The line project Saudi Arabia

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Neom Project

The line project Saudi Arabia? This is the biggest construction project ever on our planet. It is located in the Neom region of Northwestern Saudi Arabia and is already well underway.

Four projects, called The Line, Trojena, Sindalah, and Oxagon, will create a futuristic city to make Saudi Arabia a top tourism destination.

The main part of the plan

The Line is the main part of the plan, costing $500 billion. It’s 70 km long, 200 meters wide, and 500 meters high, aiming to house 9 million people by 2045 and be completed by 2030.

Where there were only holes last year, there are now many cranes, shovels, and trucks. Steel elements for the city’s foundations are being stored, and over 30,000 piles, each more than 50 meters deep, will be placed by the end of 2024. However, this progress is only in a small area.

The city includes a hidden marina

Excavation continues across the mountains. The city includes a hidden marina, twice the size of any other marina in the world, capable of accommodating the largest cruise ships. This marina will be open by 2030. It’s the biggest excavation project globally, with over 90 million cubic meters of material already moved.

The project includes a high-speed underground train called The Spine, allowing travel across The Line in 20 minutes. Despite fast tunnel progress, the train technology, which should reach 510 km/h by 2030, is still a prototype.

International Airport

Two new airports will help people reach The Line: the Red Sea International Airport, operational since September 2023, and King Salman International Airport, which will handle 120 million passengers a year by 2030.

The project will use 100% renewable energy, including the world’s largest hydrogen plant, costing $804 billion. This plant will generate up to 600 tons of clean hydrogen daily. Progress on this plant and wind turbine installations was visible by mid-2083.

Solar power projects

Saudi Arabia might follow similar solar power projects as seen in the UAE. Despite these efforts, the ecological impact of The Line is massive, estimated at 1 to 8 billion tons of CO2.

The construction uses vast amounts of steel, glass, and concrete, and it impacts local wildlife. The line will need desalination plants for water, with the solar dome plants using water evaporation to desalinate seawater.

Thousands of workers are needed

Thousands of workers are needed, leading to the creation of temporary worker towns with housing, sports facilities, a hospital, and a delivery system. An aerial photo shows that these towns are temporary and will be dismantled later.

The entire 170 km city will take decades to complete, with only the first phase under construction. The city is divided into 135 modules, each 800 meters long. The $520 billion Trojena project is in the northwest, featuring an artificial lake and hosting the Asian Winter Games in 2029. Excavation and rock shaping for the lake started in October 2083.

The maritime and industrial part

Oxagon, on the Red Sea Coast, will be the maritime and industrial part of Neom, including segments for renewable energy research and addressing food and water shortages. It will be the world’s largest floating structure, with significant progress by 2024.

Sindalah Island will offer tourist attractions, including a beach, yacht club, and hotels. It’s the most advanced project and will welcome tourists by 2024. Other extraordinary projects will also complete the Neom region.

Conclusion

The Neom region’s construction projects in northwest Saudi Arabia are some of the most ambitious and extensive in the world. The centerpiece, The Line, aims to be a futuristic city housing 9 million people, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and renewable energy.

Despite significant progress, including the construction of foundations, excavation work, and the establishment of worker towns, challenges remain. These include the development of new technologies and addressing environmental impacts.

Projects like the Hidden Marina, Trojena, Oxagon, and Sindalah highlight the scale and diversity of Neom’s ambitions.

While aiming to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in tourism and innovation, the completion of these projects will span decades, requiring continuous effort and substantial resources. Despite the potential ecological and logistical hurdles, the Neom initiative represents a bold vision for the future of urban living.

FAQs

1. What is Neom? Neom is a large-scale futuristic city project in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. It aims to make Saudi Arabia a world leader in tourism and innovation.

2. What are the main projects within Neom? The main projects are The Line, Trojena, Sindalah, and Oxagon. Each has unique features, from high-speed underground trains to luxury tourist attractions.

3. What is The Line? The Line is a 170 km long, 200 meters wide, and 500 meters high city designed to house 9 million people. It aims to be a fully sustainable city powered by renewable energy.

4. When will The Line be completed? The first phase of The Line is planned to be completed by 2030, but the entire project will take decades to finish.

5. What is the purpose of The Hidden Marina? The Hidden Marina will be twice the size of any other marina in the world, designed to accommodate the largest cruise ships. It will be a significant tourist attraction within The Line.

6. What renewable energy sources will Neom use? Neom will use wind, solar power, and hydrogen energy. It includes the world’s largest hydrogen plant, capable of generating up to 600 tons of clean hydrogen daily.

7. How will Neom impact the environment? While Neom aims to be sustainable, the construction process has a significant environmental impact, including high CO2 emissions and disruption to local wildlife.