meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Dubai construction needs major project launches

25 April 2023

Related reads on the UAE's construction and transport sectors:

> Two billion riders use Dubai Metro

> Residential property close to Dubai metro outperforms market

> Local firm wins Jubail Terraces contract in Abu Dhabi

> Foster designs Dubai’s first vertiport

> Damac launches new project in Dubai Business Bay

> Dubai returns to the iconic with Candy towers project

> Nakheel awards Jebel Ali Village construction contracts

> Bloom appoints contractor for Abu Dhabi project

> Firms seek to qualify for UAE-Oman rail works

 

Growing demand for property in Dubai combined with a resilient economy have brought winds of optimism to the emirate’s real estate market. At the same time, the government’s handling of Covid-19 and recent measures to improve the business environment have strengthened Dubai’s position as a safe haven.

Over the past year, there has been record demand for premium properties in the emirate, mostly driven by wealthy international buyers from markets such as Russia, India and Europe.

According to a recent report by Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty, Dubai’s super-prime residential market enjoyed a strong start to 2023, with a 24.9 per cent increase in prices per square foot compared with the previous quarter.

The upswing has resulted in developers launching a number of new schemes. Projects announced in recent months include Al-Habtoor Group’s estimated AED9.5bn three residential developments; Shamal Holding’s Baccarat Hotel & Residences in Downtown DubaiDamac Bay by Cavalli.

In Jumeriah Lake Towers, Dubai Multicommodities Centre in partnership with Ellington Properties has launched the AED1.2bn high-rise mixed-use Upper House project, while in Meyan MAG Property Development is developing the AED3bn Keturah Reserve residential scheme.

New masterplans have been conceived too, including the estimated $5.4bn mixed-use Dubai South project announced by Azizi Developments in January 2023.

Dubai is also returning to what it is known for: eye-catching, iconic projects. Later this year, a joint venture of Dubai World Trade Centre and the UK’s Candy Capital is expected to announce a three-tower project billed as a super-prime real estate development in Dubai’s One Central commercial district. The UK firm is known for London’s One Hyde Park, one of the wealthiest property residences in the world.

Slow recovery

Yet a closer look at the number of awarded contracts in the construction and transport sector reveals that the market is still playing catch-up, despite the growing hype.

The value of contracts awarded increased only slightly from $6.8bn in 2021 to $8.42bn in 2022, according to data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects. This is still far off the pre-pandemic level of $13.6bn in 2019. It is also only a fraction of the value of awards in 2016 and 2017, when signed contracts totalled $24.68bn and $26.14bn, respectively.

The backdrop to the weaker value of recent awards is the dearth of major construction contract awards as the government cut spending on major infrastructure projects. This has led to the market being driven mainly by private real estate developers launching smaller projects.

A few exceptions stand out, including the $260m contract awarded in January to China State Construction Engineering Corporation to construct Damac’s Cavalli Casa tower. Moreover, there are clear signs that the trend is changing. 

In addition to these projects, there are several other large-scale projects in the works, such as the estimated $1.2bn Waldorf Astoria Hotel by Al-Habtoor Group and Nakheel’s revived Palm Jebel Ali project, for which $4.6bn in funding was secured in November 2022.

The Palm Jebel Ali is about three times larger than the Palm Jumeirah, and will significantly increase the amount of waterfront land available for development in Dubai.

The soon-to-be awarded MGM Resort, Bellagio and Aria Hotels development by local developer Wasl is estimated at $500m. The three hotel resorts will be constructed on a man-made island off the coast in the Umm Suqueim area. The scheme is expected to feature 1,400 hotel rooms and apartments, in addition to retail, food and beverage and entertainment options.

Transport awards

It is hoped that the award of major infrastructure contracts may also restart this year, with the upcoming extension to the Dubai Metro network. After being put on hold, the scheme moved to the design stage in 2022. 

The Blue Line project involves constructing more than 20 kilometres of new lines, about half of which are underground, in order to extend the existing Red and Green lines.

Dubai is also considering plans to restart the emirate’s largest construction project, the AED120bn ($33bn) expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport. 

The expansion was officially launched in 2014. It involves building the biggest airport in the world by 2050, with the capacity to handle 255 million passengers a year. An initial phase, which was due to be completed in 2030, will take the capacity to 130 million a year.

Tendering for work on the project stalled with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

The margins became negative in the sector, and we cannot compete with the local companies or the government-backed Chinese corporations

International contractor

Contractor sentiment

The sector’s incomplete recovery from the pandemic is confirmed by the net value of contract awards, calculated by subtracting the value of completed work from the value of awarded work. 

Since 2018, the value of awarded contracts has been smaller than the amount of completed work, meaning contractors have fewer upcoming jobs.

Under these circumstances, companies that specialise in major construction projects are looking to other markets. 

“The UAE market is too calm. There is not enough work for us,” a local contractor tells MEED. “We are looking to expand our activity to Saudi Arabia. The work is there now.”

Some international companies, having faced long payment delays or financial losses, have left the region. “The margins became negative in the sector, and we cannot compete with the local companies or the government-backed Chinese corporations,” said one international contractor.

As it stands, there are over $42bn of projects in the bid, design and study stages in Dubai, according to MEED Projects. 

If major projects, such as the Al-Maktoum airport expansion, move into construction, they will provide a major boost for Dubai’s construction and transport industry.

This month's special report on the UAE includes: 

> GOVERNMENT: Abu Dhabi strengthens its position at home

> ECONOMY: UAE economy steers clear of global woes

> BANKING: UAE lenders chart a route to growth

> UPSTREAM: Strategic Adnoc projects register notable progress

> DOWNSTREAM: Gas takes centre stage in Adnoc downstream expansion

> POWER: UAE power sector shapes up ahead of Cop28

> WATER: UAE begins massive reverse osmosis buildup

> CONSTRUCTION: Dubai construction needs major project launches

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10784019/main.gif
Eva Levesque

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Chinese contractor wins Morocco solar plant deal

    10 August 2026

    China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), has won a contract to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Fez in northern Morocco.

    Known as GreenPower Morocco 4 (GPM4), the project is being developed by Moroccan company GPM Holding through its utility-scale solar subsidiary GPM Parks.

    The project covers engineering design, equipment procurement and installation, construction of an operation and maintenance building, grid connection and commissioning. It also includes upgrades to the associated substation.

    According to CHEC, the completed plant will supply electricity to the local grid, although it did not disclose the project’s capacity or contract value. 

    The project is being developed under Law 13-09, which provides Morocco’s framework for private renewable energy generation.

    According to its website, GPM Holding is also developing another solar PV project called GreenPower Morocco 2 (GPM2). This follows the completion of its first solar project, the 34MW project (GPM1) commissioned in Tangier in 2024. 

    GPM1 was developed by Green Power Morocco, a special purpose vehicle owned by GPM Holding and UAE-based Amea Power. The $30m project covers 75 hectares and includes 91,000 PV panels. It is expected to generate about 66,149MWh a year.

    The project has a 25-year power purchase agreement in place with Amendis, a subsidiary of Veolia Morocco. PowerChina was the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

    Chinese contractors have previously been involved in other projects in Morocco’s renewable energy sector.

    Shandong Electric Power Construction Company (Sepco 3), a subsidiary of PowerChina, was part of the EPC consortium for the 200MW Noor 2 concentrated solar plants and 150MW Noor 3 concentrated solar power projects at the Noor Ouarzazate complex.

    New contract awards have been limited in Morocco in 2026, although six solar PV plants are now in the execution stage under phases one and two of the 305MW Noor Atlas solar PV programme.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18263680/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Aramco puts out fire at Jizan refinery after Houthi strike

    10 August 2026

    Saudi Aramco said it had extinguished a fire that broke out at its Jizan refinery on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast after the facility was hit in drone strikes by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on 9 August.

    The kingdom’s Ministry of Energy said the fire occurred at an Aramco refinery facility in Jizan and that emergency authorities had completed the necessary procedures to deal with the incident.

    The energy ministry did not say what started the fire, saying only that the incident caused no injuries.

    The Houthi rebels later claimed responsibility for the attack.

    The province of Jizan lies close to Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen and has repeatedly been targeted by the Houthis in attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.

    The strike on the Jizan refinery was the second attack on the facility by the Houthis in as many weeks. Aramco shut the refinery on 27 July following a similar drone strike, which, according to media reports, damaged the integrated gasification combined-cycle unit and tank farm at the complex.

    On a call with investors to discuss Aramco’s second-quarter results, CEO Amin Nasser said recent attacks on the company’s facilities in the world’s top oil-exporting country had caused some disruption to production, but that he was confident operations could be restored quickly. He said the attacks had had no material operational or financial impact.

    Jizan refinery complex

    Saudi Aramco’s sprawling Jizan refinery complex entered operations in 2021.

    Aramco undertook the estimated $16bn-plus project in late 2010. The scheme consists of a refinery with an output capacity of 400,000 barrels a day (b/d), a major marine terminal and a 4GW combined-cycle power plant in Baish, in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jizan region.

    The Jizan refinery covers an area of 12 square kilometres. The complex processes Arabian Heavy and Arabian Medium crude grades to produce 80 million b/d of gasoline, 250 million b/d of diesel and more than 1 million tonnes a year of petrochemical products such as benzene and paraxylene.

    A multiple-pier marine terminal supports the supply of crude oil from oil fields located mainly in the kingdom’s Eastern Province to the refinery, as well as the export of surplus refined products to overseas markets. The terminal has been designed to accommodate very large crude carriers.

    A 4,000MW combined-cycle power plant uses approximately 90,000 b/d of vacuum residue from the refinery to generate electricity, hydrogen and water for the refinery, while conveying excess power to the national grid.

    The hydrocracker unit comprises two parallel trains with a combined capacity of 54,500 b/d. The diesel hydrotreater plant comprises two trains, each with a capacity of 87,500 b/d.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18262347/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Shamal picks Dutco for Dubai Zoo site homes

    10 August 2026

    Dubai-based Shamal Holding has awarded local contractor Dutco Construction the main construction works contract for a low-rise residential project on the site of the former Dubai Zoo in Jumeirah 1.

    The project will comprise 90 low-rise homes and is designed as a residential leasing community that will remain under Shamal’s ownership, with all homes offered for premium leasing.

    The development will retain mature trees from the former zoo and is planned around shared courtyards, landscaped open spaces and a central park. Residents will have access to a clubhouse, wellness area, children’s play area, family pool, lounge and gym.

    The architect is DXB Lab. The local H&H is the development manager for the project.

    Dutco has previously worked with Shamal on infrastructure elements of the Dubai Harbour and Dubai Harbour Marinas developments.

    Shamal’s wider real estate portfolio includes the Naia Island, Dubai Harbour and Nad Al-Sheba Gardens developments. The company also holds hospitality and leisure assets, including partnerships with Jumeirah, Hilton and Baccarat, and operates attractions such as Skydive Dubai and Deep Dive Dubai.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18262386/main.png
    Colin Foreman
  • WEBINAR: Mena Oil & Gas Projects Market 2026-27

    10 August 2026

    Webinar: Mena Oil & Gas Projects Market 2026-27 
    Thursday 27 August 2026 | 11:00 AM GST  |  Register now

    Agenda:

    • Summary of the Mena oil, gas and petrochemicals projects market 
    • Overview of major megaprojects, including project programmes
    • Analysis of active contracts and spending to date
    • Review of top contracts by work already awarded
    • Long-term capital expenditure outlays and forecasts
    • Key contracts expected to be tendered and awarded over the next 18 months
    • Leading clients, contractors and market participants
    • Spending by segment: oil, gas and petrochemicals (upstream, downstream, onshore and offshore) 
    • Audience Q&A 

    Hosted by: Indrajit Sen, MEED’s oil & gas editor

    Click here to register

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18260597/main.gif
    Indrajit Sen
  • Spanish firm renews Yanbu desalination O&M contract

    10 August 2026

    Spain’s Aqualia has announced it has renewed a contract to operate and maintain three floating desalination plants in Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

    The contract was awarded by the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) and will run until 14 September 2028, with an option to extend for a further two years.

    The three reverse osmosis (RO) plants are mounted on barges and have a combined production capacity of 150,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d). Each plant has a capacity of 50,000 cm/d.

    The three plants were originally deployed at Al-Shuqaiq and are designed to be relocated along Saudi Arabia’s coastline according to water demand. The barges are currently located at Yanbu.

    The $255m floating desalination project was commissioned for the Saudi Water Authority in 2022, with Bahri as the developer and UAE-based Metitio as the main contractor.

    Bahri is publicly listed on the Saudi Exchange but has significant government ownership, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) holding 22.5% and Saudi Aramco Development Company owning 20% of the company.

    Aqualia is providing operation and maintenance services in Saudi Arabia through its joint venture Haji Abdullah Alireza Integrated Services Company (Haaisco), in which it holds a 51% stake.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18259350/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall