The local Sohar International Development Company plans to make an award later in September for a contract to build a deep-water bulk jetty serving the Vale Industrial Complex.

The bidders are Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction Services; a joint venture of Belgium’s Six Construct and Interbeton of the Netherlands; Italy’s Saipem with India’s Afcons; and Australia’s McConnell Dowell.

The project involves the construction of a 600-metre long jetty and the dredging of a new harbour basin. The facilities will serve a $1.4bn pelletising plant and iron ore distribution centre being built at the site by Brazilian mining company Vale.