Oman’s Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad) has invited firms to bid by 31 October for the engineering design and construction contract for a major road scheme.

The package, called National Route 32, will be a dual, six-lane carriageway, about 16 kilometres in length.

The scope of work includes the design and construction of bridges, service roads, roundabouts, tie-in roads to existing and under-construction roads, culvert crossings and associated utilities such as street lighting and drainage structures.

Other tenders released by Sezad so far this year include:

• Road maintenance work
• The construction of an internal road at airport showroom zone
• Consultancy services for design review, and construction supervision of the economic zone’s water distribution network
• Water distribution network expansion
• Consultancy services to check and verify existing infrastructure and superstructure projects at Duqm Port

It is understood that Sezad is committed to completing all infrastructure projects related to Duqm Port by 2020.

In August last year, the authority awarded the local Galfar Engineering & Contracting an RO60.7m ($157.6m) contract for maritime works at the port.

The construction contract covers dredging the harbour basin to up to six metres and land reclamation to enable the construction of port service buildings.

The contract also covers the construction of breakwaters with a total length of 3.4km, and an 850m fixed pier for fishing purposes.

In late 2016, Sezad signed a $265m loan with the China-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to finance the construction of a commercial terminal at the port.