Oman port development project awards €480 million LOI to Boskalis

Royal Boskalis Westminster has received a letter of intent to award a contract for the development of the port of Duqm in Oman. The contract with a value of approximately €480 million (US$514 million) will be awarded by the Special Economic Zone Authority Duqm (Sezad). The final award is subject to Sezad satisfying certain conditions.

The contract includes the engineering, design, procurement and construction of a bulk liquid berth terminal. The Port of Duqm is a an existing strategic dry dock and industrial free trade zone located in the Al Wusta Region between Muscat and Salalah and has been designated as a special economic zone.

Various dredging and civil activities will be executed under the responsibility of Boskalis, including the deepening of the port basin to a depth of 18 metres, reclamation of new land, the construction of a quay wall with a length of one kilometre, a double berth jetty island and stone revetment. The dredging scope will be executed by the new mega cutter Helios, which will be taken into service mid-2017, and a jumbo hopper and medium-sized trailer suction hopper dredger.

Based on the current expectations, the design activities are due to commence in the coming weeks and equipment will be mobilised mid-2017. The project is expected to be completed in 2020.