Damac to develop towers
Dubai: Damac Properties has won a contract to develop two 30-storey towers within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Damac will invest Dh600 million ($163.35 million) to construct the identical towers – called The Residences at DIFC – on a 12,000 sq m area sold to the company by DIFC.
The towers will be connected through a multi-storey podium and will have 216 flats each. Theey will feature a top deck, open air swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and gymnasium. Construction is expected to start onsite in 2005 and is due for completion in three years. The DIFC land development envisages creation of state-of-the-art infrastructure and scores of high-rise buildings on a 110-acre site within six and a half years.
GPC wins $35m EPC contract
Abu Dhabi: The Gulf Piping Company (GPC), based in Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah Industrial Area, has won a Dh128 million ($34.87 million) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Qatar Petroleum Development Company for the full-field development of the Al Karkara and A-structure in the North Field in Qatar’s Gulf waters. The contract involves detailed EPC hook-up and commissioning of two wellhead platforms, one gas injection platform and a production and living quarters platform. While the platforms are scheduled for delivery in May or June next year, fabrication work for the delivery of the jackets, piles and boat landings has begun. The hook-up pre-commissioning in the field will be completed by August 2005.
GPC fabricates and builds equipment for the oil and gas industry and the power and water sectors.
Jebel Ali airport work advanced
Dubai: The construction schedule for Dubai’s new airport in Jebel Ali will be brought forward to cater to low-cost airlines, besides cargo, logistics and charter flights, a report said recently.
A statement on the project, estimated to cost Dh1 billion ($272 million), is likely to be released soon by Dubai’s Department of Civil Aviation.
The airport was earlier scheduled for development between 2015 and 2020, once the present airport reaches saturation.
The new airport in Jebel Ali will help new users to serve Dubai without disturbing existing traffic. At least three start-up budget carriers are trying to enter Dubai International Airport.
UAE allocates $762m housing fund
Dubai: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved an allocation of Dh2.8 billion ($762.4 million) for funding housing schemes for Abu Dhabi nationals. The allocation is expected to benefit approximately 2,423 nationals.
DAFZ expansion well on schedule
Dubai: Dubai Airport Free Zone’s (Dafz) fourth phase expansion, being implemented at a cost of Dh110 million ($30 million), is progressing well and is set for completion by June 2005, a report said.
The new phase will have two nine-storey buildings that will be interconnected via passages. The total built-up area will be 38,157 sq m and the leaseable area is to span 16,047 sq m, a report stated.
In the fourth phase, there will be a total of 48 spacious warehouses, out of which 14 have already been completed and the balance is to be built in three stages of 10, 14 and 10 units respectively. The total cost for the construction of warehouses is Dh22.5 million.
There will be additional facilities, which include a basement car park from one to two floors, chillers, cooling towers, water tanks, and pumps, to cover the expansion.
Hempel raises paint prices
Dubai: Paints manufacturer Hempel has increased prices for its products between five per cent and 15 per cent, blaming the hike on sharply increasing costs of raw materials and their influence on the global economy. ‘‘The oil price has been increasing. A majority of raw materials used in the paint industry are oil-related,’’ a spokesman said. ‘‘Paint raw materials such as epoxy resins have, over the past months, increased markedly, some even as much as 30 per cent. Due to the general positive trend in the world economy, the price of metal is also under pressure, in particular zinc and copper. These metals constitute a major part of the cost of many protective and marine coatings.’’
Emaar awards contract for Marina
Dubai: Emaar Properties said Dutco Balfour Beatty will construct 98 pontoons, service pedestals and gangway bridges at the company’s 50 million sq ft Dubai Marina, the region’s premier waterfront lifestyle development.
Construction has begun and within four months all berthing elements will be in place along the Dubai Marina waterfront, which features three modern marinas. Two floating marinas are positioned at either end of the 3.5 km canal precinct with the third and largest being built adjacent to the luxurious Dubai Marina Yacht Club which is due for completion next year.
The innovative marina development houses luxury residential and leisure facilities covering over 200 acres of land across 10 districts.
• Emaar Properties has launched phase two of its Gazelle luxury townhouse community at Arabian Ranches, the equestrian and golf-themed development, creating a singular oasis of stylish living in the desert.
This second phase will bring 338 upmarket Arabic-style townhouses to one of Dubai’s most original and prestigious lifestyle developments, said a spokesman.
Gazelle offers eight types of two-storey terraced villas situated in landscaped parks and gardens. The villas vary from three to four bedrooms and range from 1,691 to 3,060 sq ft in area.
IPI gets DDIA backing
Dubai: IPI, the International Property Investment exhibition, which will run alongside Cityscape in Dubai later this year, has been given the backing of Dubai Development and Investment Authority (DDIA).
“There is no doubt in the minds of anyone who visits Dubai, that the city is witnessing a burst of growth that will be sustained in years to come,” said DDIA director-general Saeed Al Muntafiq.
“IPI is a platform that will focus global attention on the world’s most buoyant property development market at an institutional level. The current climate is such that Dubai and the GCC offer some of the best investment opportunities in the world,” he said.
Airport Expo Dubai to get third hall
Dubai: Airport Expo Dubai, the purpose-built home of the Dubai air show, is to get a third hall to cope with increased space demand for the world’s fastest growing aerospace exhibition. Foundation work on the new facilities will begin in October this year and will be completed in time for Dubai 2005. The new central hall will link the existing East and West halls and the Airport Expo’s expansive reception building and will bring an additional 10,000 sq m of space to the Dubai air show.
UNEC to construct SCCI HQ
Sharjah: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has awarded United Engineering Construction (UNEC) the Dh60 million ($16.3 million) contract for the construction of its new headquarters.
The project involves three phases. Phase 1 involves works on concrete, blockwork and plaster. Phase 2 will include the construction of the building, which includes a basement, ground floor and first floor, and phase 3, the finishing work.
It will be situated at Al Khan area near the Expo City, in Sharjah. Construction is expected to be completed in 15 months.
Prequalfiers sought for desal plant
Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has invited companies for prequalification for the construction of Jebel Ali power and desalination station ‘L” phase II with a capacity of 1200 MW (Gross) plus 55 million gallons per day water at its existing Jebel Ali power station complex adjacent to station ‘L’ phase 1 plant, which is currently under construction.
The scope of work is divided into two packages:
• Power plant package ‘P’ – consisting of gas turbines (GTs) associated with heat recovery steam generators (GRSGs), auxiliary boilers (Abs) condensing extraction steam turbines (CST) and all associated works.
• Desalination package ‘D’ – consisting of multi stage flash (MSF) desalination units, sea water pumps, potable water pipes and all associated works.
The station ‘L’ Phase II is planned to be commissioned in stages during 2007 and 2008.
UAE fixes cement price
Dubai: The price of cement in the UAE has been set at Dh15 ($4) per bag and Dh280 per tonne, according to the joint committee assigned to handle the problem of cement prices.
The UAE Contractors Association and cement and concrete factories are reported to be satisfied with the new prices. The panel refused to fix prices for a set period saying these will be reviewed from time to time.
The committee has not laid down penalties as cement factories have given guarantees to keep prices at the set level, said Humaid Salem, director-general of the association.
KGL wins $45m Saqr Port contract
Ras Al Khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah has awarded Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company (KGL) a Dh165.2 million ($45 million) contract to build, operate and manage the container terminal at Saqr port for 21 years.
KGL will be investing $15 million to build berths 8 and 9, $4 million to reconstruct berths 1, 2 and 3 and $3 million to build facilities for the port. A sum of $23 million will be spent on the equipment.
