Qatar’s New Port Project Committee (NPPC) has awarded a consortium led by China’s Sinohydro a $380m contract for package one of the construction of port buildings and infrastructure work on the naval base of the New Port Project

The scope of the work involves the construction of 60 port buildings across an area of 78,000 square metres and is expected to be complete by the final quarter of 2016.

The NPPC has also awarded a $137m security systems contract to the French-based Thales Communications and Security SAS.

In 2014, MEED reported that a $237m construction contract for work on the new port scheme was awarded to a joint venture of the local Construction Development Company (CDC) and the UK’s Boom Construction. The joint venture will build a centralised customs area at the new port, and is expected to complete construction work in the third quarter of 2016.

The port scheme is spread over 26.5 square kilometres, and will form a key point of entry for construction materials as the country moves ahead with a major infrastructure programme in preparation for hosting the 2022 Fifa football World Cup.