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UAE-based master developer Abu Dhabi Ports, which operates and manages the UAE capital’s commercial and community ports, has selected Dutch construction company BAM International to design and construct a $27.2m (AED100m) cruise jetty at the Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach – the tourist destination located off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
The cruise jetty will comprise of an open-access trestle, which is 350m in length and 6m in width, extending to a piled berth platform, which is 105m in length and 15m in width.
It will also include eight mooring dolphins, firefighting equipment, solar lighting, as well as a hand railing, with an option to construct ten beach-control structures called groynes.
The jetty project is expected to be completed by Q4 2020, in time for the launch of the 2021 cruise season.
The expansion will make a way for two vessels to dock at any given time, and provide direct access for up to 5,000 passengers to embark and disembark faster on the southeast beach of Sir Bani Yas Island.
Currently, cruise ships set anchor about 1km offshore from the island, and visitors need to be ferried to and from the cruise beach through tender craft.
Located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region, the Sir Bani Yas Island is the Arabian Gulf’s first and only dedicated cruise beach stopover destination, and acts a gateway to the region’s wildlife and historical treasures.
Commenting on the contract award, chairman of the board of BAM International, Eric van Zuthem, said: “The awarding of this contract to BAM International is testament to our performance in delivering the highest quality marine construction. The cruise jetty at Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is our first project with Abu Dhabi Ports, and we look forward to commencing a long and successful relationship between our organisations.”
Eric van Zuthem added: “Since the 1970s, we have maintained a strong presence in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf, so we can easily deploy our own fleet of marine equipment, including robust jack-up barges, to facilitate heavy-duty activities in demanding near-shore situations.”
Speaking about the announcement, the cruise terminal director at Abu Dhabi Ports, Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, said: “Today’s announcement heralds an exciting new phase in the spectacular success of Abu Dhabi’s cruise business at Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach. Our commitment to its ongoing development will help us significantly increase the total number of visitors to the island, and reduce the time it takes to move them to and from a vessel.” |
