The prequalifiers include: Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction (Overseas); the local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct; Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Company; Germany's Clement Yacht Harbour Systems; the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty; South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company; Sweden's SF Marina; Japan's Taisei Corporation; Austria's Waagner Biro Gulf; and the local Wade Adams Contracting.

Located 500 metres east of Maktoum bridge, the bridge will stretch across the creek between Ittihad road next to Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in Deira and Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Creek park in Bur Dubai. With a holding capacity of 3,000 vehicles an hour in each direction during morning and evening rush hours, the bridge aims to reduce the number of vehicles crossing Maktoum bridge by 37 per cent 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day.

The bridge will be built out of 20-metre-wide hollow concrete blocks. The rolling segment of the bridge will be able to open and close at intervals of 20 minutes to allow the movement of ships and other large vessels on the creek. Smaller ferries will be able to use permanently open passages at either side of the bridge. The temporary structure will be replaced by a permanent bridge at the same location at a later date.

The floating bridge is one of six new crossings planned across the creek. Two, the Ras al-Khor crossing and the new Garhoud bridge, are under construction, while a further three are under design by consultants (MEED 30:6:06). De Leuw Cather International (DCI), part of US-based Parsons International, is the consultant.

www.meed.com/construction