Gulf Construction Online - Landbridge project back on track; PMC bidder selected

Saudi Focus

Saudi Landbridge project ... a $7-billion scheme.

Landbridge project back on track; PMC bidder selected

01 January 2024

A consortium of Italian consulting and project company Italferr, Spanish engineering group Sener and US-based construction management expert Hill International has emerged as the preferred bidder for a project management consultancy (PMC) contract for the Saudi Landbridge project.

Bids for the contract were received by Saudi Railway Company (SAR) in October 2022 and the consortium has overcome rival proposals from Systra and a consortium of Parsons and Egis, reported International Railway Journal.

With the project management contract now confirmed, local media reports suggest that SAR is preparing to start work on the public-private partnership (PPP) project, which includes constructing the new 950-km railway between Riyadh and Jeddah, early this year (2024).

The negotiations over the final cost and financing structure for the $7-billion scheme are nearing conclusion, stated the IRJ report.

The Saudi China Landbridge Consortium (SLCC) – comprising SAR and China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) with Al Ayuni named as a local partner – had signed an agreement to implement the project under a PPP in October 2018. The other members in the consortium are: Systra, Thales, WSP, Aldhabaan & Partners, the local partner of British law firm Eversheds & Sutherland, ALG Infrastructure, and Calx Consultancy.

Italferr and local partner Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre (ACEC) completed the design of the project in 2017. Freight trains will operate at up to 160 km/h on the new line and passenger trains at up to 250 km/h. The project itself involves a combination of upgrades and new line construction and is expected to take seven years to complete. It is split into six sections.

The first section comprises the upgrade of the Jubail Industrial City internal network, which is currently under construction, and will require the construction of 10 km of new track.

The second is the upgrade of the existing Jubail-Dammam line, which is also currently under construction and will require 35 km of new track construction.

The third section will involve an upgrade of the Dammam-Riyadh line, which includes the construction of 87 km of new track.

The fourth section, the Riyadh bypass, will connect the existing network in the north of the city to the south. It is split into two packages: the first has 67 km of track and the second has 35 km.

The fifth section is a new 950-km link from Riyadh to Jeddah, which will continue for 146 km to King Abdullah Port. The Riyadh-Jeddah section will have three intermediate stations at Jamuma, Moya and Al-Doadmi.

The sixth section is the new 172 km line from King Abdullah Port to Yanbu Industrial City. The project will also include the construction of seven logistics centres.