Saudi Railway Company is inviting companies to submit prequalification documents by 30 July for a contract to build a railway line between Ras al-Zour, Jubail and Dammam.

The scope includes the construction of an 85-kilometre railway line from Ras al-Zour to Jubail and another 125km line from Jubail to Dammam. The contract also covers any future railway projects that Saudi Railway Company carries out.

This also includes geotechnical investigation, earthworks, procurement of all materials and equipment, track laying, welding of the rails, installation of pipes and utilities and the construction and installation of bridges and culverts.

Companies are scheduled to be invited to bid for the contract in December.

Civil works are currently being carried out on the passenger line section of the North-South minerals railway. The passenger line will be about 995km when complete. The minerals line is complete and operations are expected to start in August.

The 1,392km minerals line will carry phosphate from Al-Jelamid mines and bauxite from Al-Zabirah to new refineries at Ras al-Zour.

The US’ Bechtel is providing project management consultancy services for the Jubail railway project planned for Jubail I, the existing industrial cluster (MEED 29:3:11).

This will eventually link up with Jubail II, which is currently being developed.