A joint venture comprising the Netherlands-based Bam International and Jordan’s MAG Contracting and Engineering has won the JD65m ($91.6m) contract to carry out the marine works at Jordan’s New Aqaba Port.

The marine works package consists of the construction of four general cargo berths, dredging and reclamation, as well as the construction of a harbour for marine services. Work is expected to take two years to complete.

The local Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) signed the contract with the joint venture in December 2011. The ADC received nine bids for the marine works deal in April 2011 (MEED 13:4:11).

US-based Aecom carried out the design of the marine works package, which is the first package to be carried out at the new port. The ADC will now start to tender the remaining packages.

The Jordanian government is financing the New Aqaba Port project itself after an initial public-private partnership (PPP) deal with an international consortium broke down in January last year. A consortium comprising two French companies, Bouygues and Bollore, along with the Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)with the ADC to design, build, operate and finance the port as a PPP. This agreement is now void.