A US-based infrastructure consulting firm, AECOM, has been awarded a multi-year contract by Saudi Arabia to provide project management consultancy services for NEOM International Airport in the country’s northwestern region. AECOM’s responsibilities will include project management for master planning, design and construction services, testing, commissioning, operational readiness, activation, and transition (ORAT). The futuristic city of NEOM aims to increase its direct connectivity with the world, with the development of the giga-project being carried out by local, regional, and international companies.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation opened NEOM Bay Airport in 2019 and flyDubai became the first UAE-based airline to fly to the airport in March. Saudia partnered with NEOM in May 2022 to begin offering weekly services to international destinations from the city, with the inauguration of commercial services at the airport. The development of Sindalah, the first luxury island destination of the $500bn futuristic city, was announced in December 2022. Other construction projects include THE LINE, a zero-carbon city that seeks to create 380,000 jobs and contribute $48bn to the GDP by 2030.