Dubai Municipality is planning to retender the contract to build new dhow wharves in Dubai.

The contract involves building new docking areas for dhows near to the fish market on the Deira Corniche in front of the Hyatt Regency hotel. The wharves will replace the docking areas that are currently used on the banks of the Creek in Deira.

The local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct was the low bidder with a price of AED230m ($63m) when the contract was tendered earlier this year.

The other bidders were Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction, the local/UK Balfour Beatty at AED278m, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) at AED284m, France’s Soletanche Bachy at AED374m, and the UK’s Kier at AED476m.

It is understood that more companies will be invited to bid when the contract is retendered.

The consultant is US-based Aecom.

A larger scheme was originally envisaged for the corniche area in 2008 when local developer Deira Investments was planning to build a marina with residential units in the area. It had started to commission consultants and contractors for the scheme before it was put on hold in 2009.

The US’ Fluor was the project manager and the UK’s Hyder prepared the masterplan. Halcrow, also of the UK, was appointed to design and supervise the marine works, and Dutco Balfour Beatty was awarded the contract for the enabling works.