United Arab Emirates (UAE) Projects, H1 2022 - Outlook of Major Projects in United Arab Emirates - MEED Insights
UAE projects market and outlook
The UAE has more than $650bn of projects planned or underway, making it the second largest projects market in the region after Saudi Arabia. Of this, about $141.6bn of projects are currently in execution, with a pipeline of about $513bn of projects in planning or pre-execution. Perhaps the only thing the UAE lacks is new construction projects, which, for many years, were the country’s hallmark. Also, the downward slide in the real estate sector has been a disaster for many of the country’s largest contractors.
In terms of future projects, the construction sector is the largest, with about $365bn-worth of projects in the tender, design or study phase. This is followed by the oil and gas sector, which has more than $60bn-worth of contracts in various stages of pre-execution.
Furthermore, Dubai’s recently announced $7bn public private partnership (PPP) programme, including healthcare and education schemes, is another sign of emerging new business opportunities for contractors.
Expo 2020
With the launch of Expo 2020 Dubai on 1 October 2021, the UAE has finally delivered on a soft power project eight years in the making. At a time of global uncertainty, it is a visible symbol of the brand that Dubai has built up over the decades as the home of big projects and even bigger dreams.
However, the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the UAE has created more difficulties for the organisers. As the latest wave of Covid-19 (Omicron variant) threatens to dampen Expo 2020’s ambitious plans, which once involved drawing in crowds of 25 million visitors, extending the Expo beyond 31 March 2022 may appear to be a practical solution for Dubai but may increase overall operational expenses.
Summary
UAE projects market and outlook
The UAE has more than $650bn of projects planned or underway, making it the second largest projects market in the region after Saudi Arabia. Of this, about $141.6bn of projects are currently in execution, with a pipeline of about $513bn of projects in planning or pre-execution. Perhaps the only thing the UAE lacks is new construction projects, which, for many years, were the country’s hallmark. Also, the downward slide in the real estate sector has been a disaster for many of the country’s largest contractors.
In terms of future projects, the construction sector is the largest, with about $365bn-worth of projects in the tender, design or study phase. This is followed by the oil and gas sector, which has more than $60bn-worth of contracts in various stages of pre-execution.
Furthermore, Dubai’s recently announced $7bn public private partnership (PPP) programme, including healthcare and education schemes, is another sign of emerging new business opportunities for contractors.
Expo 2020
With the launch of Expo 2020 Dubai on 1 October 2021, the UAE has finally delivered on a soft power project eight years in the making. At a time of global uncertainty, it is a visible symbol of the brand that Dubai has built up over the decades as the home of big projects and even bigger dreams.
However, the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the UAE has created more difficulties for the organisers. As the latest wave of Covid-19 (Omicron variant) threatens to dampen Expo 2020’s ambitious plans, which once involved drawing in crowds of 25 million visitors, extending the Expo beyond 31 March 2022 may appear to be a practical solution for Dubai but may increase overall operational expenses.
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- UAE Country Overview
- UAE Projects Market
- Oil and Gas
- Construction
- Transport
- Industrial
- Power and Water
List of Tables
Table 1 Top Projects
Table 2 Biggest planned and un-awarded projects in the UAE
Table 3 Top Oil and Gas Sector Projects
Table 4 Biggest planned and un-awarded Oil and Gas projects in the UAE Due in Bidding Stage
Table 5 Biggest planned and un-awarded Oil and Gas projects in the UAE at Design, FEED or Study Stage
Table 6 Top Construction Sector Projects
Table 7 Biggest planned and un-awarded Construction projects in the UAE Due in Bidding Stage
Table 8 Biggest planned and un-awarded Construction projects in the UAE at Design, FEED or Study Stage
Table 9 Top Transport Sector Projects
Table 10 Biggest planned and un-awarded Transport projects in the UAE Due in Bidding Stage
Table 11 Biggest planned and un-awarded Transport projects in the UAE at Design, FEED or Study Stage
Table 12 Top Industrial Sector Projects
Table 13 Biggest planned and un-awarded Industrial projects in the UAE Due in Bidding Stage
Table 14 Biggest planned and un-awarded Industrial projects in the UAE at Design, FEED or Study Stage
Table 15 Top Power and Water Sector Projects
Table 16 Biggest planned and un-awarded Power and Water projects in the UAE Due in Bidding Stage
Table 17 Biggest planned and un-awarded Power and Water projects in the UAE at Design, FEED or Study Stage
List of Figures
Figure 1 UAE country map
Figure 2 GDP by sector, 2020e (%)
Figure 3 GDP by emirate, 2020 (%)
Figure 4 Population by emirate, 2020 (%)
Figure 5 UAE Nominal GDP vs. GDP Growth, 2012-24
Figure 6 UAE budget, 2012-22 (AED bn)
Figure 7 Gulf Projects Index Value of all projects in the UAE ($m)
Figure 8 Projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 9 Projects market by sector ($m)
Figure 10 Projects market by project status ($m), Dubai
Figure 11 Projects market by sector ($m), Dubai
Figure 12 Projects market by project status ($m), Abu Dhabi
Figure 13 Projects market by sector ($m), Abu Dhabi
Figure 14 Value of contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 15 Value of contract awards by year and sector ($m)
Figure 16 Value of contracts awarded in the UAE in July to December, 2012-21 ($m)
Figure 17 Number of Contracts Awarded 2012-21
Figure 18 Value of contract awards by Dubai vs Abu Dhabi ($m)
Figure 19 Biggest clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 20 Biggest contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 21 Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 22 Projects planned but un-awarded by sector ($m)
Figure 23 Biggest clients in the UAE by value of contracts planned ($m)
Figure 24 UAE contracts award forecast 2022-25 ($m)
Figure 25 Value of Oil and Gas contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 26 Oil and Gas projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 27 Oil and Gas projects market by subsector (%)
Figure 28 Value of Oil and Gas contract awards by year and subsector ($m)
Figure 29 Biggest Oil and Gas Sector clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 30 Biggest Oil and Gas Sector contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 31 Oil and Gas Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 32 Oil and Gas Sector Projects planned but un-awarded by subsector ($m)
Figure 33 Biggest Oil and Gas Sector Future Clients
Figure 34 Value of Construction contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 35 Construction projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 36 Construction projects market by subsector (%)
Figure 37 Value of Construction contract awards by year and subsector ($m)
Figure 38 Biggest Construction Sector clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 39 Biggest Construction Sector contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 40 Construction Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 41 Construction Sector Projects planned but un-awarded by subsector ($m)
Figure 42 Biggest Construction Sector Future Clients
Figure 43 Value of Transport contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 44 Transport projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 45 Transport projects market by subsector (%)
Figure 46 Value of Transport contract awards by year and subsector ($m)
Figure 47 Biggest Transport Sector clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 48 Biggest Transport Sector contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 49 Transport Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 50 Transport Sector Projects planned but un-awarded by subsector ($m)
Figure 51 Biggest Transport Sector Future Clients
Figure 52 Value of Industrial contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 53 Industrial projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 54 Industrial projects market by subsector (%)
Figure 55 Value of Industrial contract awards by year and subsector ($m)
Figure 56 Biggest Industrial Sector clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 57 Biggest Industrial Sector contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 58 Industrial Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 59 Industrial Sector Projects planned but un-awarded by subsector ($m)
Figure 60 Biggest Industrial Sector Future Clients
Figure 61 Value of Power and Water contract awards by year ($m)
Figure 62 Power and Water projects market by project status ($m)
Figure 63 Power and Water projects market by subsector (%)
Figure 64 Value of Power and Water contract awards by year and subsector ($m)
Figure 65 Biggest Power and Water Sector clients in the UAE by value of contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 66 Biggest Power and Water Sector contractors in the UAE by contracts in execution ($m)
Figure 67 Power and Water Projects planned but un-awarded by status ($m)
Figure 68 Power and Water Sector Projects planned but un-awarded by subsector ($m)
Figure 69 Biggest Power and Water Sector Future Clients
