Oman’s Transport and Communications Ministry has prequalifiednine consortiums of contractors for Diba-Lima-Khasab road projects in Musandam governorate.

The Ministry will float a design, build, operate (DBO) contract with the Tender Board shortly.

The nine prequalified consortiums are:

• OHLConstruccion (Spain) / Makyol (Turkey)
• Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) (Athens-based) / Strabag (Austria)
• Hochtief (Germany)
• Daewoo Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Sarooj Construction (local)
• Toto Costruzioni Generali (Italy) / Ghella (Italy)
• Salini Impregilio (Italy)
• Teixeira Duarte Engenharia e Construcoes (Portugal) / Ozkar Insaat (Turkey) / Coba (Portugal) / TDGI (Portugal) / LCW Consult (Portugal)
• Ghantoot Transport & General Construction (UAE) / Construtora Queiroz Galvao (Brazil)
• Galfar Engineering & Contracting (local) / Ferrovial (Spain)

Estimated to cost $1bn to build, the Diba-Lima-Khasab project will connect the town of Khasab on the peninsula’s north coast and the remote town of Lima on the eastern coast, which is not currently accessible by road.

The dual carriageway will stretch 65km from Al-Khaldiyah near Khasab to Diba. The work includes seven tunnels totalling 7.3km and 18 wadi and valley bridges totalling 3.8km and two flyover intersections. Each lane will be 3.65m wide with 2.5m asphalt shoulders.

The contractor will also maintain and operate the road for a period of 20 years.

Nine bids were submitted for the project management consultancy contract in late 2014, but no award has yet been made.