Habtoor Leighton wins $608m Qatar water project

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Habtoor Leighton wins $608m Qatar water project

Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG), a leading construction group in the region, said it has been awarded a QR2.2 billion ($608 million) contract by the Qatar’s General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) to build the world’s largest reinforced concrete reservoirs in the country.

A subsidiary of global contractor Leighton Holdings, HLG said the reservoirs will have a capacity of 100 million gallons each.

As per the contract, HLG will responsible for the construction, testing and commissioning of five reservoirs as well as the pumping stations, said a statement from the company.

Besides the UAE group will take care of the pipework and the mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, architectural and external work for the 100-acre primary reservoir and pumping station (PRPS) facility at Rawdat Rashed area in Qatar, it added.

The project, the seventh one awarded to HLG by Kahramaa, is set to start this month and is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2018.

Commenting on the win, HLG chief executive and managing director Jose A Lopez-Monis said the mega reservoir project is aligned with the group’s core capabilities and the contract award validated the high value placed by the client on the capabilities and the proven performance of the group.

“Qatar is a very important market for us. We have had a local office in Doha since 2005, and during this time we have been involved in a number of projects perfectly aligned with our expertise and experience,” he added.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.