Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation, the largest provider of dredging services in the US, and Bahrain's Nass Contracting have won a $57 million deal for the East Hidd Housing Project in Bahrain.

Great Lakes will reclaim 618 acres of the Arabian Gulf on which the government of Bahrain will construct additional social housing for its citizens, a statement said.

Great Lakes' joint venture partner Nass Contracting Company will install slope protection around the reclaimed area which represents 40 per cent of the contract value. The Ministry of Housing is anxious to commence work on the project and Great Lakes will expedite mobilisation to begin operations in December.

Dredging work will continue through most of 2012. The East Hidd Project will be the ninth major land reclamation project undertaken by the company in Bahrain.

This will be the first major project for the recently upgraded cutter suction dredge (CSD) Ohio. Great Lakes made a significant investment in converting the former dustpan dredge to a world-class heavy-duty rock cutter suction dredge, it said.

With its new high cutter and swing power machinery, the CSD Ohio is well suited for capital and reclamation projects prevalent in the Middle East. This vessel will be one of the most powerful dredges in our fleet, with 4,500 hp on the cutter, the statement said.

Three in-hull dredge pumps allow the vessel to convey slurry up to five miles and longer when used in conjunction with additional booster pumps.

David Simonelli, president of Dredging Operations, said: 'We are very excited to partner with Minister Basim Bin Yacob Al Hamer and the Ministry of Housing to create land for future housing for the people of Bahrain. East Hidd is the ideal project to showcase the capabilities of the newly upgraded CSD Ohio. Great Lakes' engineering and technical teams along with the Captain and crew of the CSD Ohio did an outstanding job upgrading the vessel to meet growing land reclamation needs such as this project for the Government of Bahrain.' - TradeArabia News Service