Local developer Nakheel has awarded Van Oord of the Netherlands a two-year AED387m ($105m) contract to deliver 23.5 kilometres of coastline and breakwaters at Deira Islands.

The two-year contract – stage one of Nakheel’s water-edge delivery programme at Deira Islands – includes 8.5km of beaches, 3.5km of quay walls and 9.5km of rock revetments at two of the four islands. The work includes a 4km stretch of waterfront, big enough to accommodate more than 500 yachts and boats, at the 4.5 million-square-metre south island.  Van Oord will also build 2km of breakwaters to protect the newly-created basin and beachfront.

Van Oord has worked for Nakheel on other projects such as the Palm Jumeirah and The World, which added 300 km to Dubai’s coastline.