Dubai sets October deadline for Metro Blue Line bids
17 July 2024
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Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has extended the deadline for consortiums to submit their bids for the contract to design and build Dubai Metro’s new Blue Line to 7 October.
The previous deadline was 19 July.
The RTA informed companies on 12 January that they had been prequalified to bid for the contract. The tender documents were issued on 15 January.
In June, MEED reported that several of the consortiums planning to bid for the contract to deliver Dubai Metro's Blue Line had changed as some civil contractors and rolling stock providers had decided not to participate in the tender.
According to sources close to the project, the consortiums planning to bid for the project include:
- Hitachi / Larsen & Toubro / Powerchina / Wade Adams (South Korea / India / China / UAE)
- China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation / Limak Holding / Mapa Group (China / Turkiye / Turkiye)
- Alstom / FCC / China State Construction Engineering Corporation (France / Spain / China)
- CAF / China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group / Arab Contractors / Binladin Contracting Group (Spain / China / Egypt / UAE)
In November, MEED exclusively reported that contractors were forming consortiums to bid for the contract to design and build the metro line.
The RTA issued a notice seeking expressions of interest from contractors for the design and build of the line in October 2023.
The project is expected to cost several billion dollars to develop. It is one of Dubai’s largest upcoming infrastructure schemes, requiring international contractors to work in joint ventures with local partners.
The design-and-build contractor will be responsible for all civil works, electromechanical works, rolling stock and rail systems. After completing the project, the contractor will assist in maintenance and operations for an initial three-year period.
The Blue Line will connect the existing Red and Green lines. It will have a total length of 30 kilometres (km), 15.5km underground and 14.5km above ground.
The line will have 14 stations, seven of which will be elevated. There will be five underground stations, including one interchange station, and two elevated transfer stations connected to the existing Centrepoint and Creek stations.
The scope of the contract also includes the supply of 28 driverless trains, the construction of a depot to accommodate up to 60 trains, and the construction of all associated roads, facilities and utility diversion works.
The detailed scope of work for the project includes:
- Civil works, including detailed design and construction of architectural and structural components (including viaducts, tunnels and stations)
- Design and execution of electromechanical works
- Design, procurement and delivery of operation and control systems for rail, stations and facilities
- Design, manufacturing and supply of rolling stock.
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The contract, titled TF-15-S1 Supervision of Stormwater Drainage System projects – Package 2, will be awarded as a single package with dedicated teams assigned to each project.
The request for qualifications (RFQs) was issued by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department (SRPD).
The bid submission deadline is 26 February.
The first scheme under the package is TF-16-C1, which involves upgrading and rehabilitating the stormwater system east of the Dubai Canal.
The second, TF-15-C2, will deliver stormwater links along Umm Suqeim Road to serve the Al-Barsha and Al-Quoz communities.
The third project, TF-13-C1, focuses on developing a drainage system for the Al-Marmum area.
Several engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts have been awarded under the Tasreef initiative, which aims to expand Dubai’s rainwater drainage capacity by 700% by 2033
In January, local firm DeTech Contracting won the main contract to construct a stormwater drainage system in Jebel Ali.
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Separately, Dubai Municipality has opened bidding for EPC contracts to expand and rehabilitate the emirate’s sewerage networks.
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Modon tenders Ras El-Hekma construction contracts
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Abu Dhabi-based developer Modon Holding has tendered several contracts as part of the first phase of development at Ras El-Hekma, a planned new city on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
MEED understands that the tenders were issued in January.
These include:
DP3 assets: covering 146 residential villas, 590 three-bedroom townhouses, 356 four-bedroom townhouses, a mall and other associated works.
Bids due on 23 February.
DP4 assets: DP4 includes 54 villas, a clubhouse and other associated infrastructure.
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DP6 assets: This package covers a 200-key Montage hotel, 96-unit Montage-branded residences and related infrastructure.
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DP7 assets: 120 five-bedroom villas, 230 seven-bedroom villas, 284 branded residential units and other infrastructural works.
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Modon has accelerated development works at Ras El-Hekma this year. In January, MEED reported that Modon Holding had awarded a E£15bn ($316m) contract for the construction of a project at Ras El-Hekma.
The contract was awarded to the local firm Orascom Construction.
The scope of the contract covers the construction of residential units, commercial facilities and a 70-key hotel.
In September, MEED reported that Modon Holding had tendered contracts for the infrastructure works for the first phase of the Ras El-Hekma project.
As part of the first phase, Modon plans to develop more than 50 million square metres (sq m), including hotels and a marina.
Ras El-Hekma is on a spur of land on Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coastline, about 240 kilometres west of Alexandria.
Last year, Abu Dhabi-based holding company ADQ appointed Modon Holding as the master developer for the Ras El-Hekma project.
According to an official statement, Modon will act as the master developer for the entire development, which will cover more than 170 million sq m.
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Commercial International Bank Egypt (CIB) has provided €58m in credit facilities to local firm Elsewedy Electric for the construction of a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Hungary.
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The signing ceremony was held at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority headquarters in Aqaba on 5 February.
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Aqaba port handles about 80% of Jordan’s exports and 65% of its imports.
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In 2025, the terminal handled over 5.3 million tonnes of cargo and nearly 85,000 car equivalent units of Ro-Ro imports.
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The announcement followed AD Ports Group’s signing of a shareholders’ agreement in January 2024 between its digital arm, Maqta Gateway, and Jordan’s Aqaba Development Corporation regarding their existing joint-venture company, Maqta Ayla.
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Chinese firm wins Ceer automotive supplier park deal
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Beijing-headquartered Metallurgical Construction Corporation (MCC) has won a contract to undertake the steel structure works on the Ceer automotive supplier park in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).
The supplier park is located next to Ceer’s electric vehicle (EV) production facility in KAEC.
The automotive supplier park will include production and ancillary facilities for various suppliers and provide the material supply infrastructure for Ceer’s EV plant.
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