DUBAI // Ten companies are vying to win the major earthworks contract for the first phase of the 75km Arabian Canal, a US$11 billion (Dh40.37bn) project that will produce one of the world's longest man-made waterways.
Limitless, a property development arm of the state-owned Dubai World, is assessing the bids submitted by local and international firms and will award the contract by the end of next month. A spokesman for the firm yesterday declined to give the approximate value of the contract or the names of the bidding parties.
According to Ian Raine, the canal's project director, the construction involves one of the biggest excavations ever undertaken in the region.
"The sheer size of the project means that it will be split into around 10 different packages in total," he said.
The 75km Arabian Canal will flow from Dubai Waterfront, pass east of the planned Dubai World Central project's Al Maktoum International Airport and rejoin the sea near Palm Jumeirah.
The canal, at six metres deep and 150 metres wide, has been planned to accommodate boats of up to 40 metres in length. Marinas, residential, commercial, retail and leisure developments along its banks will eventually be home to an estimated 1.5 million people.
The first package involves the excavation of an eight-kilometre stretch of the waterway at the northern end of the inland section of the canal.
Earlier this month, the firm completed the pilot excavation work, shifting more than 1.5 million cubic metres of earth. South Korea's Samsung and a joint venture of Australia's Gulf Leighton and Van Oord of the Netherlands were appointed to undertake test excavation techniques on the site. The local firm, Bund Construction, was also hired to carry out preliminary groundwork on the site.
The test excavation has left a hole 700 metres long, 200 metres wide and up to 45 metres deep.
"Yet this is less than a quarter of a per cent of the total amount of earth to be moved," Mr Raine said. "Overall, more than a billion cubic metres will be excavated - and reused to form new landscapes along the waterway."
Limitless has nine global projects worth more than $100bn in Russia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, India, Vietnam, Malaysia and the UAE. Combined, they span nearly 30,000 hectares and will provide homes for three million people. The firm has offices in Poland, Russia, India, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Singapore and China, with a Saudi Arabian office opening soon.
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Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
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Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
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5.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Al Battar, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer).
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
