The project is located about 120km north of Doha and involves the upgrade of the existing fishing port to accommodate dhows, coastal-trading vessels, and passenger and car ferries.

The port is used by more than 100 fishing vessels, the Customs and Ports General Authority (CPGA), the coastguard and small leisure craft.

The first package covers dredging and reclamation works.

It involves dredging a five metre-deep, three kilometre-long channel, and a seven metre-deep port basin.

The winning contractor will dredge about 2.8 million cubic metres.

The second package is for marine works which include blockwork quay walls, floating pontoons, slipways, fuel tanks and block paving.

The third package includes roads, sewerage and water distribution networks, and associated port buildings with a total built-up area of about 10,000 square metres.