The New Doha Port Project Steering Committee is expected to invite prequalified companies to submit bids for phase two of the New Doha port between April and June.

Phase two covers dredging an access channel to lead to the port.

At least five companies were prequalified for the deal in October.

The prequalifiers include:

• China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
• Jan de Nul (Belgium)
• Boskalis (Netherlands)
• Van Oord (Netherlands)
• Middle East Dredging Company (Medco) (local)

In January, China Harbour Engineering & Company won the $880m construction contract to carry out phase one of the project, which covers excavation works at the port, having submitted the lowest bid for the deal in July 2010 (MEED 26:1:11). This was the first major construction deal to be awarded at the port.

The project includes the excavation of 58 million cubic metres of material, covering an area of 3.2 square kilometres to a depth of 18 metres, the building of 8km of quay wall, and a 5km-long rubble breakwater.

It also includes building a container wharf, general cargo wharf and a naval forces wharf. Construction is due to begin immediately.

The first phase will have a capacity of 2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 15-metre-deep approach channel, an 8-metre-13.5-metre-deep harbour basin and berths for general cargo, including vessels from the Qatari and visiting navies.

Australia’s WorleyParsons is the engineering consultant on the project and US-based Aecom is the programme manager of the scheme.