IRJ at Middle East Rail, Dubai: Saudi Railway Company (SAR) confirmed on March 12 that it expects to launch tenders “soon” for contracts to build the 950km Landbridge, which will link Riyadh with Jeddah on the Red Sea coast.

IRJ Pro market researcher Jonny Dearden looks at the big projects likely to hit the headlines this year.

SAUDI Arabia's minister of transport Mr Suleiman Al Hamdan has been appointed head of Saudi Railway Company (SAR), which the government has decreed will now become responsible for all new line construction projects.

The first section of the $US 8bn 2750km North-South Railway has been in operation since 2011. Commissioning of the rest of the railway will start next year, and as David Briginshaw reports, Saudi Railway Company is already turning its attention to its next big rail project, the 950km Landbridge.

SAUDI Public Investment Fund, which is responsible for funding the construction of the 950km railway between the Red Sea port of Jeddah and the capital Riyadh to create a coast-to-coast landbridge, has awarded an eight-year contract consultancy contract to Fluor Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff.