The contract will involve the excavation of about 300 million cubic metres of earth along an 8.5 kilometre section of the canal.

The second package is about 50 per cent larger than the first package, which was awarded to Abu Dhabi-based Tristar Transport & Contracting at the end of September.

“This is the second of around 10 packages that will be awarded for the excavation of our 75km waterway,” says Ian Raine, Limitless’ project director for the Arabian Canal.

Ten other companies submitted bids for package one, including the local Al-Shafar Transport Company, Belgium's Jan De Nul, Australia's Minesite, Iran's Mobin and Australia's Gulf Leighton in a joint venture with Netherlands-based Van Oord (MEED 7:10:08).