Week of 10 July
1. Crown Prince of Dubai visits the Waste-to-Energy project (UAE)
On June 20th, the Dubai Waste-to-Energy facility had the honour of hosting HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. During the inauguration he congratulated ‘the exceptional teams involved in this unique project’. The occasion of his visit was the successful ignition of the first fire, which represents a crucial step towards completing and operating the plant.
BESIX oversees civil, infrastructure, fire-fighting, and ancillary works for this project. Meanwhile, our partner Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) takes charge of the process-related work to convert municipal solid waste efficiently and safely into clean energy. The facility aims to reduce landfill dependency and help Dubai achieve its goal of 75 % waste diversion by 2025. Currently in its commissioning phase, the facility processes 1,000 tonnes of waste daily. The project aims to be fully operational across all five lines in Q1 2024.
At its peak, the plant will process 5,666 tonnes of waste daily, equivalent to 1.9 million tonnes annually. This will generate approximately 200 MW of electricity, supplying power to roughly 135,000 homes in the region. From the residual ash produced during combustion, metals will be recovered and recycled for commercial use.
Once completed, a joint venture between HZI and BESIX will provide operation and maintenance services for 35 years under an agreement with Dubai Municipality.
Accompany the Prince on his visit in this video:
2. Beautiful recognition for colleague Jean-Pol Bouharmont
Jean-Pol Bouharmont, Managing Director BU Middle East has been recognised as one of The Most Influential Faces of Middle East Construction in 2023 by Construction Week Middle East. Construction Week Middle East compiled the list by consulting industry experts, distributing questionnaires, and evaluating publicly available data and assessments of company achievements. Our warmest congratulations for this remarkable accomplishment which is a testament to Jean-Pol’s exceptional leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication to excellence.
3. Major milestone at the Abobo Town Hall roundabout project (Ivory Coast)
Our colleagues in Abidjan are coming closer to completing the civil works of the Abobo 560-metre-long tunnel, a crucial component of the Abobo Town Hall roundabout development. Upon the initiative of PFO Africa, designer and builder of the project, BESIX Ivory Coast’s contract foresees civil works for the burying of the A1 national road under the roundabout. This includes the construction of the tunnel, as well as access ramps, which will accommodate the A1 national road with three lanes in each direction, significantly improving accessibility to the Abidjan metropolitan area.
Congrats to our Ivory Coast colleagues!
4. Zayed National Museum: exemplary safety milestone unveiled (UAE)
Zayed National Museum has recently reached a wonderful safety milestone of 15 million man-hours without a single Lost Time Incident (LTI). Safety is our top priority, and this milestone reflects the team’s meticulous planning, rigorous training, and vigilant execution. By prioritising the well-being and protection of our team every day, we create a safe environment where everyone can work confidently.
Congratulations to the whole Zayed National Museum team!
The Zayed National Museum’s team is not only shining in safety, they are also dedicated to safeguarding our planet as was visible during Environment Day. Led by Laith Abedelatif, MEP Coordinator and BE SAFE Ambassador, the team united their efforts to plant 10 trees in the wish to promote a greener working environment.
And then this… The Burj Khalifa in Lego® stones
A Belgian Lego-fanatic is exposing his 3.5-meter-high Burj Khalifa Tower made of Lego® stones in a shopping mall in Lübeck, Germany. Several other major cities in Germany, Italy, Portugal and even the US have expressed interest to display this unique construction.
