Gamuda achieves safety feat
THE New Doha International Airport project in Qatar has been accident-free since the joint venture company of Gamuda Berhad and WCT Berhad started work in January 2006.

Gamuda’s achievement marked a safety milestone when it reached 18 million man-hours without a lost time incident as of September, 2009.
The company said the accomplishment reflected positively on its corporate philosophy that has safety, health and environment as its top priorities.
Gamuda had achieved 12 million man-hours without a lost time incident last year.

Kuwait plans $743m terminal
KUWAIT plans to build a new passenger terminal at an estimated cost of KD213 million ($743 million) to triple capacity at its international airport.
The new terminal will have an annual capacity of 13 million passengers bringing the airport’s total capacity to 20 million, said Faisal Al Ostad at the Ministry of Public Works. The project is slated for completion by November 2016.
Four companies from the UK, France, Germany and the US have submitted bids for the design phase of the project, Al Ostad said.

Emcor launches operations in Oman
EMCOR Facilities Services Group (EFSG) Middle East has launched operations in Oman for the delivery of integrated facilities, estate and property management solutions.
The launch aims to strengthen the company’s facilities management initiative not only in Dubai but also in every country it operates in.
CEO Christian Roberts said Oman is an emerging facilities management market, and one in which Emcor is keen to be part of. EFSG is already providing consultancy services for two major developments in Oman – Al Madina A’Zarqa and Safana Plaza – as well as bidding on two additional projects.

$310m for Oman expansion plans
OMAN intends to spend RO119 million ($310 million) on the expansion of an airport and seaport in the south of the country, a top official has said. A RO91 million outlay will fund the Salalah airport extension while the remaining RO28 million ($72.7 million) will be invested in the Salalah port, including the construction of four berths and a goods terminal, Economy Minister Ahmad Mekki said.
Bechtel, India’s Nagarjuna and a joint venture of Turkey’s CCC and TAV Construction have made their bids for the expansion of Salalah airport.
Oman aims to expand the airport, which currently handles only domestic and regional flights, and turn it into an international terminal. The port expansion would raise its capacity by 20 per cent, an official said.

Saudi railroad project on track
SAUDI Arabia’s Railway Organisation has awarded a SR2.7-billion ($719 million) contract to a consortium to build the main railroad linking Riyadh with Qassim. This project is part of the kingdom’s north-south railway linking the northern mineral belt with Riyadh and the industrial city of Jubail. It is due to be ready for freight movement next year and passenger traffic within two years. The consortium includes China Civil Engineering Construction, which will build the track, as well as Al Ayuni Trading and Contracting and Al Abdulaziz Al Omer Establishment for Trading and Contracting.

$1.3bn for Jeddah infrastructure
JEDDAH is expected to invest SR5 billion ($1.3 billion)  on ambitious infrastructure projects, including the construction of bridges, tunnels, road crossings and parks. This will be in addition to a number of flyovers and public parks which were opened in the Saudi city recently.
“Jeddah is aiming to grow into a modern city to accommodate the aspirations of its future generations and to also ensure a high standard of living for its three million residents,” Mayor Adel Fakieh said.
Municipality undersecretary for construction and projects Ibrahim Kutubkhana said 18 road crossings costing more than SR1 billion ($266 million) were currently under implementation with another 35 new crossings worth SR3 billion ($799 million) in the design stage. He also said about 100 new parks would be built with 30 of them established in residential quarters.

Makyol wins Oman road contract
TURKISH construction company Makyol has won a $325.5-million contract as part of Oman’s Phase One of Al Batinah coastal road construction project.
Under the contract, Makyol will build a 126-km road in the country.
The contract for Phase Two of the project is expected to be awarded by the end of this year.

Qatar Cool wins double honour
QATAR District Cooling Company (Qatar Cool) has received double accolades for helping enhance environmental quality through efficient district cooling services.
The Qatar-based company received the awards from the International District Energy Association (Idea) – a 100-year-old industry body based in Massachusetts, US, that advances the cause of global environmental quality through efficient district energy systems.
At Idea’s 100th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Virginia, US, Qatar Cool was bestowed with the 2008 District Energy Space Silver Award for serving 888 individual buildings with district cooling systems. It also won the 2008 District Energy Space Bronze Award for achieving record growth in serving clients on a combined area of more than 73 million sq ft. Both awards were in the international category.