Spain’s Assignia Infraestructuras is the lowest bidder for the infrastructure works at Duqm port in Oman.

In June 2010, the Transport & Communications Ministry invited contractors to submit bids by 12 July 2011 for a contract that covers building roads and infrastructure (MEED 24:6:10).

The award is due by the end of this year. The new Duqm port is part of a larger plan to improve the overall transport infrastructure at Duqm. The port will also include a freezone, an industrial area and a petrochemicals complex with a crude oil export terminal.

The client has signed a $94m loan with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and a $660m loan with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Oman is also planning to build an airport at Duqm. In June, the ministry received three bids for package three of Duqm airport, which covers construction of the terminal and the air traffic management system.

The companies that submitted bids include:

• Larsen & Toubro (India)
• Galfar Engineering & Contracting (local)/Daewoo Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) (Athens-based)