Qatar Daily News

The first hanging bridge in Oman, Khor Al Bath, connecting mainland Sur and the village of Aijah, has been completed. A project of the ministry of regional municipalities and water resources and executed by Strabag Oman, the bridge spans 204m with the biggest span measuring 140m. Construction of the bridge started in February 2008. The RO6m project will also reduce the distance between Al Aijah and Khor Bath villages in Sur by 10km.

The new marine port Shanna in Oman was officially opened at the weekend. The RO.9.7 million ($25.19m) was opened by the Transport and Communications Ministry at an official ceremony on Saturday.

Seven groups are now in the fray for a contract award linked to the development of two major Independent Power Projects (IPPs) at Barka and Sohar in the Batinah region. In contention are consortiums led by International Power, ACWA Power, Mapna Group, GDF Suez, Marubeni Corporation, KEPCO/Saudi Oger Ltd, and Lanco Infratech Limited.

Their bids were opened at the Tender Board yesterday, although offer values and technical proposals were not disclosed. An eight bidder, Balkan Energy, did not figure in the shortlist, presumably having failed prequalification criteria set by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which is overseeing the procurement of the two IPPs in an international competitive tender.
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As global market fundamentals return to a more favourable outlook for 2010, Oman can be reassured that it has weathered the storm of 2009 without too much discomfort, and remains in good shape to take advantage of renewed trade and investment opportunities. The IMF anticipates 3.8% real GDP growth for the Sultanate in 2010 – down slightly on the predicted figure of 4.1% for 2009, yet with a more stable consumer price outlook of only 3%, down from 3.3%

The new projects to be implemented during 2010:
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South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co Ltd signed a 6.6 million rials ($17.1 million) contract to build a fuel storage tank for a refinery in Oman, a tender board official said on Thursday. The contract is for an additional fuel tank at the Mina Al Fahal refinery.
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