UK firm to prepare dock plan

Muscat: Oman's latest contract for development of a new multipurpose port and dry dock complex at Duqm in the Wusta region has gone to a British-based maritime consultant.

Posford Duvivier, a leading international port and harbour consultant, will undertake the design, supervision, and operation and management (O&M) studies covering the establishment of a greenfield port complex at Duqm at a cost of RO1.624 million ($4.22 million), a local media report said.

Seven other international and local firms were prequalified by the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications to bid for the key contract.

The multipurpose port, involving an investment of around RO20 million, is one of the biggest infrastructure projects to be developed in the Wusta region.

Posford Duvivier has been tasked with preparing a master plan setting out the scope and shape of a port that will cater to a variety of commercial, fishing and government vessels plying close to the Sultanate's eastern seaboard.

The complex will also be suitably equipped to provide a range of services to coastal shipping, including dry dock services, provisioning, and even bunkering. Envisaged in the first phase is a 3.5 km-long breakwater and about 500 m of quay wall.

The harbour basin will be dredged to a depth of 10 m, allowing for only small and medium-size vessels to enter.

The project was among a number of contracts worth a total of RO10.5 million which were given the go-ahead by the Tender Board at a recent meeting.

Another project worth RO2.6 million to construct Oman LNG company buildings in various parts of the Sultanate was also approved during the meeting.

The board also opened a number of tender envelopes, which included one for Khasab port in Musandam.

Two firms win water deal

Muscat: Hasan Juma Backer (HJB) Trading and Contracting and Target have been awarded two components of the contract for the second stage of Sharqiyah sands water project.

The second stage involves the supply and installation of 268 km of secondary pipelines for the prestigious water supply scheme in the Sultanate's eastern Sharqiyah region.

The main component of the RO5.36 million ($13.92 million) contract covering two-third of the water distribution system has gone to HJB while the remaining one-third of the work will be handled by Target.

The project will be completed by mid-2003. It will have an annual production capacity of 3.3 million cu m, rising to 15.8 million cu m at the end of the 30th year.