Arabian Canal phase two 'not cancelled'

From ConstructionWeek, 26 May 09.

I've heard from a source within Limitless that the company now has a grand total of three people working on the Arabian Canal project which, to me anyway, seems to indicate that the project is, well, um, cancelled.

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Developer Limitless has denied a report in a foreign construction magazine that described the second phase of the 76km Arabian Canal project as being ‘cancelled’. The wording in International Construction magazine read ‘Limitless has cancelled Phase two of its US $11 billion Arabian Canal project.’

However, a quote from the developer’s CEO, Saeed Ahmed Saeed used in the same article seemed to contradict this, saying that the contract had simply been postponed from its original award date in March. A spokesperson from the company, speaking to PMV today, said: “Our invitation for bids on phase two of the excavation received a healthy response from local and international firms. We have contacted them all to advise them of the postponement of the award of this contract, and have reassured them that we will be in touch as soon as possible to invite them to resubmit their bids.

"We remain committed to the Arabian Canal. Work continues on phase one, and we will announce news of subsequent phases at an appropriate time.”

Excavations on phase one of the canal, running from the Waterfront near Jebel Ali through to an area near the new Al Maktoum International Airport continue, courtesy of contractor Tristar. However, the pace of work has reportedly slowed over recent weeks.

The master plan of the Arabian Canal shows a city with space for 1.5 million people, based around an artificial creek, which will skirt around the perimeter of Dubai.