Emaar, the Economic City (Emaar.E.C), the Tadawul-listed company developing King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), has revealed the final blueprints of the KAEC Sea Port, designed in coordination with Halcrow, the international consultancy specializing in the provision of planning, design and management services for maritime projects.
One of the six key components of the 168 million sq m KAEC, the Sea Port will be the largest in the Red Sea with a capacity to handle 20 million TEU (twenty ft equivalent container units). Planned as logistics hub, the port is uniquely bonded with city’s industrial zone, facilitating the flow of primary material and products to the industries within the zone, furthermore assisting regional and global export.
The company concluded a comprehensive study on the world’s most competitive ports to highlight the key design factors. The study took into consideration the neighboring infrastructure networks to aid the smooth flow of goods as well as the administrative buildings within the port.
Set to be operational by Q1 2011 the KAEC Sea Port will consist of a multipurpose cargo terminal and a 1.7 million TEU container terminal, after which the capacity of the port will be increased on several phases.
As per design the port will have a depth of 18 meters permitting mega vessels to anchor. At a strategic location on the Red Sea and stationed on one of the largest and busiest shipping line routes, the mega-city’s Sea Port will create a regional logistics hub that will further stimulate the Saudi economy through new job and investment opportunities. Furthermore the port’s integrated transportation system promises to deliver cargo to various destinations – within the region and internationally.
Further to completion of design Emaar EC has chosen its partners to implement the project. After intensive studies and negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with DP World, one of the fastest-growing and established port operators with a breadth of international port development and management expertise, to develop and operate the first phase of the KAEC Sea Port. Emaar EC has also confirmed that it is in discussions with several investors interested in the port.
KAEC has six key components: the Sea Port, Industrial Zone, Central Business District (including the Financial District), Resort District, Educational Zone and Residential Communities. Work is progressing on schedule on the first phase of the project which includes the Sea Port, Industrial Zone, Resort District and Residential Communities.
The kingdom’s maritime sector plays a key role in shaping the country’s growth. Total cargoes handled in all Saudi ports reached more than 140m tonnes last year, a 5% increase on 2006, with Jeddah accounting for 42.15m tonnes.