DUBAI — The Gulf region’s highest quality projects were announced at the recently concluded 2018 MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq.

Saudi Arabia-based projects were among the major winners in the annual recognition programme honouring the region’s completed projects.

The winning projects from Saudi Arabia are part of the $46.4bn worth of projects completed in the kingdom in 2017, according to the latest data from MEED Projects.

“This year’s GCC Project Award Winners are an inspiration to project stakeholders globally. The main themes which have shone through in the winning projects have included success in sustainability and health and safety. MEED congratulates all the GCC winners and their projects teams,” said Becky Crayman, Programme Director, MEED.

The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) Shaybah-NGL Natural Gas Liquid Project, entered by Samsung Engineering, won GCC Mega Project of the Year, while getting the jury’s nod as a Highly Commended project in the GCC Oil & Gas Project of the Year.

Meanwhile, Jabal Omar Company’s Development was picked as the winner in the GCC Mixed Use Project of the Year category.

“Recognizing quality projects is not just about winning an award, but a means by which we ensure project excellence is kept at very high standards across all projects, either completed or even those in the pipeline, because of their invariable socio-economic and environmental impact on the region. This year’s winners must be congratulated for their commitment to quality and their projects’ contributions to society,” said Mohammad Khader Al Shouli, Senior Vice President, Mashreq Bank, headline sponsor of the awards.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, owned by the Department of Culture and Tourism and nominated by Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, received the highest honor by winning the MEED Quality Project of the Year, in association with Mashreq. It was a double celebration for the team behind the project as it also won the GCC Leisure & Tourism Project of the Year award.

Meanwhile, the MEED Editor’s Award for Innovation was given to the Dubai Opera (owned by Emaar and entered by Consolidated Contractors Company).

The winners of the 2018 MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq, were honored at a ceremony, with the reception sponsored by ASGC, held at the Westin Mina Seyahi Resort and Marina in Dubai which was attended by the project industry’s top stakeholders. — SG