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Neom focuses on delivering first phase of The Line

14 February 2025

 

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Neom is focusing on delivering the first phase of The Line, setting a new deadline of 24 March for firms to submit their proposals to undertake the raft foundations for the modules at the Hidden Marina section of The Line.

Each module is designed so the raft works can be undertaken in three sections: North Blade, Canyon and South Blade.

Tendering for the raft works has been broken down into six lots across modules 45, 46 and 47, with lot 1 (module 46 west) and lot 2 (module 46 east) of module 46 being tendered first.

Module 46 spans an area of 311 x 200 metres, with the North Blade covering 311 x 60 metres, the South Blade 311 x 60 metres and the Canyon 311 x 80 metres.

The raft construction will include the world’s second-largest concrete pour of 43,000 cubic metres onto what is referred to as the mega core.

Lot 1 of module 46 west consists of two mega core rafts, four core rafts, four non-core rafts and the canyon raft. The estimated dimensions for the mega core raft are 101 x 60 x 7 metres, the core raft 60 x 60 x 6 metres and the non-core raft 54 x 60 x 5 metres.

The raft foundations follow the piling work for The Line. Piling work in the marina area began in 2023. Nine contractors were engaged as part of a framework agreement. Contractors were also engaged in the excavation work for the marina, which involved moving about 1 million cubic metres of earth every week, making it the world’s largest excavation project.

The marina is on the other side of The Line to the sea, meaning ships headed for the marina must pass through The Line buildings. This presents a significant engineering challenge, requiring a 165-metre-wide waterway to pass through the 500-metre-tall buildings.

While speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum 2025 in Riyadh, Denis Hickey, chief development officer at The Line, confirmed Neom’s plans to prioritise the delivery of the project’s first phase, which will span 2.5 kilometres (km) across three modules.

He added: “The Line’s first phase will cover an area of about 21 million square metres (sq m) and will house about 200,000 people.”

In November last year, Neom announced the appointment of consultancy firms to deliver the core city planning, design and engineering for the first phase of The Line.

Austria’s Delugan Meissl Associate Architects was appointed as urban designer, leading the concept and detailed masterplan. US-based Gensler was appointed as city planning consultant, and UK-based Mott MacDonald as the city infrastructure engineer.

In a statement, Neom said that with the group’s support, it has established a design ecosystem with advanced and rigorous methodologies to deliver The Line. Starting in early 2025, a suite of architects will plan and design the neighbourhoods within phase one.

The statement added that Neom is focused on the initial phases of infrastructure and enabling works for the new city. More than 120 foundation piles are being cast into the ground each week for the first phase.

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Yasir Iqbal

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