Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry has invited five international consultants to submit bids for the contract to design an alternative access channel at the new Bubiyan Port in Kuwait.

The prequalified consultants have until 27 May to submit bids for the latest design contract on Bubiyan Port, officially known as the Mubarak al-Kabeer Port.

The five companies invited to bid are:

• Aecom (US)
• Egis (France)
• Halcrow (UK)
• Mouchel (UK)
• Royal Haskoning (Netherlands)

Following the completion of the design work, the ministry will tender a dredging contract for the access channel.

In June 2010, a consortium of the local Mohammed Abdulmoshin al-Kharafi & Sons with South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company was awarded a KD328m ($1.1bn) contract for the marine engineering works on the Bubiyan port scheme.

The consortium’s design and build contract involves the construction of a container terminal, four berths and a 1,300-metre-long quay wall, as well as port buildings and utilities, digging and soil improvement work, and site levelling. The UK’s Scott Wilson is providing the consultancy services for the marine engineering works phase.

The Bubiyan Port was originally scheduled to open in 2010, after a local/Chinese consortium of Gulf Dredging & Contracting, Shaheen al-Ghanim Roads & Bridges and China Harbour Engineering Company started work on the KD115.7m first-phase construction contract in 2006.

However, the project fell behind schedule after three years of slow progress. The Public Works Ministry began retendering packages on the port in October 2009. The port is now scheduled to start operating in 2016.