| Work Detail |
The installation of the last connecting piece for the 1.2-kilometre Shura Bridge has successfully been completed. The bridge is a key component of infrastructure that is being developed as part of Phase One of The Red Sea Project.
According to the Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the bridge has been built and designed with sustainability in mind. During the construction phase, the company explained that there was nearly zero drainage discharge into the lagoon. Multiple monitoring buoys were also sited strategically to alert any breakthrough from surface booms. The monitoring buoys helped prevent sediment movement from piling activities.
The D&B contract for the Shura bridge project was awarded to ARCHIRODON. back in June 2021. The contractor ensured that they reuse temporary materials to minimize waste. The temporary materials used were causeway rock armor while 90% of the concrete was precast. This helped to minimize the probability of its in-situ concreting environmental issues.
The project also considered the marine ecosystem that surrounded the site. Thus, ARCHIRODON and TRSDC stated that the bridge’s location was optimized to minimize the need for coral relocation as well as dredging. The bridge will also have two, 36-meter small sections at the end of each crossing. This will facilitate the uninterrupted movement of marine animals.
Red Sea project overview
The Red Sea Project is a property and land megaproject that is currently being developed in Saudi Arabia. It is under the management of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) and the project is and forms a part of the Saudi Vision 2030 program. The megaproject will be located between the cities of Al-Wajh and Umluj, within Tabuk province’s shores of the Red Sea.
The Red Sea Project was announced by Mohammad bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, in the month of July 2017. The project’s focus is on ecotourism and luxury in an effort to attract both local and international visitors to the Red Sea coast.
In addition to potentially transforming Saudi Arabia into a top tourist destination, the Red Sea Project is also expected to increase the country’s GDP by about US$ 5.86M per year. When completed, it will cover an area of 28,000 square kilometres. It will include deserts, islands, volcanic, beaches, and mountain areas.
The project is divided into phases and the first phase is scheduled to attain completion in 2022. The first phase of the project which began in 2019, will include the construction of a Marina centre, 14 hyper-luxury and luxury hotels, the Red Sea International Airport, and recreation centres. It is also revealed that there will be ninety unspoiled offshore islands situated between the two cities of Al-Wajh and Umluj that will be a part of this massive project.
The megaproject is also projected to attract well over one million people every passing year. Ecological considerations have also been prioritized in the massive megaproject, through a number of policies. These include but are not limited to no discharges to the sea, no waste to landfills, no use of single-use plastic, and aiming to achieve a 100% carbon neutrality rate. |
