Consultants invited for Saudi Landbridge project

Government body, Saudi Railway Company (SAR) has issued a notice inviting consultants to pre-qualify for construction supervision contracts on the Saudi Landbridge railway project. The deadline for applications is July 22.

The Landbridge is intended as a 950 km freight link between Jeddah on the Red Sea Coast and the capital Riyadh. The scheme would also see the existing rail link between Riyadh and Dammam on the Persian Gulf coast upgraded, to establish a continuous 1,400 km east-west rail link across the country. Initial plans are for a single-track line, but with the route, bridges, tunnels and other elements being designed to accept a second track in the future.

Last September saw Parsons Brinckerhoff and Fluor named as project management consultants on the scheme, which had previously stalled as a concession contract during the global financial crisis. Having failed to reach financial close on the scheme with the private concessionaire, the Saudi government decided to push ahead with the scheme as a traditionally procure public contract.

The budget for the scheme is put around US$ 7 billion. The new railway is designed to be a freight route first and foremost, and is expected to cut the port-to-port connection time to just 10 hours, from the current three days. The railway will also be used for passenger transport.