The Oman Ministry of Commerce and Industry has invited tenders for the estimated RO35 million ($91 million) construction contract for quay walls and berthing structures for the Sohar port project.

Provision has been made for 5 km of quay wall within the harbour premises so that another 14 to 15 berths could be created in future. The contract is expected to be completed in 28 months.

Salalah contract award soon

Muscat: Oman is evaluating bids to build a new container freight station at the Salalah port to meet growing market demand and expects to award a contract soon, said Jack Helton, chief executive of Salalah Port Services.

The new 4,700 sq m facility will also service air freight to Oman's southern port city. Helton gave no figures for the tender and declined to name the bidders.

Design consultancy bids opened

Muscat: Oman's Tender Board has opened bids for the preliminary design consultancy of the Sohar Refinery project and consultancy services for a plan to develop tourism projects.

The board also awarded contracts worth RO3.99 million ($10.36 million). Among them was a RO442,037 deal for the construction of a specialised nursing institute at Al Wattayah.

Resort land reclamation accord

Manama: Al Jazira Tourism Company, which is embarking on the BD8.5 million ($22.54 million) Al Danah Tourist Resort in Bahrain, has signed an agreement with Ahmed Mansour Al Aali for land reclamation. Work on the project, which will be financed by Bahraini and Saudi investors, will start shortly on a site south of Shaikh Hamad Causeway linking Manama to Muharraq. It is expected to be completed by 2001-end.

The development will feature 180 chalets, three restaurants, parking for 775 cars and other facilities on a 32,000 sq m site. The second phase of the project is expected to include a 70-room hotel.

Prequalification invite for Hidd works

Manama:The Construction Projects Directorate at Bahrain's Ministry of Works and Agriculture has invited Bahraini and other GCC contractors to prequalify for the infrastructure works for the industrial area as part of the new port and industrial development in Hidd. The work comprises construction of infrastructure services over 250 hectares of newly-reclaimed land. The services include road and water distribution networks, sewage and drainage systems, a sewage treatment plant, electrical distribution system, landscaping and irrigation system.