JEDDAH: The first phase of dredging in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) seaport has been completed, Fahd Al-Rasheed, managing director & CEO of Emaar The Economic City (EEC), and Board Member of Ports Development Company (PDC), said. In the phase, three million cubic meters of dredging was completed, including the dredging of the entry channel to the port and the turning basin. The second phase of development is already underway which will include finishing the remaining dredging, constructing the berths, the stack yards, and the operations buildings. The target is to prepare KAEC seaport to start receiving the first shipping lines by early 2013. Al-Rasheed said the port will have 18 meters of depth at the berth side making it capable to receive the new generation mega vessels. The total area of KAEC seaport will extend over 13 million sqm, enabling KAEC seaport to significantly uplift the level of the Kingdom's competitiveness via enhancing maritime transport and logistics services. "KAEC seaport is one of the key components of King Abdullah Economic City," Al Rasheed noted. "Its strategic location and direct access to the Industrial Valley will attract companies from various industries and will create many new job opportunities. It will be an ideal location to reach the 250 million consumers in the Middle East and North Africa." KAEC seaport is being developed by the Ports Development Company (PDC), which is a joint venture between Emaar, the Economic City (EEC) and Saudi Bin Laden Group (SBG). The company, is in charge of financing, developing, and operating KAEC seaport. The contractor working on KAEC seaport has invested more than SR700 million on heavy equipment needed to build an international port of this size, which includes one of the biggest marine dredgers in the world. The dredger is working non-stop with an engine power of 22,500 horsepower and a production capacity of more than 10 million cubic meters per year. In addition, a huge floating crane with a payload capacity of approximately 1,400 tons will be used for the installation of the large pieces of ready
