DEME has secured a large contract (1) for the Abu Qir port project in Egypt. The project will see the deployment of DEME’s giant new cutter suction dredger ‘Spartacus’.

This vast project includes the reclamation of 1,000 hectares of new land, the deepening of the port’s approach channel to 23 m and the dredging of a turning basin to 22 m. An enormous volume of more than 150 million m³ will be dredged.

The marine works, including 6,800 m of quay walls for new berths, 8,800 m of breakwaters and soil improvement works, will be executed by DEME’s consortium partner GIECO, Egypt’s leading marine engineering company.

A bustling economic hub
This ambitious megaproject creates land for the expansion and further development of Abu Qir, which boasts an ancient history and is slated to become a bustling economic hub, supplementing nearby Alexandria. Alongside this, a large multifunctional port facility can be developed adjacent to the Abu Qir Container Terminal, which is currently under construction.

DEME will deploy the world’s most powerful cutter suction dredger (CSD) ‘Spartacus’ on the project. This game-changing vessel will join DEME’s fleet in 2021. With a total installed power of 44,180 kW, this CSD is unrivalled in terms of production rates, pumping power and her ability to cut hard material. In addition to ‘Spartacus’, DEME will deploy a wide range of different sized trailing suction hopper dredgers.

The project’s preparation has already started, with the main works set to commence in early 2021. The project is due for completion in 2023.

Long-term track record in Egypt
The unmatched technical capabilities and power of ‘Spartacus’ in combination with DEME’s versatile fleet, featuring the latest technology, were key factors in securing this important contract. In addition, DEME has built an excellent reputation, strong local footprint and long-term track record in Egypt, which includes its participation in the iconic Suez Canal widening and deepening project (2015).

Crucially, DEME’s engineering capabilities enabled the company to develop the most cost-efficient approach for the execution of the project. The solution DEME provides carefully manages the many interfaces of this complex and multi-faceted project.

Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO of DEME Group, emphasises: “We are very proud to have secured our largest ever dredging and land reclamation contract to date, and to support the Arab Republic of Egypt in its ambitions to develop a world-class project. This contract underlines our technical capabilities and engineering expertise, and undoubtedly our powerful ‘Spartacus’ was a key differentiating factor in enabling us to win such a special contract. We look forward to working with our client and consortium partner to successfully deliver this exceptional project.”

(1) For DEME, a “large” contract refers to a contract with a value of more than EUR 300 million.
•    A “contract”, refers to a contract with a value less than EUR < 50 million,
•    A “sizable” contract refers to a contract with a value of EUR 50-150 million,
•    A “substantial” contract refers to a contract with a value of EUR 150-300 million
•    A “large” contract refers to a contract with a value of more than EUR 300 million.