Transport growth to extend beyond Dubai Expo, Qatar 2022 – expert
New avenues to open up for construction sector
The Gulf transport sector will create ongoing opportunities for the construction industry beyond major events like Dubai Expo 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a leading expert says.
The unprecedented growth in big projects is expected to slow down after these milestone events – but will not stop, said Imad Nassereddine, regional transport solutions director at Mouchel Middle East.
“The long term plans for the rail sector across the GCC and the expansion of the road network to facilitate access to city suburbs and large investments in technologies for intelligent transport systems needed to make cities and highways smart, will keep investment in the transport infrastructure sector growing, albeit at a lesser scale,” he told MEConstructionNews.com.
“In Qatar, for example, the transport sector will see a relative decrease in its growth with some major projects and infrastructure schemes likely to carry on to be ready for the 2022 World Cup and further to achieve its Vision 2030. The plan for Abu Dhabi is also to make its transport systems smart so as to attract visitors and retain residents. This is an objective that is on its way to being achieved.
“However, with the big projects and significant assets that have been developed now reaching maturity, governments are now assessing the value of their investments and coming to the conclusion that that they need to make provisions in their budgets for the management, operation and maintenance of these assets,” Nassereddine added.
As a result of this shift in focus, companies with expertise in asset management and in the efficient operation and effective maintenance of roadway assets will be invited to offer their services by governments in the region, who are looking to maximise the lifecycle of their assets, he predicts.
“Finally, sustainability and green building regulations are becoming more of a priority for the GCC governments. This will lead to an increase in the demand for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building materials. This is expected to provide significant opportunities to regional manufacturers,” Nassereddine said.
