Public Transport Authority expects to tender consultancy packages in the second half of 2018
Saudi Arabia’s Public Transport Authority (PTA) is planning to tender the contracts for the development of four major mainline rail and logistics projects in 2018.
The four schemes, which include the Saudi Landbridge railway line linking Saudi Arabia's east and west coasts, are being planned as public-private partnership (PPP) projects.
Details about the planned tenders emerged at a consultation meeting in Riyadh on 29 October with consultants, operators, investors and developers.
Sources tell MEED the client expects to tender the four schemes in the second or third quarter of 2018.
The four projects and their details are:
| Project | Length (km) | Configuration | Capex ($bn) | Status | Period (Project development timeline and start of operations), years |
| Saudi Landbridge | 950 | Double, non-electrified | 7-10 | Preliminary design | 8-10 |
| Riyadh-Dammam Electrification | 460 | Double, electrified | 8-10 | Feasibility study | 9-10 |
| Yanbu – Jeddah (via King Abdullah Port) link | 340 | Double, non-electrified | 0.5-1.5 | Feasibility study | 4-5 |
| Riyadh-Riyadh link and new Dry Port | ~40 | Double, non-electrified | 0.9 – 1.4 | Preliminary design | 4-5 |
Source: PTA
In addition to the Landbridge scheme, the PPP projects also include the electrification of the 460km Riyadh-Dammam rail network, the GCC region’s oldest operating mainline railway.
US consultancy AT Kearney is advising PTA on the privatisation of Saudi Arabia’s mainline railway networks.
A parallel project, for the development of urban rail schemes using a public-private partnership (PPP) model, is underway.
The National Centre for Privatisation (NCP) received bids for the technical, financial and legal advisory packages on 12 October.
| MEED's latest research report Mena Rail 2018 is available to purchase today! The 180-page report details all the projects opportunities in the region's rail sector. Buy your copy by visiting: http://buy.meed.com/MENA-Rail-Report-p/mena-rail-2018.htm |
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