Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) has opened prices for the first construction package for the proposed crossing that will connect Al-Reem Island, Umlifaina Island and the rest of Abu Dhabi.

The low bidder is China Harbour Engineering Corporation with a price of AED413m ($113m), which is about 1.5 per cent lower than the second lowest offer of AED419m submitted by the local Trojan/National Projects Company (NPC).

The bidders and prices are:

• China Harbour Engineering Corporation – AED413m
• Trojan/NPC – AED419m
• Habtoor Leighton Group (local/Australia) – AED434m
• Ghantoot Group (local) – AED462m
• Six Construct Abu Dhabi (local/Belgium)/Orascom (Egypt) – AED510m
• Al-Jaber Group (local) – AED528m
• Admak (local/Kuwait) – AED645m

The scheme, which includes a second contract for which bids have also been submitted, involves building a series of structures between the two islands and the larger Abu Dhabi Island.

The consultant is the local office of Australia-based Aurecon Group.

The project has been tendered before. In 2010, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) received bids from 14 contractors. The tender was cancelled in December 2011 and bid bonds were returned to the bidders.

Umlifaina Island is located near Reem Island and Saadiyat Island. The bridges will open up Umlifaina Island for real estate development. In 2008 and 2009, local developer Tasameem Real Estate prepared plans for the island that include residential, leisure, hotel and commercial buildings. Other parts of the 5-square-kilometre masterplan include a water park, a shopping mall and other tourist attractions.

UK-based Atkins prepared the concept masterplan for the island.