Van Oord lands Deira Islands dredging work

Van Oord has won an AED 550 million (US$ 150 million) marine engineering contract for the Deira Islands development in Dubai, UAE. The contract was awarded by developer Nakheel, and involves some 23.5 km of coastline and breakwater construction.

Some AED 387 million (US$ 105 million) of the contract is for the construction of beaches, quay walls, rock edges and breakwaters at the waterfront development. Nakheel said this would transform the Deira district into a world-class hub for tourism, living, retail and entertainment.

The two-year contract – stage one of Nakheel’s water edge delivery programme at Deira Islands – includes 8.5 km of beaches, 3.5 km of quay walls and 9.5 km of rock revetments at two of the four Deira Islands. The work also includes a 4 km stretch of waterfront, big enough to accommodate more than 500 yachts and boats, at the 4.5 million m2 south island. Van Oord will also build 2 km of breakwaters to protect the newly-created basin and beachfront. Van Oord will deploy two cutter suction dredgers for the project.

Nakheel has previously engaged Van Oord for dredging and coastal work on its waterfront projects in Dubai, including Palm Jumeirah and The World which added 300 km to Dubai’s coastline. Deira Islands will add another 40 km, including 21 km of beachfront.

Deira Islands, one of several Nakheel developments underway in line with the Government of Dubai’s tourism vision, paves the way for hundreds of new hotels, serviced apartments, mixed-use buildings and marinas. Nakheel itself is developing a significant chunk of the south island with a host of new attractions including Deira Islands Night Souk, Deira Mall, and Deira Islands Towers and Boulevard.