Dutch firm wins $133m Dubai island deal

Dutch dredger Van Oord has won a EUR100m ($133m) contract to build an island off the Dubai coast for a new mixed-use development to include luxury homes and an elite boutique resort.

Meraas Development, a unit of Meraas Holding has contracted Van Oord to build Jumana Island which will lie 500 metres off the coast.

Work on the project has started and completion is scheduled for the end of 2013, Van Oord said in a statement.

According to the Meraas website, the island project will have direct access from Jumeirah Road and will be linked to the mainland via a 300m-long bridge.

Van Oord said the project involves dredging sand from the sea bed, reclaiming the island as well as reclamation of the beaches.

Construction of groynes, revetments, soil compaction of the new island and the reclamation of sand bodies to facilitate the construction of a bridge also form part of the project.

A total of more than eight million cubic metres of sand needs to be dredged and deposited and some three million tonnes of stone will be placed.

Meraas Development previously contracted Van Oord to construct the Pearl Jumeirah island.

Van Oord has been working in Dubai since 2001. Projects such as the construction of the Palm Jumeirah, The World and Palm Deira, the harbour development in Mina Zeyahi, the land reclamation for Dubai Maritime City and the reclamation of various beaches were realised by Van Oord.

Earlier this week, it was announced that a AED6bn ($1.6bn) island development off the coast of Jumeirah Beach Residence by Meraas Holding had been approved by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai.

The Bluewaters Island project will be one of the largest tourism hot spots in the world, according to Meraas and will include what will be the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, called the Dubai Eye.