New Port and Industry Zone for Bahrain

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Khaiifa bin Salman is the new $240 million super port project now under construction on the coastline of the Al Hidd region in Bahrain. The development is a part of Middle Eastern states' drive to create employment with 10,000 new jobs being created in an industrial estate to be built around the port, which will service the increasing number of vessels coming to Bahrain. It will have the capacity to accommodate the biggest container vessels in the world. The Hidd development is designed to attract foreign investment to the area and reinforce Bahrain's position as a regional hub for services.

The main contractor for the project is the U.S. company Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (Oak Brook, Illinois). A rock revetment is being constructed by local company A A Nass (Manama, Bahrain). Construction of the quay wall is being handled by a joint venture between South Africa's Murray and Roberts (JSE:MUR) (Johannesburg, South Africa) and A A Nass. The project includes the dredging and reclamation of a 7km long rock revetment and the construction of a 1,800 meter long quay wall in 15-meter water depth and associated small-craft berthing facilities and a container stacking area.

Developments planned for construction after the completion of the first phase include a dry dock, maneuvering basin, a power station and de-salination plant and a blending plant. The industrial zone will grow to almost three times the size of the initial estate.

Murray and Roberts expects the $78 million quay wall to be completed by mid 2004. Large concrete blocks are the main construction element and with temperatures reaching 500C in summer with 80% humidity strict specifications are in force for the concrete. From a pre-cast yard the 4,300 blocks, each weighing 160 tons, will be transported on heavy lift trailers to the quayside where mobile cranes will place them on a transport barge which will take them to the offshore site where floating cranes will place them on the leveled stone bed ocean floor. The quay wall will be 20 meters high (six stories) and will handle containers, general cargo, dry bulk and roll-on roll off traffic loading.

Murray and Roberts has also been awarded a $20.5 million contract for a new 500 meter quay wall in Nigeria to provide a container capability. This project is also scheduled for completion by 2004.