Dubai unveils another island project

25 April 2003
Plans were unveiled on 23 April for another major offshore tourism project in Dubai. To be called the Globe Archipelago, the project calls for the construction of a cluster of islands off the coast of Dubai. Each island will be home to hotels, residential apartments and entertainment facilities.

About 30 man-made islands ranging in size from 40,000-800,000 square metres will be built over a 20-square-kilometre area. The proposed project will be located between Palm Jumeirah island and Port Rashid, eight kilometres off Jumeirah beach.

Eight companies are prequalified to submit bids by 11 May for the dredging and reclamation contract. They are Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction (Overseas), the local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct, the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty, Jan de Nul and Dredging International- both of Belgium, and Ballast Ham Dredging, Van Oord ACZ and Boskalis Westminster- all of the Netherlands.

Estimated to be worth AED 1,500 million ($409 million), the 20-22-month contract calls for dredging of up to 130 million cubic metres, reclamation and the construction of an 18-kilometre breakwater.

The client is the local Nakheel Corporation, known previously as Dubai Palm Developers. The US' Parsons Corporation is advising on the proposed scheme.

Globe Archipelago is the third offshore tourism project being constructed by Nakheel. The two other projects are Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali, both being built in the shape of a palm tree off Dubai's coast (MEED 11:4:03).

Work is more advanced on the Palm Jumeirah project, for which bids are due to be returned by 3 May for the first infrastructure package. The contract calls for the construction of about 16 kilometres of dual-carriageway, sewage disposal and stormwater drainage facilities and telecommunication lines. The proposed facilities will be built on the breakwater. Palm Jumeirah will be home to five-star and boutique hotels and residencies (MEED 21:2:03).

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