Civil Engineering October 2022 | Vol 30 No 9

Civil Engineering October 2022 5 weighing between 3 and 6 tons each. The company was responsible for sourcing the rock in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, selecting it by size, and shipping it to site via 10 000 ton barges some 70 nautical miles through the Arabian Gulf. A total of 30 vessels were used to supply rock 24 hours, seven days per week over a 14-month period. The company is also proud of its ex- ecution of the La Mer Extension Project, which entailed extending the waterfront of the La Mer Development at Jumeirah. The project involved the reclamation of a 155 000 m 2 peninsula, encapsulated within a 2 km breakwater to accom- modate a multi-purpose development, including a 190-berth marina. The works entailed reclaiming sand from offshore borrow areas and its hydraulic placement and compaction. This is in addition to the in-situ construction of concrete crown walls and a 1 900 m quay wall and gravity block wall with in-situ capping beams. Notably, about 7.3 million m 3 of sand was reclaimed from offshore borrow areas which were located 25 and 37 nautical miles from site for this project. The company also undertook the marine and infrastructure works for the latest extension to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. This included the installation of large diameter offshore piling and the fabrication and erection of a 10 000 m 2 modular prefabricated steel deck. Notably, the company was only allowed three months of access to the waters around this iconic hotel. Therefore, all the marine works had to be completed within this timeframe, an impressive feat that required extensive planning and off-site prefabrication. Considering its diverse requirements, the Marsa Al Arab project in Dubai for the rock revetment of both the on-shore and off-shore breakwaters was also a notable achievement. The scope of works included the removal of core, underlayer and ar- mour rock and its use in new construction. This is in addition to the supply and place- ment of new under layer material, ranging between 0.3 tons and 1 ton, the supply and placement of 4 to 6 tons of armour rock, and the supply and placement of geotextile and granular filling for the main island. The company also takes pride in its experience supplying and installing intake and outfall pipes for desalination and power plants. LOCAL EXPERTISE Complementing these capabilities are local South African shareholder Murray & Dickson Construction Group’s expertise in many disciplines. The following disciplines will enable MDPLC Marine Africa to provide a comprehensive construction solution to public and private client bodies: Q Q Back of quay infrastructure Q Q Precast concrete elements Q Q Access roads and platforms Q Q Concrete foundations Q Q Heavy concrete structures Q Q Water retaining structures Q Q Overland steel pipelines Q Q Pump stations and valve chambers Q Q Oil and gas and general petrochemical infrastructure This 39-year-old company is especially proud of its 100% black and 51% disabled black women ownership, as well as its Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) gradings of 9CE, 9ME, and 9GB. The company has completed many major civil engineering, earthworks, pipe- line and mechanical construction projects, while also expanding its service delivery in the industrial, mining, water and sanita- tion, oil and gas and marine sectors for African public and private client bodies. The company’s ISO certification includes ISO 45001:2018 Health and Safety, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management, ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management, ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System, and ISO 3834-2:2021. PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS MDPLC Marine Africa will be a majority black-owned South African-registered company with substantial black woman ownership. It will also harness the best technical support, human resources and systems from its share- holder companies. This is in addition to the digital technology and skills of both partners to improve processes. These capabilities are especially noteworthy for technically complex marine projects, and prospective clients can look forward to comprehen- sive digital modelling of construction sequences, safety standards and methods from inception. “I am particularly pleased with the establishment of this new specialist marine company in South Africa. It will fit very well into Murray & Dickson Construction’s strategy, while also ben- efiting Africa’s port expansion strategy. It is a privilege to start this initiative with our long-term partners from the UAE who are expressing their confidence in Murray & Dickson Construction Group and the entire continent, including South Africa,” says Rukesh Raghubir, CEO of the Murray and Dickson Group. “Looking at the opportunities in the South African and African market, we at PLC Contracting LLC believe that through our proven track record and competencies we can add value to the South African construction sector by joining forces with M&D Construction Group. As a team, and with strategic alliances, we can deliver on a complete marine project, including back of quay solutions, to our clients,” concludes Khaled Hamid, Founder and CEO of PLC Contracting LLC. For more information André van der Merwe +27 (0)31 001 0195 andre.v@mdplcmarine.com Work underway at the La Mer Development in Jumeirah, Dubai 5 million tons of armour rocks were placed during the La Mer Development project