China State wins $218m Dubai Islands bridge deal
13 January 2025
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Beijing-headquartered China State Construction Engineering Corporation has won an estimated AED800m ($218m) contract to construct a bridge connecting the offshore Dubai Islands development with Bur Dubai.
The project is being jointly developed by Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority and local developer Dubai Holding.
MEED understands that the deal was signed in the first week of January.
The two-way, 1,650-metre-long bridge has been planned for several years. It will have four lanes in each direction and a capacity of 16,000 vehicles an hour.
The bridge will be built between the Infinity Bridge and Port Rashid.
It will stand 15.5 metres above the Dubai Creek waterline with a 75-metre-wide canal allowing tall ships to pass. The project is set to be completed in 2027.
It is part of the larger AED5.3bn ($1.4bn) Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, which is split into five phases and includes the construction of 15 intersections spanning 13 kilometres. US firm Parsons is the consultant for the Shindagha Corridor scheme.
Development of the offshore islands was given renewed impetus in 2022 when Nakheel released details of a new masterplan and changed the name to Dubai Islands.
The reclaimed islands were originally part of the Palm Deira project, which was partially completed but then put on hold in 2008.
Dubai Islands comprises five islands with a total area of 17 square km. The initial renderings show that the building development plans are more low-rise than the earlier Deira Islands scheme, and a golf course has been added to the masterplan.
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Safety and security matters
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EditorRead the April issue of MEED Business Review
Employment and investment opportunities in a low or no-tax environment have been key attractions for people and businesses located in the GCC for decades. Another crucial factor has been safety and security.
That reputation has been tested by the missile and drone attacks that began on 28 February. Whether the GCC’s safe haven status has been damaged depends on perspective.
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Safety concerns vary. In many parts of the world, higher levels of crime are an everyday worry for residents and businesses. For some, the GCC may still feel like the better option, provided the current tensions do not become the new normal.
How this question is answered will play an important role in how the region’s economies perform in the period ahead. If confidence returns quickly and the risk is seen as contained and manageable, investment and hiring will likely rebound faster than many expect. If uncertainty persists or escalates, the road to recovery will be a long one.
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Saudi forecast remains one of growth
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Dubai seeks consultants for Al-Khawaneej stormwater project
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Dubai Municipality has issued a consultancy tender to assess and upgrade the stormwater drainage system serving the Al-Khawaneej First residential district in northeastern Dubai.
The project, listed as TF-22-E1, covers the upgrading and rehabilitation of the stormwater system in the area. The tender has been issued by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department.
The bid submission deadline is 23 April.
The works form part of Dubai’s wider efforts to strengthen flood resilience and support sustainable urban infrastructure development.
Two separate consultancy tenders were issued in March as part of a broader review of the emirate’s water and wastewater infrastructure to support future population growth.
One involves a study to develop a sustainable urban drainage systems strategy across the emirate. The other covers a review of the emirate’s sewage treatment and recycled water distribution strategy.
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Developer plans two residential schemes in Saudi Arabia
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Saudi developer Alramz Real Estate is planning two new residential developments in Jeddah and Riyadh.
In a Tadawul filing on 31 March, Alramz said it had signed an agreement with Oud Capital to establish a sharia-compliant real estate investment fund to develop the Alramz Front project in Jeddah’s Al-Firdous district.
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Oman’s Nama PWP tenders consultancy contract
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The deadline for firms to submit offers is 10 May.
According to the tender notice, the selected consultant will develop the required ESG policies, strategy, report and implementation roadmap.
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The pipeline includes a series of large-scale independent power projects scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2031.
Solar photovoltaic capacity in the sultanate is projected to rise from 1.54GW in 2024 to 23.26GW by 2031. Wind capacity is expected to grow from 120MW to 6.75GW,
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