Mammoet to transport villas to Sheybarah Island Resort
P&O Maritime Logistics, the provider of critical logistics and marine solutions, has announced the signing of a new contract with global heavy lifting specialist Mammoet, to transport uniquely designed, prefabricated hotel villas from Hamriyah in Sharjah, UAE, to the Sheybarah Island Resort, a luxury tourist destination being developed on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, by Red Sea Global.
In a statement, the companies said that they are supporting RSG in its ambitious Red Sea Project, which champions regenerative tourism and sustainable development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Sheybarah Island Resort is a cornerstone project for the development, and is a part of the Saudi 2030 vision. It will consist of 73 distinctively shaped prefabricated villas, some of which will hover above the island’s diverse ecosystem.
Conceptualised by Oppenheim Architecture from Miami, and designed by Killa Design, the designers of Dubai’s Museum of the Future, the stainless-steel orbs promise a unique experience for guests when the resort opens.
With mangroves, beaches and coral reefs, the resort will utilise the latest sustainable and eco-friendly technologies to preserve and enhance the local environment.
As per the contract, P&O Maritime Logistics will use its versatile multi carrying vessel (MCV) fleet to transport off-site manufactured pre-finished volumetric hotel villas to the resort, the firm said.
"As a company headquartered in Dubai, we regularly operate in the Red Sea and around the Middle East. It is particularly exciting that our MCV fleet has been so successful in this region on a variety of projects,” said Martin Helweg, CEO of P&O Maritime Logistics, a subsidiary of DP World.
The firm owns and operates 400 vessels worldwide, providing a wide portfolio of value-add services to its customers.
"The MCVs selected for the project were serviced in drydock facilities before the contract in order to limit their possible impact on local marine life - and their ballast systems were filled with water from the Red Sea to reduce the chance of introducing foreign organisms," explained Helweg, adding that the shallow draft of the MCVs, combined with the versatile thruster arrangement used on P&O Maritime Logistics vessels mean that there will be minimal disturbance of the shallow seabed.
Furthermore, the shallow draft makes these the ideal vessels to access areas where larger ships may not be able to venture due to their size.
"The MCVs have the unique ability to allow efficient and timely delivery to site using the just-in-time principle, with minimal congestion for the production facility and project site, delivering a cost-effective customer solution," he said.
The firm recently charted a new route between the Port of Jeddah and Port Sudan, where its MCV fleet is carrying containers across the Red Sea for the first time, brining additional volumes and reducing waiting times for main line carriers.
"We are also delighted to be supporting Mammoet in the development of the Sheybarah Island Resort, as part of Red Sea Global’s Red Sea mandate. Sustainability is at the heart of our business, and transporting the villas is just one example of how we are increasing our capacity for projects that promote sustainable development,” Helweg continued.
Earlier this year Mammoet had been appointed by Red Sea Global for the transport and installation of the villas for Sheybarah Island Resort.
Mammoet Project Director Jad Ayoub said: "We are pleased to have P&O Maritime Logistics supporting us with the shipment of villas for the Sheybarah Island Resort. We have selected P&O Maritime Logistics for its vessels with shallower drafts that will have minimal impact on the sensitive marine environment of the Red Sea."
"With Mammoet’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and sustainability being the vision for the project, it was crucial to partner with a company that ensures their operations and values are aligned with ours," he concluded.
