Firms submit Bahrain highway consultancy bids
2 May 2025
Bahrain’s Ministry of Works has received bids from firms for a contract covering the pre-contract engineering consultancy services for the next phase of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah highway upgrade.
According to the official notice published by the Bahrain Tender Board, the scope of the contract includes designs to update the highway to at least five lanes each way, update utility corridors, revise the stormwater design, and prepare contract drawings and tender documents.
The bidders include:
- Aecom (US)
- Parsons Corporation (US)
In March, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and Bahrain’s government signed a KD10m ($32.4m) loan agreement to fund the second phase of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah highway, which is expected to cost about $404m.
According to data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects, the construction on the project’s first phase was completed in 2020.
A joint venture of local firm Nass Contracting and Kuwait’s KCC Engineering & Contracting undertook the project’s main construction works.
According to a report by GlobalData, Bahrain’s construction industry is expected to grow by 3.5% in real terms in 2025, supported by public and private sector investments in industrial, commercial and energy construction projects, coupled with the rise in the value of awarded tenders.
The report adds that the total value of tenders awarded grew by 145.2% year-on-year in 2024, preceded by an annual growth of 114.1% in 2023.
The infrastructure construction sector is expected to grow by 3.5% in 2025, before registering an annual average growth of 5.4% between 2026 and 2029, supported by investments in major road and airport construction projects.
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Gulf hunkers down as US tariffs let fly; Abu Dhabi looks to secure its long-term economic prosperity; Nesma stays on top as China State moves up in 2025 GCC contractor ranking
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the May 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
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> AGENDA 1: GCC shelters from the trade wars
> AGENDA 2: Gulf markets slide as US tariff shockwaves hit
> GCC CONTRACTORS: Contractors take on more work in 2025
> INTERVIEW: CCED seeks growth in Oman’s hydrocarbons sector
> INTERVIEW: Roshn outlines its procurement strategy
> LEADERSHIP: Rethinking investments for a lower-carbon future
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index inches upwards
> CONTRACT AWARDS: Region records $70.3bn of deal signings in Q1 2025
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: Trump’s new world order
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Firms prepare bids for 250MW Airtrunk data centre27 April 2026

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Saudi gigaproject developer Diriyah Company has formally announced the award of a SR1.84bn ($490m) construction contract for its Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA) within the Diriyah development in Riyadh.
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MEED’s May 2026 report on the UAE includes:
> COMMENT: Conflict tests UAE diversification
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Includes: Commodity tracker | Top 10 global contractors | Brent spot price | Construction output
MEED’s May 2026 report on the UAE includes:
> COMMENT: Conflict tests UAE diversification
> GVT &: ECONOMY: UAE economy absorbs multi-sector shock
> BANKING: UAE banks ready to weather the storm
> ATTACKS: UAE counts energy infrastructure costs
> UPSTREAM: Adnoc builds long-term oil and gas production potential
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> POWER: Large-scale IPPs drive UAE power market
> WATER: UAE water investment broadens beyond desalination
> CONSTRUCTION: War casts shadow over UAE construction boom
> TRANSPORT: UAE rail momentum grows as trade routes face strainTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16553627/main.gif

