If you're happy and you know it

Saadiyat island's Director of infrastructure Andrew Seymour explains what progress has been made on one of ABU Dhabi's mega projects.
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The flag-bearer of Abu Dhabi’s tourism ambitions, Saadiyat Island, will reach its first milestone in September with the opening of Saadiyat Bridge. As work continues to flow for contractors on the island, director of infrastructure Andrew Seymour talks to Construction Week about progress, positivity, and pipes that go everywhere.

Saadiyat means ‘happiness’ in Arabic. And, touring round the ongoing mega-project that is Saadiyat Island, it would appear that the developer is delivering a certain amount of this cheerful vibe, not least to UAE contractors.

Work on the US $27 billion (AED100 billion) project is progressing to schedule in terms of infrastructure. Abu Dhabi government-owned Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) is the master-developer, and is overseeing installation of this side of the project.

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Government-funded projects have been a lifeline for many contractors throughout 2009, as public projects have continued to prosper where private ones have fallen foul of the economic crisis. Saadiyat Island falls firmly within the prosperous category.

On September 1, the 10-lane Saadiyat Bridge, the second-largest bridge of its kind in the Middle East, and the Saadiyat Expressway, will open. The bridge links the island to downtown Abu Dhabi and the expressway. The expressway in turn links downtown Abu Dhabi with Yas Island, via Saadiyat Island.

Several contractors have been working on the infrastructure to date, including Zublin and Gulf Leighton. Parsons has been the engineer for the works.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Course is also set for a “soft opening” on September 1. Both are firm indicators of the progress being made. Later this year, major infrastructure packages will go out to tender, according to TDIC director of infrastructure Andrew Seymour.

The packages relate to works within the island’s Cultural District and its Marina District, both of which fall within the master-development’s first phase. The Cultural District packages include the first phase of canal construction, coastal protection works and the main infrastructure for around two-thirds of the district.

The Marina District packages include construction of a boulevard, bridge construction, and works on a section of a main expressway.

“These are pretty huge packages,” Seymour says.

Best price

The increase in available contractors has allowed TDIC to keep its infrastructure costs relatively low. “The amount of contractors looking for work here will be great for us,” Seymour says. “As a client, our primary objective has got to be getting good contractors at the best price.”

Work on the island’s initial hotels is also showing good progress. The main construction contract for the St. Regis Hotel, due for completion in mid-2011, was awarded last month to a joint venture between Al Habtoor and Murray & Roberts.