Samira Sheth speaks with General Manager Production, Douglas McGill, Fujairah Bulk Shipping, as the huge Fujairah Northern Land Reclamation project takes shape Fujairah Bulk Shipping are undertaking to reclaim land from sea for Fujairah Muncipality, with MUC Engineering being the project consultants.

The ambitious venture will create landmass that is 4.8 Km long by 500m wide in the area neighbouring the Fujairah Port, all along the coastline. The landfill will extend from Vopak tanks all the way to the Naval Base. Announced on February 1, 2009, the project really took off on March 1 this year with prominent people from the oil and business community in attendance at the official opening. Fujairah Bulk and Shipping CEO Paul O'Grady welcomed the eminent guests including Dr. Kindi, Mr Sohail - Director of Fujairah Muncipality; Director of Fujairah Police- Mohammad Ahmad Bin Ghanim; Dr. Salem, Dr. Ghaffour; the head of Fujairah Rock and Aggregate - Mr. Ibrahim among others. The well-attended opening marked the significance of this reclamation project, easily one of the largest in the UAE.

With a current staff base of almost 400 employees accommodated in some of the most well-equipped labour camps seen in the region, the project is anticipated to create jobs for generations to come once it is functional. An estimated 6500 tyres are to be used with about 4 million gallons of diesel as innumerable trucks carry about 54 million tonnes of rock to the site. The project is due for completion in 30 months which equates to delivery of over 70,000 tonnes per day. The procedure to reclaim the land involves blasting and excavating a mountain opposite the reclamation area, and transporting the rock through specially built tunnels under the highway from Fujairah to Khorfakkan, to avoid traffic congestion. These rocks are then placed in the sea and compacted, until the ground level of + 5 metres above chart datum is reached. Greek company Athina has been contracted to place armoured rocks around the reclaimed to protect the reclaimed land and create a breakwater.

Essentially, the land reclaimed is to be utilised to process and export oil delivered from Abu Dhabi through a new pipeline currently being installed. The land will house a refinery as well as vast storage tanks greatly amplifying Fujairah's oil storage capacity.

Says the project manager and blasting specialist, Douglas McGill,"The land reclamation project will be ready to use in 30 months and I think Fujairah will change significantly once it is ready. Fujairah will become an oil town.We expect most oil companies to come here and set up a base on the reclaimed land. At the moment ships have to sail down to Abu Dhabi but now that they have an option to save them time and money, they will come to Fujairah."

The project certainly establishes Fujairah as a major player and an important oil exporting hub within the region.