01 May 2005

Nakheel has announced that its iconic project, The World, is rapidly transforming from vision to reality with 55 per cent of sand reclamation already complete.

Since the launch of The World less than two years ago, in excess of 300 workers have been working in shifts 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the construction of this phenomenal project. With 88 islands already visible above water, The World is on target for completion in 2008, says a spokesman.
Rising out of the Arabian Gulf, The World has quickly taken shape with up to 10 dredgers working daily. The scale of the logistics operation is immense: more than three million cu m of sand is moved every week, which amounts to more than 181 million cu m of sand deposited to date. A fleet of up to 14 barges transports rock to the site, with more than 5.5 million tonnes of rock placed to date. When completed, The World will comprise some 321 million cu m of sand and 31 million tonnes of rock.
Conceived by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, the development consists of 300 islands that together form the image of the world map. The streamlined contours of the globe are provided by the protective breakwater, which is meticulously designed to dissipate wave energy and allow improved water flow. The oval-shaped breakwater has a major axis of 9 km and a minor axis of 7 km with an overall length of 25 km.
• Kuwait-based Investment Dar and Efad Holding, which has purchased the Australasia segment of The World, will develop a residential/luxury project that will offer 1,500 sea-view apartments all with panoramic ocean and harbour vistas, 90 secluded water homes linked to islands via walkways, approximately 170 exquisite canal homes and more than 150 beachfront mansions in a choice of three styles. In all, between 10,000 –15,000 people are expected to take up residency on  the project called Oqyana.
Named after the Arabic word for Oceanic, the project, will have an end-created value of $3.5 billion, and will be a quantum leap in Dubai’s freehold real estate offering with a unique concept and a commitment to service and finishing levels never before seen in the region. It will be the world’s first fully master-planned elite island retreat.
Oqyana, construction of which will begin by early 2009, lies just 4 km offshore Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach coastline and will be the closest development to the mainland.
“The islands which make up Oqyana will cover some 97.3 acres (39.38 hectares) in total and produce an ocean lifestyle in tranquil surroundings enhanced by the absence of cars in the environment. Transport, instead, will be by walkway links and inter-island ferries.

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• Work on The World on target
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• Luxury development to take shape at DWTC
• Dubailand announces key components
• Qatar to get new LG Academy
• Update

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