The UAE’s Presidential Affairs Ministry has invited selected firms to express interest in a marine works package for the new presidential palace development in Abu Dhabi.

The marine works will be executed in the Ras al-Akhdar area of Abu Dhabi Island, between the existing presidential palace and the Emirates Palace Hotel.

The ministry is also preparing to issue tenders for a separate main construction contract which involves building a main palace and several smaller palaces and villas for visiting dignitaries (MEED 14:8:09).

The existing palace is used as a government building and hosts cabinet meetings and other federal government functions.

UAE-based contractor Dutch Foundation has started work on the enabling works package for the new palace. US-based RW Armstrong is the project manager. The architect is the local Ewan Architectural & Engineering Consultancy. The engineer is UK-based WSP and the cost consultant is Bahrain-based Haj Gulf.

Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council (UPC) is also developing the Capital City district on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi city, which includes the Federal Precinct - the new national seat of government for the UAE.

The UPC plans to build the 49-square-kilometre city close to Khalifa City, between Abu Dhabi International airport and Mohammed bin Zayed City.

Some 370,000 people will live in the district when it is ready.