The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer of Saudi Arabia's mega Red Sea project, said on Monday that it has awarded a consultancy services contract to UK-based global engineering firm Mott MacDonald to determine the optimal sustainable vehicle and fleet configuration at The Red Sea project.

The firm said in a press statement that Mott MacDonald would deliver "a comprehensive and robust analysis" of the total land, sea and air transport needs for the development and operation of the 28,000-square kilometre site, from its opening in 2022 to its completion in 2030.

This will involve a strategy for destination-wide clean mobility using electric and hydrogen vehicles, boats and aircrafts, and appropriate supporting infrastructure, such as electric and hydrogen vehicle charging stations, in line with TRSDC's ambitions to power the destination with 100 percent renewable energy.

The statement said the appointment is a key development in the roll out of Phase 1.

Vehicle fleet to be assessed includes e-bikes, golf buggies, cars, vans, trucks, buses, seaplanes, helicopters, VTOL, passenger ferries, boats, maintenance vehicles, airside vehicles and off-road leisure pursuit vehicles and also the best fleet propulsion systems.

TRSDC is set to award a total of nearly 15 billion Saudi riyals ($4 billion) in contracts by the end of 2020 with 500 contracts worth 12 billion riyals (nearly $3.2 billion) already awarded to date, according to the statement.

(Writing by Syed Ameen Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.

© ZAWYA 2020