Saudi Landbridge Project
Encyclopedia
The Saudi Landbridge Project is a planned railway project which forms part of the Saudi Railways Expansion Programme.
Intended mainly for freight, the railway will connect Jeddah
on the Red Sea
coast with the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh
. The existing 450 km line between Riyadh and Dammam will be upgraded, and a second 115 km new line is planned to connect Dammam
with Jubail
on the Persian Gulf
. The newly constructed lines will be single track, but the infrastructure (including bridges and tunnels) will be designed to permit a future upgrade to dual track.
The Tarabot consortium consisted of the following firms: Adbulaziz Alsaghyir Commercial Investment Co,
Abdullatif & Mohammed Al-Fozan Development Co,
Abdul Kadir Al Muhaidib & Sons,
Omran M Al Omran & Partners Co Ltd,
Mohamed & AbdullahI Al-Subeaei,
HH Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer Al Saud,
Arabian Company for Water & Power Development,
Asciano,
Pacific National,
Orascom Construction Industries,
Obrascón Huarte Lain
,
Allen & Overy LLP,
White & Case,
Ove Arup & Partners Limited,
Atkins,
Petrocon Arabia Ltd, and
BNP Paribas.
Completion was planned for 2010, however financial close could not be agreed.
On 10 October 2011 the government decided the project would go ahead, but as a state project. The cost was put at up to USD7 billion.
Intended mainly for freight, the railway will connect Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
on the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
coast with the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
. The existing 450 km line between Riyadh and Dammam will be upgraded, and a second 115 km new line is planned to connect Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
with Jubail
Jubail
Jubail , is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. It consists of the Old Town of Al Jubail, which was originally a small fishing village, up to 1975 and the new industrial area....
on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. The newly constructed lines will be single track, but the infrastructure (including bridges and tunnels) will be designed to permit a future upgrade to dual track.
Status
On 21 April 2008 the Tarabot consortium of seven Saudi companies and Asciano of Australia was named as preferred bidder for the 50-year build, own, operate and transfer concession for the Landbridge project, with financial close planned within 12 months.The Tarabot consortium consisted of the following firms: Adbulaziz Alsaghyir Commercial Investment Co,
Abdullatif & Mohammed Al-Fozan Development Co,
Abdul Kadir Al Muhaidib & Sons,
Omran M Al Omran & Partners Co Ltd,
Mohamed & AbdullahI Al-Subeaei,
HH Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer Al Saud,
Arabian Company for Water & Power Development,
Asciano,
Pacific National,
Orascom Construction Industries,
Obrascón Huarte Lain
Obrascón Huarte Lain
Obrascón Huarte Lain, S.A. is an Spanish-based multinational construction and civil engineering company. The company is involved in infrastructure and commercial property construction, as well as homebuilding and the operation of toll road and other transport concessions. In the latter, the group...
,
Allen & Overy LLP,
White & Case,
Ove Arup & Partners Limited,
Atkins,
Petrocon Arabia Ltd, and
BNP Paribas.
Completion was planned for 2010, however financial close could not be agreed.
On 10 October 2011 the government decided the project would go ahead, but as a state project. The cost was put at up to USD7 billion.