Parsons Brinckerhoff, the professional services division of Balfour Beatty, in association with Fluor Corporation, will provide project management consulting services for the design and construction of a new rail line between the Red Sea and Persian Gulf in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Landbridge project is a 950-kilometre (590-mile) double-track railway connecting Jeddah on the Red Sea—the busiest port in Saudi Arabia and a major gateway for cargo from Europe and North America—with the city of Riyadh. The new railway will connect with the existing 450-kilometre (280-mile) line between Riyadh and King Abdul Aziz Port at Dammam—another major commercial port in Saudi Arabia—on the Gulf coast. The project also includes a new 115-kilometre (71-mile) extension between Dammam and Jubail. The Saudi Landbridge project is being developed as a state-funded project by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Parsons Brinckerhoff performed the original planning for the project in 1997 as part of the overall planning for railway programs in Saudia Arabia. The firm will be providing project management services for the Saudi Landbridge in association with Fluor Corporation, which was awarded the management consultancy contract by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The contract period is approximately eight years.
Parsons Brinckerhoff will provide support for development of complex elements of the new railway, such as the tunnels and bridges that will be needed to cross the varied terrain. The project will include several civil and track contracts, at least one design-build civil and track works contract in the vicinity of Jeddah, and a significant amount of tunnelling and earthworks.
The new railway will serve primarily as a freight route that will significantly improve the efficiency of cargo transport. The port-to-port connection time will be reduced to approximately 10 hours from the three days currently needed to move cargo by ship between the ports. The schedule and cost savings from construction and operation of the new line will provide a substantial boost to the regional freight economy. The railway will also be used for passenger transport in future, potentially serving millions of passengers each year.
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Notes to Editors:
1. Parsons Brinckerhoff is a leader in developing and operating infrastructure around the world, with 14,000 employees dedicated to meeting the needs of clients and communities in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia-Pacific regions. The firm offers skills and resources in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, program/construction management, and operations for transportation, power, mining, water/wastewater, and community development projects. Parsons Brinckerhoff is part of Balfour Beatty, an international infrastructure services business operating in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.
2. Balfour Beatty (www.balfourbeatty.com) is an international infrastructure group that delivers world class services essential to the development, creation and care of infrastructure assets; from finance and development, through design and project management to construction and maintenance.
Our businesses draw on more than 100 years of experience to deliver the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise to our clients principally in the UK, the US, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. We continue to develop our business in key growth markets in South Africa, Australia, Canada, Brazil and India.
With proven expertise in delivering infrastructure critical to support communities and society today and in the future, our key market sectors include transportation (roads, rail and aviation), power and energy, mining, water and social infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.
Balfour Beatty employs 50,000 people around the world.
