Al Naboodah to start Dubai runway upgradation in April

Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG), a division of Al Naboodah Group Enterprises, will lead a record-time 45-day renovation upgrade to resurface the south runway at Dubai International Airport (DXB), which welcomed more than 89.1 million passengers in 2018, thus positioning Dubai International Airport as the busiest in the world by passenger traffic.

The renovation work, which will kick off on April 15 and run till the end of May, is set to significantly increase the safety, capacity and scalability of DXB.

The project commissioned by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) will further facilitate the arrival of the expected 25 million Expo 2020 visitors next year through Dubai’s critical aviation infrastructure, says ANGC.

The scope of work includes:

• Removal of 6,000 existing inset runway lights followed by milling 407,000 sq m of runway and taxiway surfaces.
• Stage Two comprises laying of 158,000 tonnes of wet-mix, 106,000 tonnes of asphalt, installation of 6,000 new LED lights, 245 guidance signs plus 12,000 new transformers and components.
• Stage Three entails the configuration of the components and software to the control tower.
• In the final phase, ANCG will test, commission and handover the entire runway and precision landing systems back to DAEP by May 31, 2019.

Under DAEP’s supervision and support, the Al Naboodah unit has successfully completed similar renovations across DXB’s runways in record time, the most recent being its 80-day turnaround of South and North runways in 2014.

Arabtec wins $46m Expo 2020 contract for site work

Dubai-based Arabtec Construction has won a major contract worth Dh169 million ($46 million) to complete 29,000 sq m of public space at Expo 2020 Dubai, a media report says.

The contract includes building a 5,000-sq-m water park, restaurants, utilities and landscaping. The company will start work immediately, reports Emirates news agency Wam.

Located next to Expo 2020’s iconic centrepiece, Al Wasl Plaza, the public spaces will provide millions from around the world an opportunity to relax, enjoy a meal and take part in the activities.

Ahmed Al Khatib, chief site delivery officer – Real Estate and Delivery, Expo 2020 Dubai, says: “As the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, Expo 2020 represents an incredible commercial opportunity for UAE companies. By collaborating with industry leaders, we aim to deliver a world-class destination, with public areas that complement the Expo’s immersive visitor experience, while creating a positive economic impact for our nation.”

Hamish Tyrwhitt, group chief executive officer, Arabtec Holding, notes: “We are pleased to be awarded our third major project as part of the Expo masterplan. This award further demonstrates our core competency in the infrastructure sector.”

UAE-based companies are playing a leading role in the construction of Expo 2020 Dubai. Other UAE firms working on the project, including Al-Futtaim Construction, Al Naboodah Construction, Besix, Khansaheb and Tristar Engineering, are making major contributions towards the delivery of World Expo’s 4.38-sq-km site.

In line with its theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 expects to welcome some 25 million visitors between 20 October, 2020 and 10 April, 2021. It is expected that 70 per cent of its visitors will come from outside the UAE – the largest ratio of international visitors in the 168-year history of World Expos.

Cemengal secures Kuwait cement project deal

Cemengal, a Spanish EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor specialised in the cement industry, says it has been awarded a new contract by the Kuwait-based Acico Cement Factory for the supply of a second cement grinding station consisting of a complete cement mill workshop.

The main equipment to be included within this new contract is related to a 5,200 Kws ball mill fully engineered by Cemengal with all the peripheral equipment and a fourth-generation classifier from Magotteaux XP4i-130 for high-strength cements.

The projected grinding capacity will be one million tonnes per year of cement and the plant will be commissioned within the first half of 2020, it states.

The scope of works on the project will include full engineering and complete supply of mechanical, process, electrical and automation equipment as well as steel manufacturing from the raw materials handling areas up to the silos cement discharge.

In addition to the delivery of technology, the site supervision, training and commissioning activities will be fully provided by Cemengal at the plant´s site.

This is the second mill project awarded by Acico Cement to the Spanish EPC contractor for catering to the growing demand for high-quality cements for major future infrastructural developments in the country, it adds.