Oman-Etihad extends civil package bidding
7 November 2023
The Oman-Etihad Railway Company has extended the tender closing dates for two civil works packages for the railway project linking the sultanate with the UAE.
Qualified bidders have until 4 December to submit their proposals for Oman Civil Package B, according to a source close to the project.
Package B includes the construction of two tunnels that are 1.7 kilometres (km) and 1.6km long, as well as culverts, wadi crossings, sand mitigation measures, road and highway diversions, permanent and temporary utility diversions, line-side civil works, the Hafeet freight facility and about 70km of rail trackwork.
The following teams have been qualified to bid for package B:
- Galfar Engineering & Contracting (Oman), National Projects Construction (UAE), Tristar Engineering & Construction (UAE)
- Larsen & Toubro (India), Power China (China)
- Sarooj Construction Company (Oman), China Communications Construction Company (UAE), China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
- Saipem (Italy), Nurol Construction (Turkiye)
- Ozkar Construction Company (Turkiye), Ozaltin Holding (Turkiye), Limak Holding (Turkiye)
- United Gulf (Oman), Makyol (Turkiye), Cengiz (Turkiye)
The estimated $700m project includes the main line in Oman, segment one, which extends 70km from the UAE-Oman border at Hafeet. It also includes a freight facility at Hafeet.
The Oman-Etihad Railway Company has also extended to 11 December the last day for bid submissions for Oman Civil Package C.
This package includes viaducts totalling approximately 21km and ranging in height from about 10 metres to over 20 metres, as well as culverts, wadi crossings, sand mitigation measures, road and highway diversions, permanent and temporary utility diversions, line-side civil works and about 96km of rail trackwork.
Seven teams have been qualified to bid for the package. They are:
- Galfar Engineering & Contracting (Oman), National Projects Construction (UAE), Tristar Engineering & Construction (UAE)
- Larsen & Toubro (India), Power China (China)
- Sarooj Construction Company (Oman), China Communications Construction Company (UAE), China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
- Saipem (Italy), Nurol Construction (Turkiye)
- Makyol (Turkiye), Cengiz Holding (Turkiye), United Gulf Construction Company (Oman)
- Archirodon (Greece), China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
- Alghanim International (Kuwait), IRCON (India), Hassan Allam Holding (Egypt)
The project
The Oman-Etihad Rail Company was established in September last year to implement the railway network between the two countries.
The project received a push after the firm inked a strategic agreement with Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company to support its development.
The scheme supports both countries’ sustainable development goals by improving their transport and infrastructure sectors.
The line is expected to reduce the overall cost of supply chains due to its increased efficiency compared to other modes of transport. The network will also provide trade and investment opportunities for the private sector, as well as new job opportunities.
Passenger trains will run up to 200km an hour on the line, reducing the journey time between Sohar and Abu Dhabi to 100 minutes and between Sohar and Al-Ain to 47 minutes. Freight trains will reach a top speed of 120km an hour.
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