Gulf Construction Online

Regional News

Update

01 December 2001

Beachside tower nears completion

A 14-storey beachside deluxe apartment tower is nearing completion at Bahrain's Seef district, near Le Royal Meridien and is set to open early next year, said International Hotels Company (IHC) general manager Raymond Andre.

The Sail Tower houses 21 fully-furnished units. Each unit covers 250 sq m and includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms and an American-style kitchen.

The apartment complex, for long-term residents, will have a swimming pool, gardens and a shaded parking area.

The sail-like structure, being built by Chapo, is rimmed with blue lights on the south side of the tower.

IHC is also the owning company of Le Royal Meridien Hotel.

Halcrow to study port expansion

Ajman: Dubai-based Halcrow has been appointed to carry out a study on a plan to expand Ajman port.

The port is planning to increase the number of berths from 14 to 16 - subject to the proposals from Halcrow which are expected to be ready within two months, according to Hameed Ibrahim, director of Emirates Port Services (EPS).

EPS recently bagged a 10-year contract to manage the port.

Dredging to a draft of 10.5 m by 8 m is also on the cards, as are warehouse and building construction in the port premises. EPS expects to initially spend Dh25 million ($6.8 million) on the project.

EPS is a joint venture between Emirates Trading Agency (ETA) and Ras Al Khaimah-based Union Group.

Emirates grid first phase complete

Abu Dhabi: UAE Minister for Water and Electricity Humaid Bin Nasser Al Owais said the first phase of the nationwide Emirates grid, which improved connections in Ras Al Khaimah, was now complete and the ministry has now appointed a consultancy to evaluate the second phase, which will connect Abu Dhabi with Dubai and Sharjah.

Al Owais said all UAE ministries were now working together to establish one e-government network. "This will greatly ease information transfer," said the minister.

Finance deal agreed for mall

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (Adib) and National Investment Corporation (NIC) have signed a Dh150 million ($55 million) five-year murabaha (Islamic financing instrument) agreement for refinancing Abu Dhabi's Marina Mall project, a report said.

The financing will go towards expansion of the project, which includes construction of a five-star hotel.

The Marina Mall, which opened in March this year, has a total area of 117,000 sq m.

Dubai awards power contract

Dubai: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded Babcock Borsig Power Services a Dh16.02 million ($4.36 million) contract for modification of an existing fuel gas system at 'E' and 'G' power stations in Jebel Ali.

The project, once completed, will have a fuel gas storage system to provide sufficient gas flow to the generating units. This will allow successful fuel changeover from gas to oil in case of supply interruption.

The work will include enhancement of the control system for reliable operation of the fuel gas system.

The project is expected to be completed by May next year.

"The installation of the fuel gas storage system will give these power stations more flexibility and efficiency and make them more reliable, especially at the time of a switchover from oil to gas and eliminate the chances of interruption of power supply in future," said Ayaz Khan, manager projects, of Babcock Borsig Power.

Dewa currently has five stations - D, E, G, H and K.

HSBC plans Internet City move

Dubai: HSBC Bank Middle East plans to build its Middle East management office at Dubai Internet City (DIC).

The bank recently signed a land-lease deal with the DIC for the Dh40 million ($10.89 million) purpose-built facility that will also house a number of support departments, local media reported.

The design and build of the new office will start immediately and it is expected to be ready for occupation by early 2003. The building will house some 400 staff members.

Belhasa elected Arab body chief

Abu Dhabi: Ahmed Saif Belhasa, chairman of UAE Contractors Association, has been elected president of Arab Contractors Federation, the first UAE national to occupy the post.

Ismail Osman, chairman of a major Egyptian construction company, Arab Contractors, and Sahel Al Majali, Jordanian Contractor Association chairman, were elected first and second vice-presidents.

Bahrain plans market revamp

Manama: Bahrain is to draw up a new development plan for Manama's Central Market.

Research teams have been formed by Bahrain University as a community service project under the directions of Minister of State for Municipalities and Environmental Affairs Jawad Al Arrayed.

The team will collaborate with municipal officials on a field study on the market, said university scientific research dean Dr Jameel Abbas.

Zenith to open Dubai arm

India's Zenith is opening a marketing arm in Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone, followed by a manufacturing and distribution facility with an initial investment of Dh7.34 million ($1.99 million) within the next 18 months somewhere in the UAE.

The company, a manufacturer of steel welded and galvanised pipes and part of the diversified Birla group, announced the plans at the Big 5 show.

This is Zenith's first overseas foray.

"We have shortlisted a number of UAE venues for the plant which will be our third, but our first outside of India," said J H Baxi, the company's marketing vice president.

"The UAE factory will have an initial production capacity of 30,000 tonnes of processed and galvanised steel. The move into the region is to better serve the Middle East and to access Africa. "The Jebel Ali office will also look after our exports to Europe and the US."

The official said that in the last financial year, the Middle East accounted for 17 per cent of its total exports.

"We want to grow that to 30 per cent," he said.

South Africa firm in Sharjah deal

South Africa's Clearwater Engineering clinched a Dh1 million contract at the Big 5 show to supply secondary clarification equipment for sewage treatment to Sharjah's Eagle Electromechanical.

"This is our second contract in the Middle East and 10 times bigger than the first, for clarification and mixing equipment for Dubai's Jebel Ali Village," said Herman Westhuizen, director, Clearwater Engineering.

"This single deal made the trip from Pretoria well worthwhile," he added.

Joint venture agreement signed

AsiaBuildOnline, the Malaysia-based software solution provider for the construction industry, has signed a joint venture agreement with JD Edwards to penetrate the GCC market.

"Our deal with JD Edwards will give us access to the region's market to make industries 'e-enabled'," said Puvan Selvanathan, founder and chief executive.

ETA to retool Al Quoz plant

Dubai-based Emirates Trading Agency's (ETA) Environmental Engineering Services announced it has begun retooling its Al Quoz plant in Dubai to manufacture American-designed EEC high-speed bio-systems, which produce non-potable water from sewage.

"There's huge potential for this system which is more compact and mobile and requires extremely low maintenance," said M I Doubouni, manager of ETA. "Water produced from sewage can be used extensively for irrigation, which makes the system particularly suitable for hotels and leisure complexes."