Iraq has invited bids for the construction of a water dam in its Southern Shatt Al-Arab river from three foreign companies, the local press reported on Monday. 

The Water Resources Ministry sent letters to Energoprojekt of Serbia, Italy’s Hydronova and the Dutch Deltares Company asking them to submit bids for the project, Aliqtisad News network and other Iraqi publications said. 

“The Ministry asked those companies to submit their bids for the first phase of the project before September 25,” the report said. 

It noted that the Iraqi cabinet approved nearly $3.7 million for the project studies early this year and asked the Ministry to complete all studies related to the project which is intended to control water flow in the river near the Southern oil hub of Basra. 

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)