Gulf Construction Online - The Line is ‘on track’

Saudi Arabia

Work is in progress on modules 44 to 47 of The Line.

The Line is ‘on track’

01 May 2024

Neom has just silenced doubters with a double dose of good news: it demonstrated global confidence in the $500-billion giga-project taking shape in northwest Saudi Arabia by securing a SR10-billion ($2.7 billion) financing facility, while its Chief Operating Officer addressed media speculation on The Line, a cynosure of the world, head-on in his latest LinkedIn post.

“Despite the incorrect media reporting, it’s another record month on the Line with our excavation numbers. The project is getting close to final reduced piling levels with dewatering ramping up to capacity,” said Giles Pendleton, in Part 14 of his post titled “NEOM is Real”, disproving the ‘naysayers’ again.

The post indicated that work is in progress on the excavation of four modules – 44 to 47 of The Line, which is expected to comprise 135 modules that will be 800 m long and 500 m tall at sea level.

“The masterplan for the Line remains at 170 km as we have always spoken about and we have always maintained it will be built in phases. We are working on Phase One which we will launch later this year. Nothing has changed. Imagine trying to build 170 km or a city for 9 million people all at once, that’s like building New York or London in one go. It’s impossible,” he commented.

Work is in progress on modules 44 to 47 of The Line.

This comes amidst recent reports of scaled-back ambitions for the project, particularly The Line, a planned 170-km-long, glass-walled city. Bloomberg in a recent report, citing ‘people familiar with the matter’, stated that Saudi Arabia has downsized its medium-term ambitions for the development.

It added that while the government at one point hoped to have 1.5 million residents living in The Line by 2030, now officials expect the development will house fewer than 300,000 residents by that time. With the latest pullback, officials expect to have just 2.4 km of the project completed by 2030, said the report quoting the source.

Key Saudi government officials have denied these reports, stating that Neom’s overall vision remains unchanged. “For Neom, the projects, the intended scale is continuing as planned,” Economy Minister Faisal Al Ibrahim was quoted as saying in an interview with CNBC. “It is a long-term project that’s modular in design,” he added.

Neom also brought together over 100 of the world’s leading construction companies for a two-day industry forum in the city, which aimed to showcase on-the-ground construction progress while highlighting future developments, as the developer of this ambitious development advances into the next stage of its vast portfolio of projects. The forum hosted a mix of firms from Saudi Arabia, along with international companies from Asia, Europe, North America, and North Africa.

Tunnelling work being carried out by FCC on The Spine.

As these projects transition into a new phase of execution, the demand for top-tier construction proficiency is vital to deliver some of the most ambitious development projects the world has ever seen, said the developer.

Construction is currently happening throughout all of Neom, with a construction workforce of over 140,000, said Neom, adding that, with the help of the companies that participated in the forum, the workforce is anticipated to grow to over 200,000 by next year.

Neom has reported progress on several fronts at the snow-capped mountain destination Trojena, the luxury island destination Sindalah, the advanced industries hub Oxagon, in addition to the revolutionary linear city The Line, while launching a series of new tourism destinations.

New launches

Neom has, over the past eight months, announced several strategic projects primarily around the Gulf of Aqaba that will drive its tourism ambitions. These include:

• Gidori, an exclusive private golf community set amidst the breathtaking coastal hills of the Gulf of Aqaba. Its 18-hole championship golf course sweeps inland through low hills and rocky outcrops, challenging golfers at all levels. It will house 190 luxury sea-view apartments and 200 individually-designed private villas and homes, alongside a range of dining experiences, signature retail stores and garden spaces.

• Treyam, a premier resort positioned where the spectacular desert landscape meets the sea. Located across the opening of one of the most beautiful, azure lagoons at the southern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, Treyam’s striking bridge-like architecture connects the northern and southern shores, hosting a 250-room luxury resort.

• Elanan, an exclusive guest retreat which sensitively emerges from within its lush oasis surroundings, fed by ancient natural springs.

• Xaynor, a beachfront private members club, nestled among the rocky landscapes that seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor spaces along the coastline.

Aquellum features a signature space which houses unique research labs.

• Aquellum lifestyle community, a luxury and experiential space embedded within the mountains which will boast avant-garde architecture and forward-thinking concepts. The project is hidden within a 450-m-high mountain range and features a signature space, dubbed ‘The Generator’, which houses unique research labs for disruptors, innovators, and creative thinkers.

• Zardun, a restorative nature and wildlife retreat, which overlooks the crystalline waters of the Gulf of Aqaba. Covering 4 sq km, it will host four ultra-luxury signature buildings which will merge harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.

Norlana, an ultra-modern active lifestyle community for 3,000 residents.

• Norlana, an ultra-modern active lifestyle community for 3,000 residents that will feature 711 residential properties, including deluxe mansions, spacious apartments and beach villas integrated with the surrounding dunes. It will include a spectacular 18-hole golf course, and an equestrian and polo centre with world-class facilities nearby.

• Utamo, an immersive destination for art and entertainment cocooned in a mountain located along the coastline. Its multipurpose performance space, VIP lounges and signature restaurants will make it one of the world’s most exclusive event spaces to host performances by world-leading artists.

Epicon will boast two towers – 225 m and 275 m tall – which will be home to 41-key hotel and luxury residences.

• Epicon, a luxury coastal tourism destination on the Gulf of Aqaba. It will boast two striking towers – 225 m and 275 m tall – which will be home to an ultra-premium 41-key hotel and luxury residences. Just a stone’s throw away from the hotel is the 120-key Epicon resort, which will boast 45 stunning residential beach villas.

• Leyja, which extends from the coast and winds inland to form a magnificent natural valley carved between 400-m-high mountains.

These are in addition to the mountain tourism destination Trojena, which will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games; and Sindalah, an island resort aimed at luxury clientele and the global yachting community, which is anticipated to be the first region of Neom to open its doors by the end of the year.

The Lake will be the largest architecturally-crafted body of water in Saudi Arabia.

Trojena

Work is under way to sculpt the Lake, which will be the largest architecturally-crafted body of water in Saudi Arabia. A central feature of Trojena’s Lava-designed masterplan, the lake will cover an area of 1.5 sq km and will have an island reserved for botanical dives and walks.

Under a $4.7 billion deal, Webuild (previously Salini Impregilo) is working on the construction of three dams to create the 2.8-km-long freshwater lake. It will also develop ‘The Bow’ – an architectural marvel featuring a hotel overhanging the mountain’s valley below Trojena.

The 105-key Raffles Trojena features a unique and striking ring-shaped design, offering stunning scenic views of the surrounding.

Among the latest hotel chains confirming interest in Trojena is Raffles Hotels & Resorts, a leading luxury brand of Accor, which will open a hotel in 2027. The 105-key Raffles Trojena features a unique and striking ring-shaped design, offering stunning scenic views of the surrounding destination from every vantage point. Another hotel operator that recently announced that it is establishing a hotel at Trojena is Minor Hotels, which will open a 270-key resort under its Anantara brand.

These join a number of prestigious brands that have already announced luxury properties in Trojena including, Marriott International which intends to open two luxury properties; and General Hotel Management (GHM), which will manage the Chedi Trojena.

Sindalah

Spread over an 840,000-sq-m area, Sindalah will feature several tourist attractions, including a marina, a beach club, a yacht club, three luxury hotels, a holistic spa, a wellness centre plus 51 luxury retail outlets. IGY Marinas, a worldwide network of luxury marinas, has partnered with Neom to develop and operate the marina at Sindalah.

Positioned as a glamorous gateway to the Red Sea, the facility will offer 86 berths for yachts up to 50 m and additional serviced offshore buoys for superyachts up to 180 m.

Neom has also reached an agreement with global hospitality major Marriott International to set up its hotel apartments complex within this luxury island destination.

The Line

Stretching from the coast of the Red Sea at the Gulf of Aqaba to the mountains at Trojena, The Line is billed as a car-free, zero-carbon city with services and transport infrastructure built underground in ‘The Spine’.

Work on The Line is progressing rapidly and the world’s largest piling operation is under way at the site. In its latest LinkedIn post, Neom has indicated that more than 260 excavators and 2,000 trucks are currently engaged in excavating 3 million cu m of earth round the clock, seven days a week.

The Line ... a car-free, zero-carbon city.

Webuild is constructing 57 km of the high-speed railway line known as the Connector that will link The Line and Oxagon, Neom’s centre for advanced and clean industries. Its joint venture partner is Shibh Al Jazira Contracting Company (Sajco).

Another contractor, FCC of Spain has announced a key milestone on its tunnelling contract at Neom with the completion of 25 per cent of the construction of a crucial 8.7-km tunnel within ‘The Spine’ – the infrastructure corridor running below the 500-m-tall, mirrored buildings.

The tunnel project is being handled by a consortium spearheaded by FCC Construcción with China State Construction Engineering Corporation and Shibh Al Jazira Contracting Company as partners.

In its LinkedIn post, FCC added that some 3,655 people of 39 different nationalities are engaged on the project, drilling at the rate of 1.2 km per month.

Neom had in 2022 awarded contracts to two joint venture groups for the project which is separated by lower and upper geographies, with the first one given to FCC consortium and the second to Samsung C&T Corporation’s consortium with Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Saudi Archirodon Company.

The tunnels work will extend over 28 km in length and provide separate tunnels for high-speed and freight rail services.

According to FCC, the rock excavated as part of the tunnel construction project will be processed for later reuse within the concrete lining of the tunnels as well as in other projects, guaranteeing a minimum impact on the landscape.

Oxagon

At Oxagon, a consortium of Saudi Archirodon and Belgian offshore energy and dredging contractor DEME are carrying out work on the second phase of the Port of Neom, the primary seaport of entry to northwest Saudi Arabia. Work involves setting up the basin that will enable the world’s largest ships to call at the port. All materials recovered as part of the channel development will be used to support the wider development of Oxagon.

A partnership between Boskalis and a joint venture between Besix and Modern Building Leaders (MBL) have secured a design-and-build lumpsum contract worth over SR2 billion for the first phase of the dredging and quay wall construction.

Work is also in progress at Oxagon’s research and innovation (R&I) campus, designed by the renowned architect Grimshaw and engineered by international consultancy firm Buro Happold.

Situated at the heart of the research and innovation district, the campus will span over 200,000 sq m and will be equipped with state-of-the-art labs, prototyping areas, co-working and office spaces, and digitally enabled facilities.

Oxagon will host some of the world-leading utilities and industrial infrastructure which includes the world’s large green hydrogen project by Neom Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC). The facility, which is expected to be fully operational in 2026, will integrate 4 GW of solar and wind energy to produce up to 600 tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen daily.

Global utility project developer Acwa Power is working on the $8.4-billion green hydrogen facility – being developed jointly by US industrial gases leader Air Products and Neom – which is reported to be on track for completion by the end of 2026.

In terms of accommodation, Kerten Hospitality, an Ireland-based mixed-use, ESG and lifestyle operator, has reached an agreement with Neom to launch its House Residence brand within Oxagon. As per the deal, it will open an upscale 200-unit serviced apartments complex, at the heart of Oxagon’s first residential community, which is set to open its doors in 2025.

Other facilities

A number of investors have also come forward to participate in the first phase of Neom’s residential communities’ expansion. Last year, agreements worth a total of SR21 billion were signed. The preferred bidders for the first phase of the residential communities comprise leading Saudi companies, Alfanar Global Development, Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Company (AREIC), Nesma Holding, and Tamasuk, which is involved via two separate partners: Al Majal Al Arabi Group Company and the Saudi Arabian Trading and Construction Company (Satco).

Meanwhile, Hitachi Energy, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, has secured a major contract from Enowa, the energy and water company of Neom, and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to design, develop and commission one of the world’s first 3 GW, 525 kilovolt (kV) HVDC Light transmission systems for the development.

The ground-breaking deal will see Hitachi Energy design and develop the first phase of the visionary Neom region transmission system, together with its consortium partner Saudi Services for Electro Mechanical Works (SSEM).

This system will help connect Oxagon to the Yanbu area, over a distance of more than 650 km.