Contracts worth Dh11 billion ($3 billion) have been awarded so far to build the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ) with two major contracts being awarded in the first three weeks of October, contributing to a frenzied pace of activity ahead of the completion of the project’s first phase by Q4 of next year.

The deals – the sixth  and fifth major package awarded over the last year for the project – went to Al Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) and Consolidated Contracting Engineering & Procurement SAL (CCC) respectively.

The HLG contract, worth Dh1.04 billion, involves the construction, fit-out, testing and commissioning of the civil and structural works for Industrial Zone Area A primary infrastructure (Central and South), the second and third of three construction packages that will provide the facilities for an industrial centre catering for a wide range of heavy, medium and light industries. HLG’s work is scheduled for completion in July 2010.

HLG will construct one 33/11 kV and 22 11/0.4 kV substations and pumping stations as well as build 48 major services box culverts and bridges to accommodate future utility/service installations such as seawater cooling, railroad, feedstock, conveyor belts, electrical and gas.

The Dh484.6 million CCC contract involves the construction of dual carriageways, an interchange, a modular path for the transportation of oversize cargo from the port to the Industrial Zone, provision of site-wide utilities, the construction of seven 11 kV substations and pumping stations and the construction of box culverts and ducts to accommodate future utility  installations.

Located midway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the Taweelah industrial district, KPIZ will commence operations in 2012 and over the long term to 2030 will comprise 420 sq km of prime industrial land organised into vertically integrated clusters for aluminium, steel, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life sciences, food and beverages, glass, paper and other major sectors.

It will consist of a new, world-class multi-purpose offshore port and one of the largest integrated industrial zones in the world.

KPIZ is a feature of the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and will play a major role in the emirate’s industrial and economic diversification by serving as a key hub for large-scale industrial investments serviced by a world-class port, transport and other facilities.

Phase 1 of Khalifa Port will open in Q4, 2012, replacing Abu Dhabi’s existing main port of Mina Zayed.

The new port will have an initial capacity of 2 million teu of containers and 9 million tonnes of general cargo. The dedicated Emitates Aluminium berth will be operational later this year.

When all phases of Khalifa Port are completed, it will have a capacity of 15 million teu of containers and 35 million tonnes of general cargo.

Earlier contracts
July 29, 2010: The award of package 211 (Terminal Area)  was granted to Hyundai E and C for Dh1.2 billion. The agreement includes project management, design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of all civil works associated with the construction of the Offshore Terminal Area consisting of a 1,000 m semi-automated container terminal and a 1,400 m break bulk/general cargo terminal.

July 27, 2010: Dh1.028 billion building works contract to ED Zublin AG and Al Jaber Transport & General Contracting for the detailed design, construction, fit-out, testing and commissioning of the offshore port’s civil and structural building works.

June 13, 2010: Dh350 million award to Al Jaber GIS JV for the detailed design, procurement, integration and installation of control systems throughout the onshore and offshore areas of Khalifa Port including a port operating system; a vessel traffic system; security; CCTV; telephony and communications; all associated fibre optic and control system cabling.

March 31, 2010: Dh300 million to Larsen & Toubro for the design, construction, testing and commissioning of the electrical medium voltage power supply via a 33 kV power cable network and three 33kV/11kV primary distribution substations which will provide the main power supply for the entire phase-IA of Khalifa port. It also involves the construction of civil buildings with utilities such as air conditioning, fire protection and lighting systems.

And previously, ADPC announced in July 2009 a Dh1.4 billion project to Al Habtoor Leighton Group for construction of on-shore port facilities, including 47 buildings, road networks, bridges, utility installations and landscaping. Completion is scheduled for 2011.