Total government investment in the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ) in Abu Dhabi has risen above the Dh10 billion (US$2.72bn) mark with the latest construction award to Consolidated Contracting Engineering & Procurement of Greece.
The state-backed Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) yesterday said it selected Consolidated Contracting for a Dh484.6 million infrastructure package to build civil and structural works on an area slated to become an industrial zone catering to light, medium and heavy industries including aluminium, petrochemicals and paper.
Construction will begin immediately and should be completed in the summer of 2012. The award signals an "exciting milestone" on the project, said Tony Douglas , the chief executive of ADPC. Previously, most investments were directed to the offshore port, which will be connected to the mainland by a 4.6km causeway.
The contract includes construction of dual carriageways linking the onshore port to the industrial zone; an interchange linking the two roads, a "modular path" for transporting oversize cargo; utilities including electricity, telecommunications, potable water, combined waste water and irrigation; power substations, pumping stations and culverts.
The latest contract award pushes the total investment to Dh10.44bn. ADPC has previously awarded a Dh5bn contract for the first phase of the offshore port to a consortium including Archirodon, Boskalis Westminster and Hyundai Engineering and Construction.
Other deals include Dh1.2bn to build container and bulk terminal areas on the offshore port, Dh1bn to build offshore buildings and civil works, and Dh350m for onshore equipment and systems.
Another Dh300m is being spent on an onshore electrical system and Dh1.4bn for 47 onshore buildings as well as roads and bridges.
The heavy investment at KPIZ remained largely unaffected during the global downturn, underscoring its status as one of the most important infrastructure projects for Abu Dhabi.
igale@thenational.ae
