The bidders are: France’s Aeroports de Paris; Atkins and Pell Frischman of the UK; Lebanon’s Associated Consulting Engineers; Ger-many’s Dorsch Consult and Dornier Consulting; Italy’s Favero & Milan Ingegneria; Omani Nat-ional Engineering Office; Spain’s Oficina de Proyectos; and Switzerland’s Renardet Consulting Engineers.

The sultanate is investing heavily in airports, with the Transport & Communications Ministry awarding contracts to extend airports at Duqm, Salalah, Sohar and Muscat this year (MEED 20:8:09).

The ministry is also developing a ferry service that will improve transport links to the Musandam peninsula, the part of Oman that is separated from the rest of the country by the UAE.

In June, the ministry awarded two contracts, worth OR20m ($52m) in total, to build ferry terminals at the ports of Khasab and Shinas on the peninsula. The local Sarooj Construction Company has secured both contracts.

High-speed catamaran ferries will link the Khasab and Shinas ports along a 330-kilometre-long route. State-owned National Ferry Boats Company will operate the service.