News in brief
01 October 2016
Six Construct completes Fujairah port jetty work
Six Construct, a subsidiary of leading Belgian construction company Besix Group, has announced the completion of the marine works project at the Port of Fujairah in the UAE.
The company was awarded the contract to design and construct a very large crude carrier (VLCC) jetty at the Fujairah port.
The Port of Fujairah is the only multi-purpose facility of its kind on the Eastern seaboard of the UAE and is located approximately 70 nautical miles from the Straits of Hormuz. This is also the first VLCC jetty on the Indian Ocean coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Six Construct was responsible for the civil works and equipment installation of the maritime structures, while the topside work was completed by the Singaporean Rotary Engineering.
On the successful completion, Pierre Sironval, the managing director of Six Construct, says: “Working in a marine environment is a challenge in itself, especially when driving 65 m piles in deep water (26 m). Pile driving methods instead of pile drilling methods were adopted at the early stage of the works, and precast elements have been designed in accordance with the lifting constraints of the project.”
“We also installed a concrete line which connected to the breakwater to minimise the offshore in-situ concrete,” he states.
Al Jaber to sell contractor, leverage hotel in debt plan
Abu dhabi’s Al Jaber Group plans to raise up to Dh2.35 billion ($640 million) by the end of 2017 by selling its stake in a construction company and using a prime hotel in the emirate as collateral for a loan, informed sources said.
The moves are part of an attempt by the family conglomerate to seal a new restructuring deal with creditors after missing a payment on its existing $4.5 billion debt plan in March.
Creditors of the group, best known for construction but with interests in a host of other sectors, are currently studying the proposed debt plan, with four sources indicating they are confident an agreement could be in place by year-end. This would avert the collapse of the company and subsequent contagion for thousands of suppliers, subcontractors and customers.
Of the Dh2.4 billion ($653.2 million) needed to meet the 2017 target, Al Jaber expects as much as Dh2 billion(544.3 million) to come from selling its 80 per cent stake in Alec, its construction joint venture. Alec is working on a number of high-profile projects in Dubai, including expanding the emirate’s second airport Al Maktoum International and developing a manmade island upon which the world’s largest Ferris wheel is being built.
Cyprus contractor J&P wins Qatar stadium deal
A joint venture led by Cyprus-based contractor Joannou & Paraskevaides (J&P) has been awarded the contract to build the new Qatar Foundation (QF) Stadium for the 2022 World Cup.
The 40,000-seating-capacity stadium, located in the Education City, is the fifth to enter the main works stage. It is slated for completion in 2019, three years before the 2022 World Cup, reports the Doha News.
The venue’s design resembles a “diamond in the desert” and will feature geometric patterns that appear to change colour as the sun arcs across the sky.
The joint venture, which comprises J&P Qatar, Conspel Qatar, J&P Avax and J&P (Overseas), will build the QF stadium that is set to host matches up to the quarter-final stage, says the report.
The project is being delivered in conjunction with Astad Project Management, a wholly-owned Qatari Company, which looks after project and construction management and construction supervision, states the report, citing Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).
“Over the next four years, we will be working closely with our new partners to ensure we deliver an outstanding, legacy-oriented stadium at Education City that will serve the community long after the last ball is kicked,” he adds.
Navayuga wins Pearl Qatar piling works contract
Qatar-based United Development Company (UDC) has awarded a major piling works contract to Navayuga Engineering Company for its Al Mutahidah Towers project in Viva Bahriya at The Pearl Qatar, an innovative mixed-use urban development in capital Doha, says a report.
As per the contract, Navayuga will complete the execution of 917 piles as well as the excavation and backfilling works in preparation for the next construction phase, reports The Gulf Times.
Piling works are expected to be completed in 150 days ending in January 2017 after which the construction of the main building will begin.
Comprising approximately of 450 apartments in the relaxed beachfront precinct of Viva Bahriya at The Pearl-Qatar, the project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Al Mutahidah Towers offer accommodation units of various dimensions including studios, luxury apartments as well as high-level penthouses and retail stores designed to meet the needs of residents.
The towers will also boast panoramic seaviews and direct access to the beach, in addition to a fully equipped gymnasium, swimming pools, multi-purpose halls, ample parking spaces and a range of other upscale services and recreational amenities.
