Chinese sail into Port of Arabia

09 December 2005
China Harbour Engineering Company has been awarded the marine works contract on the Port of Arabia (Mina al-Arab) development in Ras al-Khaimah (RAK). The project is the most advanced under the newly established developer RAK Properties(MEED 3:6:05).
China Harbour Engineering Company has been awarded the marine works contract on the Port of Arabia (Mina al-Arab) development in Ras al-Khaimah (RAK). The project is the most advanced under the newly established developer RAK Properties(MEED 3:6:05).

Located along the coast between Al-Muzehami and Al-Jazeera al-Hamra in the Khor Qurm area, the project will be built over a 10-year period. The scope of works on the 13-month marine package includes extensive rock work, creation of channels, lakes and lagoons and building a breakwater and quay wall.

'Mina al-Arab will require investment of AED 15,000 million-20,000 million [$4,000 million-5,445 million] over the next 10 years,' Mohammed al-Qadi, managing director and chief executive officer of RAK Properties, told MEED on the sidelines of the Building Materials for the Cement Industry conference held in RAK on 23 November.

Ground levelling and earthworks have already started on the Port of Arabia. The tourism and leisure development will stretch more than 13 kilometres along the coast, covering about 5 million square metres. It will include about 5,000 residential units, 20 hotels, a theme park, an eco-tourism area, sports facilities and a cruise terminal. Philippines-based Cadiz Internationalis assisting the UK's Halcrow, the lead consultant on the project.

RAK Properties has also unveiled plans for the construction of the Julphar twin towers project located opposite the Hilton hotel facing the creek. The commercial and residential development calls for the construction of two 43-storey towers with a shopping mall at the base. The main construction tender is due out in the second quarter of 2006. The local Arencois the consultant.

www.meed.com/construction

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