File photo taken on March 29, 2020 shows the Red Sea Project site on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. (The Red Sea Development Company/Handout via Xinhua)
The Red Sea Project, Saudi Arabia's flagship int'l tourism project, has awarded its biggest contract for airport infrastructure. The airport of the giga-project is set to open in 2022.
RIYADH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Red Sea Project, Saudi Arabia's flagship international tourism project, has awarded the contract for construction of airport infrastructure to a joint venture between Saudi contractors Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. Ltd and Almabani General Contractors.
This is the biggest contract in terms of value that has been awarded by the flagship project to date, said the Red Sea Development Company, the developer behind the high-profile tourism project, in a statement issued on Monday.
The contract covers the design and building of a 3,700-meter meter Code F runway, a Code B seaplane runway, parallel & link taxiways and pavements, aeronautical navigational aids, aerodrome ground lighting, airside utilities, helipads, roads and associated buildings.
In addition, the design of the eco-friendly airport, set to open in 2022, focuses on using shaded areas and natural ventilation to minimize the reliance on air conditioning, with 1 million tourists to be served per year.
The Red Sea Project is one of the three giga-projects announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in 2017, in a bid to open new areas of economic activity including tourism in line with the Saudi Vision 2030, the blueprint for diversifying the kingdom's economy. ■