Halcrow in port deal

Tangiers: UK's Halcrow Group has won the consultancy contract for the Tangier-Atlantic Port project in Morocco. The contract includes the design, awarding of contracts and concessions with the newly formed Tangier-Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA).

Morocco has short listed seven groups of 15 international companies for the first phase construction of the $1 billion port.

The plans for the proposed container port include: Dredging to 16 m of deep water harbour; industrial free zones in the Tangier-Tetouan region; 98-hectare logistic free zone, and a new railway line linking the nearby gateway city of Tangier.

Consultant for SAB HQ

Kuwait: The State Audit Bureau has awarded the consultancy contract for its new headquarters building to UK's John Bonnigton Partnership with the local The Associated Engineering Partnership (TAEP).

Seven companies namely Ahmadiah Contracting Company, Al-Fulaij United General Trading & Contracting Company, Burhan Kuwait Trading & Contracting Company, Combined Group, Mohamed Abdulmohsin Kharafi & Sons, Musaad al-Saleh & Sons Company, and Real Estate Construction & Fabrication (Recafco) have been pre qualified to submit bids by February 2, for a contract to build the headquarters in Kuwait.

Private sector in water role

Abu Dhabi: The Jordanian government is committed to offer at least three more multi-billion dollar water supply projects to private contractors, a conference in Abu Dhabi was told.

Jordanian Water and Irrigation Minister Dr Hazim El Naser said private sector participation had boosted water services in Amman. His remarks came at the third Mena project finance and privatisation conference organised by Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said Jordan wanted to deregulate the water sector in Greater Amman to skip government reservations and controls.

Tower block work to begin

Manama: Work on a BD900,000 ($2.39 million) tower block in Bahrain which will generate income for charity is expected to begin in March.

The 10-storey Islamic Education Society Charitable Building will be constructed on a 5,000-sq m site in Juffair and will consist of flats and offices which will be rented out to generate long-term income for the society's welfare projects.

Businessmen can support the project by symbolically buying space in the building at the price of BD150 a sq m, or stock at BD50.