Plans revealed for new $600m Saudi desalination project.

Almar Water Solutions, part of Abdul Latif Jameel, has been awarded a contract to develop a desalination plant in the city of Shuqaiq, on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.

Over $600 million will be invested in the project, creating 700 jobs, the company said in a statement.

It added that the large-scale plant will have a capacity of 450,000 cubic metres per day, guaranteeing reliable drinking water for over 1.8 million citizens.

Scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2021, the project will be developed under a 25-year build-own-operate (BOO) scheme contract.

A consortium comprising Marubeni Corporation, Abdul Latif Jameel Commercial Development Company, Acciona Agua and Rawafid Alhadarah Holding Co have signed a water purchase agreement.

Fady M Jameel, deputy president and vice chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel Company said: “Innovative energy-intensive water schemes are essential to meeting the rising demand of our region and the world’s growing population for water.

"We look forward to the completion of the project, which will guarantee safe and reliable drinking water supply for over 1.8 million people.”

According to the World Bank, the Middle East and North Africa is home to 6 percent of the world’s population and less than 2 percent of the world’s renewable water supply, and includes 12 of the world’s most water scarce countries.

www.arabianbusiness.com