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The project costs $320mln Companies from Saudi Arabia are queuing up for a project to build a land port at the economic zone in Al-Dhahirah Governorate in North Oman, a newspaper has said. The Economic Zone at Al Dhahira (EZAD) project, which also includes a veterinary quarantine, is expected to cost around 1.2 billion Saudi riyals ($320 million), the Saudi Aliqtisadia daily reported on Sunday. The paper said the project is a “strategic opportunity” for the Saudi contracting sector to expand logistic and business cooperation with Omani contractors. “Companies from Saudi Arabia have shown increasing interest in participating in a project to build a land port and a vet quarantine in Al-Dhahirah,” it said. The paper quoted Abdulsalam Al-Saqaabi, CEO of the Saudi Al-Alamain Contracting Company, as saying his firm is “following up tenders for that project” and that a number of Saudi companies are interested in the contract given the zone’s strategic location. The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) is actively involved in funding EZAD. Last week, the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) announced the launch of the third package tender for the development of EZAD, which includes the construction of dry port facilities and a veterinary quarantine. The tender includes the execution of civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural works for the dry port and veterinary quarantine. The project will include the construction of a customs gate, inspection platforms, customs clearance areas, substation facilities, a maintenance workshop, laboratories, a water tank, fire protection systems, X-ray and scanning equipment, as well as the administration building, mosque, offices, rest areas, staff accommodations, fencing, and surveillance cameras and various other facilities. The dry port will be operated by Asyad Group. The tender is open to experienced Omani-Saudi joint venture companies and has a bid submission deadline of 17 April 2025, according to OPAZ website. Tender document sales end on 3rd March 2025. Last year, OPAZ had awarded a consultancy services contract for the design and supervision of the first phase’s infrastructure facilities to a Omani-Saudi consortium. OPAZ is expected to award a tender for the construction of the EZADs main roads, protection channels, and surface water drainage systems along with associated services before the end of first quarter 2025. A total of 12 Omani-Saudi consortiums have purchased the tender documents. EZAD, located 20 kilometres from the Rub Al-Khali border crossing on the Oman-Saudi border, will span a total area of 388 square kilometres (sq km). The first phase covers an area of 20 sq km. |
