Gulf Construction Online

Saudi Focus

Update

01 September 2015

ACES wins Jeddah Metro deal

The Jeddah branch of the Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES) has been awarded the geotechnical investigation works for the preliminary engineering design phase for Jeddah Metro.

The scope of work for ACES consists of drilling a total of 150 boreholes to depths ranging from 10 m to 45 m below the existing ground surface, installation of piezometers, and performing field and laboratory tests. So far, seven drilling rigs have been mobilised and are operating together with more than 60 staff that have been deployed.

The Jeddah Metro is a mega project that comprises several transportation networks including rail and bus networks, a marine transportation line, a corniche tram, a suspension bridge and public transportation stations. The pre-programme management consultancy contract was awarded to Aecom, whereas the preliminary engineering design contract was awarded to Systra. The architectural consultant is Fosters & Partners. The approved budget for the project is $12 billion over seven years, the project owner is Metro Jeddah Company (MJC) and the consultant (ACES’ client) is Systra and Khatib & Alami.

Private funds for power projects

Saudi Arabia’s private sector is expected to contribute a large percentage of the SR700-billion ($186.5 billion) investment needed in the next 10 years by the kingdom’s electricity sector, said a top official.

The country has launched new plans to set up companies with staff to design and implement projects in the electricity sector throughout the kingdom, Saleh bin Hussain Al Awaji, deputy minister for water and electricity and chairman of the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), was quoted as saying in an Arab News report.

SEC has launched a wholly owned engineering company, SEC for Projects Development, Al Awaji revealed. Its main role involves the design and management of projects as well as the supervision of the implementation works, Al Awaji said.

State-of-art Taif park opens

A new state-of-the-art leisure park in Taif was inaugurated by Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal last month.

The public park in Al Radf has dancing fountains which cover an area of 13,000 sq m and are the largest of their kind in the kingdom. The park has tourist, cultural, educational, social and sports facilities over an area of 565,000 sq m. The fountains on the lake also have a giant display screen. There are also restaurants, hotels, markets, a theatre, seating facilities, sports complexes, and parking for 1,200 cars, besides 10 complexes featuring games for children.