The work involves construction of all quay walls for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) berths, container berths and coast guard jetty, together with administrative buildings and electricity sub-stations for the port.

The other bidders for the contract were South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction Company, India’s Punj Lloyd, and Turkey’s Tekfen.

The berths will quadruple the port’s capacity to handle LNG exports, which are forecast to rise significantly at the northern industrial port over the next five years.

The joint venture of Belgium’s Jan de Nul and Royal Boskalis Westminster of the Netherlands was awarded the $2.1bn dredging, reclamation and breakwater package in late 2005. The 36-month package involves the reclamation of 25 million cubic metres of sand and the construction of 21 kilometres of breakwaters.

Six Construct is already working on the project, in a joint venture with Interbeton of the Netherlands, for the concrete armour on the breakwaters, having been awarded the $125m subcontract in 2006. The client for the project is Qatar Petroleum.

Another port facility is also being developed at Ras Laffan by Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat). The project is due to be completed by late 2010 (MEED 30:3:07).