Netherland-based Royal Haskoning and WorleyParsons Qatar (subsidiary of Worley Parsons Australia) will jointly carry out the engineering design of the New Doha Port near Mesaieed, Qatar.

The operations of the existing Doha Port will be transferred to the New Doha Port by the end of 2014.

Royal Haskoning's contribution to the project includes a detailed master plan of the port and the full engineering design of all its associated marine and onshore components.

The reputation of the company as a global leader in maritime engineering and consultancy, in combination with its wide professional experience in the Gulf region has been one of the key factors for the selection of Royal Haskoning.

The total consultancy fee for the engineering team will amount to some $33 million.

The initial work on the new port, to be located offshore, approximately 5 km east of the new international airport site, is scheduled to start in early next year, with dredging a sea channel that will link to the existing sea channel for the nearby Messaeid Industrial City (MIC).

The port, located inland from the coastal strip north of Mesaieed and south of Al Wakra, will be built in three phases.

The first phase of the port will be operational in 2014 and completed by 2025.

When finished, the port will have five cargo terminals and berths, four container terminals and berths, one berth for roll-on/roll-off vessels, a livestock berth along with storage, administrative and Customs facilities.

The 20 sq km will be linked to the mainland by a 8.5 km bridge. The project will occupy 20 sq km of currently unused land and will be integrated into Economic Zone 3.

It will be used for the import of raw materials and goods to cater the strategic growth of the country.

The development will also include a number of container terminals, a grain terminal, a general cargo terminal, facilities for the Coast Guard and the Emiri Yacht, and a separate port for the Qatari Navy.

The development of the new port is part of the Qatar National Vision 2030 to build a bridge between the present and future.

It envisages a vibrant and prosperous country in which there is economic and social justice for all, and in which nature and man are in harmony.

According to officials, the timing of the contract reflects the fact that Qatar is well off from the impact of the global financial crisis.

Cansult Maunsell (Aecom) has been engaged to provide project management consultancy services for the project.-TradeArabia News Service