Qatar’s New Port Project (NPP) Steering Committee has awarded the local Al-Jaber Engineering (JEC) a QR1.6bn ($438m) contract for the design and construction of food facilities at Hamad Port.

Proposals for the contract were submitted in October last year.

Unlike the initial specification in the tender that indicates the construction of food storage facilities, the awarded contract also entails building specialist facilities for the processing, manufacturing and refining of rice, sugar and edible oils on a 530,000 square-metre land.

According to a local media report, the contract involves the construction of bulk storage silos with their associated infrastructure and conveyance equipment, in addition to structures fully equipped for the project associated operations of handling, processing, packaging, reloading and transport of these food items .

The recent blockade imposed on Qatar by the Saudi-led states appears to have expedited plans to expand the port’s capacity and cargo fleet, as well as implementing enhanced food security measures.

More than half of Qatar’s food imports are estimated to pass through its land border with Saudi Arabia, which was closed on 5 June.

The Transport Ministry is expected to award Australia’s Worley Parsons the design and masterplan contract for the second phase of the Hamad Port facility.

Proposals for the contract to deepen the access channel serving the port from 16 metres to 18 metres so that it is the same depth as the port basin are also under evaluation.