Rapid pace of Saudi growth: Golden opportunity for CRCC

The rapid pace of economic growth and the ongoing infrastructure development in Saudi Arabia provides a golden opportunity for China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) Ltd. to serve the Saudi engineering projects market, says Li Chongyang, MD, CRCC Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on the occasion of his country’s 65th National Day, Chongyang said the CRCC carried out the Al-Mashaaer Metro operation services with perfection for four consecutive Haj pilgrimages from 2010 to 2013. It transported a total of more than 12 million person-trips with impeccable safety and record-high efficiency.
Chongyang said the success in the project achieved its goal in providing good means of transportation for pilgrims arriving from all over the world during Haj.
It also demonstrated the CRCC’s strength and capability as an international engineering corporation, as well as its reliability and trustworthiness as a business enterprise.
The Metro has made the Haj journey much more convenient and comfortable, he said. It also eases traffic congestion and reduces carbon emissions. The CRCC also employs a large number of Saudi nationals during Haj operations each year. They support the holy and honorable task of Haj Metro operation services.
Some of the Saudi staff members are now employed as operation management staff (e.g. station masters) on a long-term basis. The initiative creates jobs while developing and training a significant number of railway engineering and operation specialists in the process for the Kingdom.
He added: “The warm and considerate Metro service has also become a bridge of mutual communication and understanding between different cultures, and also as an international bond of friendship.”
On Feb. 10, 2009, CRCC and the Saudi Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA) the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation and maintenance (O&M) contract for the engineering, construction and operation of the Al-Mashaaer Al-Muggaddassah Metro Southern-Line Project.
According to Chongyang, more than 10,000 CRCC management staff, engineers, and technicians were deployed to Saudi Arabia, and with their relentless effort jointly with a large local work force, under the leadership of Saudi MOMRA, the Al-Mashaaer Metro was successfully launched in time for operation during Haj in November 2010.
In new business development, Li said, Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) and CRCC signed an agreement on Aug. 26, 2014 for the execution of the Dammam-Riyadh Cargo Freight Railway Line 2 Renewal Project.
The new project, covering a total length of 78.4 km, is due for completion in 21 months.
The CRCC is mapping out an optimal workplan to complete the project in time with high standards.
The Kingdom will gradually upgrade and renovate all existing railway lines and raise the standard of new railways by 2030 under the Saudi Railways Strategic Development Plan, he said.
He said the urban mass transit railway development for major cities such as Makkah, Riyadh, Jeddah Dammam are also in the process of planning and execution. Saudi Arabia is flying like a falcon with swift development of infrastructure.
The CRCC is willing to merge its effort into the Saudi infrastructure development, bring the Chinese high-speed railway technology to the Kingdom to provide the convenient, comfortable and modernized transportation to its people.
Referring to his company profile, Li said CRCC is one of the largest, strongest and most capable comprehensive engineering conglomerates in China and the world.
It has been ranked 80th among the Fortune Global 500, the 6th among China’s Top 500 Enterprises, as well as the first among ENR’s Top 250 Global Contractors in 2013. CRCC has been listed in both Shanghai (SH, 601186) and Hong Kong (HK, 1186) respectively since 2008.
In 2013 alone, its annual turnover peaked at $94 billion with its total assets reaching $88 billion.
He said that the CRCC’s business operations cover engineering contracting, survey and design consultation, industrial manufacturing, real estate development, logistics and material supply, franchise and concession, domestic and international trade, mining, as well as capital operations, and finance and insurance.
Chongyang said that the CRCC operates in all 31 provinces of China’s mainland, the China Special Administrative Regions Hong Kong and Macao, and 71 other countries and regions all over the world.
The CRCC has developed from an engineering contracting focused company into a comprehensive industrial chain which consists of scientific research, macro-planning, survey, design, construction, engineering consultancy, maintenance and operation, etc., enabling the CRCC to provide his clients with one-stop integrated services.
The CRCC has established its leading position in project design and engineering fields of plateau railways, high-speed railways, expressways, highways, bridges, tunnels and urban mass transit railways.
As of now, the CRCC is the winner of 510 national awards and holder for 3,069 counts of patents and engineering techniques.
The CRCC Saudi Arabia branch represents CRCC in operating all its business activities in the local market.
The CRCC is also classified in the top-class category pursuant to the protocol signed between Chinese and Saudi governments.
“With a track record of having transported over 12 million person-trips of Hajis safely during the last four years under the lead of Saudi MOMRA and relevant authorities, CRCC sincerely looks forward to cooperating with all parties in Saudi to build our future together,” Chongyang added.