meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Expectation mounts as Dubai tunnels tender nears

20 February 2025

 

Prequalified firms have been speculating about the project structure that will be offered to developers; engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors; and operations and maintenance companies for the first two packages of the $22bn Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels (DSST) project.

"We are keen to find out if the client will be issuing a lease or licence," one source told MEED, adding that there has also been speculation about whether a sovereign guarantee will be issued, and by whom.

The tender for the first two packages of the DSST project is expected to be issued before the end of this month. 

Given the scale of each package and the capital expenditure required, it is also unclear whether the project client, Dubai Municipality, will require 50% committed financing for bid purposes, noted another source.   

At least four companies have been prequalified as lead members of potential consortiums that can bid for the contracts.

MEED previously reported that the firms that have been prequalified as lead members for the project's four main tunnels and links packages include Ajman-based Etihad Water & Electricity, a team comprising Japan's Itochu and Australian investment firm Plenary, and Saudi Arabia's Vision Invest.

Belgium's Besix is also understood to be among those prequalified to bid as a developer lead member.

According to industry sources, the Plenary-Itochu consortium will likely include South Korea's Samsung C&T and Italy's Webuild.

MEED understands that final partnering negotiations are still under way for the other teams.

The EPC team of Abu Dhabi's National Marine Dredging Company and India's Afcons Infrastructure, and separately PowerChina, are understood to be engaged in final talks with either the Vision Invest or Etihad Water & Electricity consortiums, although it has also been suggested that Vision Invest and Etihad Water & Electricity could bid as one team.

"There is a possibility of team consolidation due to lack of bankable EPC," one of the sources said.

The same source said that Japan's Marubeni and Saudi Arabia's AlJomaih Water & Energy might also still be considering bidding for the contracts.

MEED reported in October that more than a dozen companies were keen to prequalify as investors or sponsors for the planned public-private partnership (PPP) project.

They included:

  • Abrdn Investcorp Infrastructure Investments Manager (UK)
  • Besix (Belgium)
  • China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC)
  • China Railway Engineering Group (CREG)
  • China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
  • Itochu (Japan)
  • Nesma Company (Saudi Arabia)
  • Plenary (Australia)
  • Samsung C&T (South Korea)
  • Vision Invest (Saudi Arabia)
  • Webuild (Italy)
Six packages

It is understood that packages J1 and W will be tendered together as separate contracts first, followed by J2 and J3, with the requests for proposals to be issued sequentially, staggered about six to 12 months apart.

The first package, J1, comprises Jebel Ali tunnels (North) and terminal pump stations (TPS). The tunnels will extend approximately 42 kilometres (km), and the links will extend 10km. 

The other package, W for Warsan, comprises 16km of tunnels, TPS and 46km of links.

The overall project will require a capital expenditure of about AED30bn ($8bn), while the whole-life cost over the full concession terms of the entire project is estimated to reach AED80bn.

The investor prequalification process for the scheme comes after the client prequalified EPC contractors that can partner with the developers or investors to bid for the contracts.

The prequalified EPC contractors for the J1 and W packages, along with the J2 package, are: 

  • Acciona Construccion (Spain) – Dubai branch
  • Besix Construct (Belgium)
  • China Harbour Engineering (China)
  • China Railway Group (China)
  • China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
  • Daewoo Engineering & Construction (South Korea) 
  • Dogus Insaat VE Ticaret Anonim Sirketi (Turkiye) – Abu Dhabi
  • FCC Construcccion (Spain)
  • Archirodon Construction (Overseas) Company (Greece) / BESSAC (France)
  • China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation – Dubai Branch / Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company (STEC) / China Railway 14th Bureau Group Corporation 
  • Gulermak Agir Sanayi Insaat (Turkiye) / DETech Contracting (local)
  • National Marine Dredging Company (local) / Afcons Infrastructure (India) / ITD Cementation India 
  • The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Company, Egypt) / Darwish Engineering Emirates (local) / AqualiaMACE Contracting Operation & General Maintenance (local)
  • Larsen & Toubro (India)
  • Porr (Austria)
  • Power Construction Corporation of China (China) – Dubai branch
  • Samsung C&T Corporation (South Korea) – Dubai Branch
  • SK Ecoplant (South Korea) 
  • Strabag Dubai (Austria)
  • The Petroleum Projects & Technical Consultation Company (Petrojet) – Egypt
  • Webuild  (Italy)
DSST packages

Under the current plan, the $22bn DSST project is broken down into six packages, which will be tendered as PPP packages with concession periods lasting between 25 and 35 years.

In addition to J1 and W, J2 covers the southern section of the Jebel Ali tunnels and will extend 16km and have a link stretching 46km.

J1, J2, W and J3 will comprise the deep sewerage tunnels, links and TPS (TLT) components of the overall project.

J1, J2 and W will be procured under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model with a concession period of 25-35 years.

J3 will be procured under a design, build and finance model with a concession period of 25-35 years. Once completed, Dubai Municipality will operate J3, unlike the first three packages, which are planned to be operated and maintained by the winning PPP contractors.  

The project’s remaining two packages entail expanding and upgrading the Jebel Ali and Warsan sewage treatment plants. MEED understands that these packages will be procured at a later stage.

READ MEED’s YEARBOOK 2025

MEED’s 16th highly prized flagship Yearbook publication is available to read, offering subscribers analysis on the outlook for the Mena region’s major markets.

Published on 31 December 2024 and distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the MEED Yearbook 2025 includes:

> GIGAPROJECTS INDEX: Gigaproject spending finds a level
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13410159/main4408.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Qatari Diar unveils $30bn Egypt project masterplan

    21 July 2026

    Qatari Diar, the real estate arm of the Qatar Investment Authority, has announced the masterplan for its $30bn Alam Al-Roum project on Egypt’s north coast.

    The masterplan was developed by US-based architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

    The master-planning team also includes US-based landscape architecture firm SWA; UK-headquartered marina design and operations consultant Marina Projects; and French transport and traffic engineering consultant Setec.

    The development will cover more than 20 million square metres and include 7.2 kilometres of private beachfront on the Mediterranean Sea.

    The site is about 20 minutes from Marsa Matrouh and 50 minutes from Ras El-Hekma.

    According to a statement, the project includes $3.5bn in direct cash investment and is designed as an integrated, year-round Mediterranean destination.

    Alam Al-Roum expands Qatari Diar Egypt’s portfolio, which includes CityGate, New Giza and The St Regis Cairo.

    Qatari Diar and Egypt’s New Urban Communities Authority signed the project agreement for Alam Al-Roum in November 2025.

    The estimated value of the deal to Egypt is $7.5bn. Under the agreement, Cairo will receive an upfront payment of $3.5bn by late December 2025 for the initial land purchase and is expected to receive an in-kind stake in the project, estimated to be worth $1.8bn.

    Qatari Diar’s broader investment plans for the area include spending up to $26.2bn in addition to the $3.5bn already allocated for the land purchase.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17707658/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Contractors submit final offers for Global Sports Tower

    21 July 2026

     

    Contractors submitted their last and final offers in the first week of July for the main construction contract for the Global Sports Tower, located in the Athletics District of the Sports Boulevard development in Riyadh.

    The Sports Boulevard Foundation issued the tender for the main works contract on 31 July last year.

    The 130-metre-tall Global Sports Tower will cover an area of 84,000 square metres (sq m) and include more than 30 sports facilities.

    The tower will feature the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall, at 98 metres, and a 250-metre running track.

    Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard Foundation also received bids on 10 June for a contract covering project management consultancy (PMC) services for the Global Sports Tower, as MEED reported.

    MEED reported in May 2025 that design work on the tower had been completed. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud approved the designs in 2024.

    The Sports Boulevard development runs across Riyadh from east to west and, once complete, is set to be the world’s longest park, spanning more than 135 kilometres.

    The development will feature several districts, including Wadi Hanifah, the Arts District, Urban Wadi, the Entertainment District, the Athletics District and the Eco District, as well as Sands Sports Park.

    The large-scale project aims to transform central Riyadh – currently dominated by major highways – into a recreational corridor.

    Sports Boulevard, which will feature 4.4 million sq m of public realm and landmark buildings, will also be home to the Centre for Cinematic Arts and a 2,000-seat amphitheatre.

    The development will provide more than 2.3 million sq m of mixed-use commercial, residential and retail assets, along with sports facilities around the park, which will be known as Linear Park.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17707675/main.jpeg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Consultants submit bids for Saudi Arabia’s GCC rail link

    20 July 2026

     

    Consultants submitted proposals on 14 July for a contract to provide design consultancy services for the Saudi Arabian section of the GCC railway network, which is intended to link all six member states.

    Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) issued the tender on 7 May, MEED previously reported.

    The tender covers the concept, preliminary and issued for construction design stages. SAR requires the selected consultant to review, update and complete the existing preliminary design.

    The consultants who submitted bids include: 

    • Atkins with Khatib & Alami
    • DeutscheBahn with ARX
    • Egis with Sener
    • Idom with Dal Al-Handasah
    • Systra

    Saudi Arabia’s section of the railway will start at Al-Khafji in the Eastern Province, near the border with Kuwait, and end at Al-Batha, on Saudi Arabia’s border with the UAE. The route length in Saudi Arabia will be about 672 kilometres (km).

    The railway will interface with the Kuwait National Rail Road (KNRR) project on the Kuwaiti side. Last year, MEED exclusively reported that the KNRR design contract was awarded to Turkiye’s Proyapi Muhendislik ve Musavirlik Anonim Sirketi.

    The KNRR forms part of the wider GCC rail network. GCC railway projects have gained renewed momentum since the six member states signed the Al-Ula Declaration in January 2021.

    In October last year, Qatar’s cabinet approved a draft agreement paving the way for a railway link between Qatar and Saudi Arabia as part of the GCC railway network.

    GCC railway line

    Under the overall plan, the railway will run from Kuwait, pass through Dammam in Saudi Arabia, reach Bahrain via a planned causeway, and continue from Dammam to Qatar, the UAE and, ultimately, Muscat via Sohar in Oman. The railway is reported to span about 2,186km in total.

    The route length within each member state is as follows: 684km in the UAE, 672km in Saudi Arabia, 306km in Oman, 283km in Qatar, 145km in Kuwait and 36km in Bahrain.

    The railway is designed for passenger trains travelling at 220km/h and freight trains operating at 80-120km/h.

    With high levels of project activity, governments in spending mode and renewed cooperation under the Al-Ula Declaration, the latest efforts to restart the GCC railway project may make more progress than previous attempts. If completed, the railway could prove transformational for a region that is globally connected but still divided by national borders.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17705320/main.gif
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Chinese firm wins Dubai drainage contract

    20 July 2026

    China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has announced it has won a contract to deliver a stormwater drainage pipeline package under Dubai Municipality’s Tasreef programme.

    The contract is for the TF-15-C2 stormwater drainage network project located along Umm Suqeim Road in the Al-Barsha and Al-Quoz areas of Dubai. 

    MEED exclusively revealed in May that the contractor had been selected for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. The project is estimated to cost $162m.

    The scope of work includes the construction of about 20 kilometres of new stormwater pipelines, together with associated inspection and intake manholes. The project is located west of the Dubai Canal and will connect the Al-Quoz 3 and Al-Quoz 4 industrial areas with Al-Quoz 1.

    It is being delivered as part of Dubai’s Tasreef strategic plan, which supports the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Once completed, the new drainage infrastructure is expected to improve the emirate’s stormwater network, increase flood protection and enhance the resilience of Dubai’s infrastructure.

    In February, the municipality confirmed it had awarded contracts for five new projects under phase two of the programme to expand and strengthen Dubai’s stormwater drainage network.

    These include a separate contract awarded to CSCEC for the TF-11-C1 stormwater drainage project in the Dubailand area.

    Also in February, Dubai Municipality invited consultants to qualify for a contract to supervise construction on the TF-15-C2 stormwater drainage projects along with two other projects (TF-13-C1 and TF-16-C1) under the Tasreef programme.

    According to a source, a consultant has yet to be appointed.

    TF-16-C1 involves upgrading and rehabilitating the stormwater system east of the Dubai Canal, while TF-13-C1 involves building a water pipeline stormwater drainage system at Al-Marmoum, Al-Qudra and Al-Yalayis 2 & 3.

    Bids are currently under evaluation for the EPC contracts for both projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17705058/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Dubai receives eight bids for Hassyan SWRO pipeline contract

    20 July 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Eight contractors have made offers for a contract to supply, install, test and commission glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) water transmission pipelines and associated works for the Hassyan seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) phase two network in Dubai.

    The contract relates to project one of the Hassyan pipeline network expansion being undertaken by state utility Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa).

    Local firm Binladin Contracting Group submitted the lowest offer of AED335.92m ($91.5m), according to results published by the utility.

    The other bids were:

    • Green Oasis General Contracting (UAE) – AED345.00m ($93.9m)
    • Al-Nasr Contracting (UAE) – AED391.54m ($106.6m)
    • Wade Adams Contracting (UAE) – AED393.80m ($107.2m)
    • RMB Contracting (UAE) – AED437.96m ($119.3m) 
    • Tristar Engineering & Construction (UAE) – AED441.55m ($120.2m)
    • Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast (UAE/India) – AED451.47m ($122.9m)
    • Gulf Petrochemical Services Trading (UAE) – AED495.20m ($134.8m)

    RMB also submitted a conditional discounted offer of AED427.02m ($116.3m). Three companies submitted regret notices, while one offer was rejected after no valid commercial offer was received. 

    In January, Dewa announced that construction of the 180-million-imperial-gallon-a-day phase one of the Hassyan SWRO independent water project was 90% complete.

    Dewa has two other contracts out for tender for GRE water transmission pipeline work related to the Hassyan SWRO phase two network.

    Project two was tendered on 22 January and has a bid submission deadline of 21 July. Project three was tendered on 26 January and has a bid submission deadline of 29 July.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17704940/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall