited companies to submit
proposals for the rehabilitation of crude
oil processing facilities. In addition to
rehabilitation work, the contractor will
debottleneck the two degassing stations
to increase the capacity to 120,000 b/d.
There are currently (12) producing wells,
some of which will require work-over
to improve their technical integrity.
The existing facilities do not have a
functional emergency shutdown system.
The facilities will be integrated into new
central processing facilities. Client had
invited five engineering and construction
firms in May 2012 to submit bids for the
construction deal, they include: Indias
Punj Lloyd, Dubai-based Dodsal; Italys
Saipem; Athens-based Consolidated
Construction Company and Turkeys Enka.
UKs Petrofac has been awarded the
engineering, procurement, construction
and management (EPCM) deal and has
carried out the engineering studies and
detailed designs.
Main Contractor Petrofac International
(UK)
Tender categories Oilfields &
Refineries
Kuwait
Project name Kuwait
Metro Project
Territory Kuwait
Client Partnerships Technical Bureau
(Kuwait)
Address Touristic Enterprises Co. Bldg.,
2nd Floor, Al-Jahra Street
City Shuwaikh
Country Kuwait
Phone (+965) 2496 5901
Web http://www.ptb.gov.kw
Email infor@ptb.gov.kw
Description Implementation of Kuwait
Metro scheme spanning more than 160
kilometres comprising (69) stations
Budget $7,000,000,000
Status New Tender

Remarks This project is in Kuwait.
Line 1 will connect Kuwait's southern
metropolitan area with the centre and
also run through the main university,
a total of 25.8 kilometres. Line 2 will
contain 25 stations along 20.9 kilometres
and connect the main business district
with the main residential areas of
Salmiya and Hawally. Line 3 will be
18.5 kilometres and connect the city
to Kuwait International Airport and
connect residential areas and Shuwaikh
Industrial Zone. 65% of the network will
be underground. Spain's Ingenieria y
Consultoria S.A is expected to complete
feasibility by the end of January 2008. A
conference will be held in January 2008
or February 2008 inviting all interested
parties to consider the study's findings.
After the conference, the operator -
Kuwait Overland Transport Union - will
begin planning a tendering process.
Financial Consultant Ernst & Young
(Kuwait)
Legal Consultant Ashurst Morris Crisp
(UK)
Master Plan Consultant Atkins &
Partners Overseas (Kuwait)
Master Plan Consultant-1 Parsons
Brinckerhoff Middle East Ltd.
(Kuwait)
Master Plan Consultant-2 Gulf Consult
(Kuwait)
Specialist Consultant-1 Kuwait Technical
Consultant Bureau (KTCB)
Specialist Consultant-2 Al Dashti
International Group General Trading &
Contracting Company (Kuwait)
Technical Consultant Atkins & Partners
Overseas (Kuwait)
Tender categories Industrial & Special
Projects, Public Transportation Projects,
Tender products
Qatar
Project name Laffan
Refinery Expansion
Project
Territory Qatar
Client Qatar Petroleum (QP)
Phone (+974) 4440 2000
Fax (+974) 4483 1125/ 4449 1400/ 4483
1995
Web http://www.qp.com.qa
Email contracts.services@qp.com.qa
Description Engineering, Procurement
and Construction (EPC) contract for
expansion of Laffan Refinery, which
currently processes 140,000 barrels a day
(b/d) of condensates
Project name Abraj
Towers Project - Abraj
Quartier Development
Client United Development Company
q.s.c. (UDC) - Qatar
Address 6th Floor, Office No. 62, Al
Fardan Centre, Grand Hamad Street
City Doha
Country Qatar
Phone (+974) 436 1542
Fax (+974) 435 5219
Web http://www.udcqatar.com
Email info@udcqatar.com
Description Construction of (2 Nos.)
40-story Abraj Towers.
Design Consultant Webb Zerafa Menkes
Housden (Canada) Status
Remarks This project will be located at
Abraj Quartier Development on Pearl
Qatar real estate in Qatar. Client has
invited contractors to submit bids for the
main contract on this scheme. It has set a
submission deadline for the first tower on
August 05, 2012 and for the other tower
is on August 13, 2012. Canadas Webb
Zerafa Menkes Housden (WZMH) is acting
as the design consultant.
Budget $1,000,000,000
Remarks This refinery is located in
the north of Qatar. The 140,000-b/d
refinery started production in September
2009 and is Qatar's first to process
condensates. The proposed expansion
would make it one of the largest
condensate refineries in the world.
The scheme will enable the complex to
process 147,000 b/d of condensate from
North Field into liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG), naphtha, kerosene and gas-oil. It
is understood that the client has entered
into talks with French oil major Total
over plans to expand this refinery. Total
already has a 10% stake in the Laffan
Refinery Company joint venture along
with US' ExxonMobil and four Japanese
firms - Cosmo Oil Idemitsu, Marubeni
Corporation and Mitsui. A tender for the
EPC contract is expected to be launched
in second half of 2012. France's Technip
is currently working on the front-end
engineering and design (FEED), which
is expected to be completed in early
2012.
Client has invited companies to submit
bids for the EPC contract on this scheme.
It is expected to select a contractor
for the condensate facility within two
months.
FEED Consultant Technip (Qatar)
Tender categories Gas Processing &
Distribution, Oilfields & Refineries
Project name Doha
RO Desalination Plant
Project
Client Ministry of Electricity & Water
(Kuwait)
Address Ministry of Electricity & Water
Bldg., South Al Surra Street, Ministries
Area
City Safat 13001
Country Kuwait
Phone (+965) 2537 1000
Fax (+965) 2537 1420 / 1421 /
1422
Web http://www.energy.gov.kw
Email webadmin@energy.gov.kw
Description Construction of a reverse
osmosis (RO) desalination plant with
capacity of 100 million gallons a day (g/d)
VIEW MORE TENDERS AT
WWW.THEBIGPROJECTME.COM
in Doha.
Remarks This project will be located
in Kuwait. It will be carried out in two
phases, each with a capacity of 50
million g/d. Stage one which includes
construction of 50-million g/d unit in
addition to the infrastructure for stage
two, will be commissioned by 2016.
Phase two will be commissioned by 2017.
Client has issued request for qualification
to contractors to submit statements of
qualification until July 09, 2012.
It is understood that client has received
(31) statements of qualification (SOQs)
from contractors for the main contract on
this scheme.
Tender categories Water Works
Oman
Project name Gypsum
Board & Plaster Board
Plant Development
Project
Territory Oman
Client Zawawi Minerals (Oman)
City Muscat
Country Oman
Phone (+968) 2449 3808
Web www.zawawiminerals.com
Description Carrying out development of
a plant with capacity to produce 8-million
square metres of gypsum board a year
and 200,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of Plaster
of Paris.
Budget $60,000,000
Remarks This project is will be located
at Salalah Free Zone in Dhofar Region
in Oman. It is being implemented in
joint venture with US USG Corporation.
Oman-office of SNR Denton is acting as
the legal advisor for the scheme. The
plant is being developed to meet the
growing demand for USGs building
products in the Middle East and
Africa.
Legal Consultant SNR Denton &
Company (Oman)
Egypt
Project name Nile
Towers Project
Budget $153,000,000
Territory Egypt
Client Saudi Egyptian Construction
Company (SECON) - Egypt
Address Ganaklis
City Alexandria
Country Alexandria
Phone (+22-03) 5820699/5827011
MENA PROJECTS | TenderS
Description Construction of 22-storey
Nile Towers consisting a five-star hotel
tower and a residential tower.
Status Current Project
Remarks This project is in Egypt. The
scheme will have a total built up area of
105,000 square metres. First tower will
be a fiver star hotel managed by Hilton
International, with a total of (256) rooms
and the second will be for residential use
and will consist (114) hotel apartments.
A joint venture of Dubai-based Arabtech
Construction and local SIAC Industrial
Construction & Engineering Company
has been awarded the main construction
contract on this scheme. Work is
scheduled to commence in 2012 and
completion expected in 2015.
Main Contractor Arabtec Construction
L.L.C (Dubai)
Main Contractor-1 SIAC Industrial
Construction & Engineering Company
(Egypt)
Tender categories Hotels, Leisure &
Entertainment, Prestige Buildings
Libya
Project name Nafoora
& Amal Fields Crude Oil
Pipeline Construction
Project
Budget $38,000,000
Territory Libya
Client National Oil Corporation - NOC
(Libya)
Address Bashir Saadawi Street
City Tripoli
Country Libya
Phone (+218-21) 46180
Description Construction of a 24-inch,
55-kilometre crude oil pipeline with a
capacity of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd)
to connect Nafoora and Amal Fields.
Status Current Project
Remarks This project is in Libya.
It will connect Nafoora and Amal
fields in the Sirt Basin east of Tripoli.
Germanys Wintershall has been signed
an agreement with client to build the
pipeline. The 140,000 barrels a day (b/d)
Nafoora filed is operated by Arabian Gulf
Oil Company (AGOCO), while 30,000 b/d
of Amal field is operated by Harouge Oil
Operations Company. Engineering studies
for the scheme has been completed. A
material supply contract has been signed
and first shipment of pipes has been
received. Installation and construction
is set to commence in August 2012.
Name of the materials supplier has not
been disclosed. The pipeline is due to be
handed over to the Agoco by the end of
March 2013.
Main Contractor Wintershall Holding
GmbH (Germany)
Tender categories Oilfields &
Refineries
www.thebigprojectme.com | 53
DIARY | INDUSTRY EVENTS

DIARY AUGUST 2012

GLOBAL TRENDS Expo Maquinas Green construct

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: August 1 4 Mall of Asia SMX, Manila, Philippines:
This infrastructure machinery event is August 16 18

4.5% growth
designed for professionals interested to learn
about machinery and maintenance. The
event runs along side Contrusul, the largest
in Saudi Arabias event in Southern Brazil.
construction sector Construsul
between 2013 2017 Porto Alegre, Rio Grand Do Sul: August 1 4
The largest event in south Brazil , this
event is for retailers and buyers of building
Aimed at international engineers, this
event will cover pollution control, project
management, project control and vegetative
rooting, with networking and educational
sessions scheduled.
Turkmenistan Construction
Sergi Kosgi Exhibition Palace, Ashgabat:
August 23 25

$8.8bn to be
materials and an important event for the
Construction machinery, building equipment,
housing sector and construction technology.
renovation tools, building materials
allocated to 15 new Break Bulk Africa machinery, accessories and components of
construction machinery are all featured in this
projects, commissioned Southern Sun Cape Town, South Africa:
show for both foreign and regional players in
August 7 8
by Saudi Energy Speakers will address the barriers to trade the sector.
and transportation challenges for South
Africa; one of the worlds most significant Been Egypt
$240m will be breakbulk/heavy-lift markets. New capital
projects, port and rail productivity, coastal
Cairo International Convention and
Exhibition Centre: August 30 Sept 2
spent on 450 new villas shipping and anti-fraud best practices, will Showcasing the latest achievements, best
also be discussed. practices, innovations in design, products,
across Saudi Arabia services and solutions for the infrastructure,
Sontha Veedu Expo construction and building industry, the
KPK Rathnabai Mahal, Kanchipuram, Tamil show provides the ideal forum for industry
$83.2m to be Nadu, India: August 10 12
This building and construction trade show is
professionals to forge business relationships
rooted in the implementation of the many
invested in emergency now in its fifth year and will feature builders new construction and development initiatives
and building materials. currently underway.
water storage
reservoirs in Muscat Nirmaan CityScape Global
West Bengal, India: August 13 16
Dubai World Trade Centre: October 2 4
A gathering of the leading companies
The real estate exhibition will run alongside

120.7 MT
designing and manufacturing the tools and
machinery used by architects and builders.
Conference sessions and interactive talk
predicted regional sessions are held alongside the exhibition.
cement capacity Interbuild Africa
increase by 2013: Johannesburg Expo Centre, Johannesburg,
Gauteng, South Africa: August 15 18
A 13% increase on Interbuild Africa networks buyers and
2011 figures suppliers to help create lasting relationships
for the benefit of the whole construction
industry in the country.
the World Architecture Congress, Retail City
Conference and Global Real Estate Summit.
Speakers will include Sherif Anis, Thierry
Parret and Steven Miller.
The Big 5
Dubai World Trade Centre: November 5 8
Returning to Dubai World Trade Centre
three weeks earlier than usual, this year The
Big 5 will run alongside PMV Live, Middle
EastConcrete and FM Expo.

54 | www.thebigprojectme.com
IBC
AD