The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, has awarded contracts to Saudi firms Red Sea International and Facilities Management Company (FMCO) to provide all maintenance, security, catering, administrative and laundry services at The Red Sea Project’s Construction Village on the west coast of Saudi Arabia.
The two companies will each be responsible for the accommodation of up to 5,000 construction workers and ensuring the facility is managed in adherence to the highest living standards for all workers, whether employed directly by TRSDC or by contractors. A dedicated 24/7 helpdesk will also be in operation for workers staying at the village.
“Our Construction Village is an important element of the Phase One development. In order to continue with the rate of progress we’ve seen to date, we must first and foremost ensure that our workers are healthy, happy and safe,” said John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC.
Newly built village provides housing for the initial 10,000 on-site construction workers
Accommodation exceeds International Finance Corporation (IFC) guidelines, ensuring residential buildings and facilities are both comfortable and safe. Rooms in the village are equipped with partitions between beds for privacy, bathrooms and showers in the same building, personal safes for belongings and Wi-Fi coverage in all areas will allow workers to stay in touch with family and friends.
“We’re extremely proud of the ambitious standards that we have committed to and the appointment of Red Sea International and FMCO ensures that these standards are maintained for the benefit of our workforce and their welfare,” added Pagano.
Red Sea International and FMCO will also play an important role in creating a sense of community in the village, managing the neighborhoods formed between the living and recreational areas. Workers can enjoy the use of cricket pitches, volleyball and basketball courts, football pitches, gyms and cinemas. A supermarket and barber shop will also be provided on-site for workers to use.
Tareq Telmesani, Group CEO, Red Sea International said: “Our expertise paired with The Red Sea Development Company’s focus on their people means we’re aiming to set a quality benchmark for the construction industry worldwide. It is our goal to make the project site a safe and enjoyable place to work, and to create a sense of community through the delivery of reliable services and engaging events.”
Mr. Abdulhakim Al Khaldi, Chairman of FMCO, one of the affiliates of Al YAMAMA Group, said: “We are delighted to embark on this new partnership with The Red Sea Development Company and together we will work to bring the latest technology, efficiencies and sustainable practices to ensure world-class standards are met for worker welfare, which is our joint focus. We are confident that we will play a central role in delivering this vision as this ambitious destination is brought to life.”
The Red Sea Project recently celebrated the significant milestone of signing over 500 contracts, worth over SAR 12.5 billion. This figure is set to reach SAR 15 billion by the end of 2020.
Work is on track across all phases of the project, with Phase One due to complete in 2023, offering 16 hotels and 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland resorts, as well as commercial, retail and leisure facilities and other infrastructure.
Development of the Red Sea International Airport is also well underway. Accessible by 80 percent of the world’s population in less than eight hours, it will serve up to one million passengers per year from 2030 onwards, in line with TRSDC’s commitment to limit visitor numbers based on the environmental carrying capacity of the destination.
Upon completion in 2030, The Red Sea Project will comprise 50 hotels, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and around 1,300 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites.
By The Red Sea Development Company
