Press releases

Keppel also unveils plan for an EcoPark at Doha North Sewage Treatment plant

Keppel Corporation Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) inviting QIA to participate as an equity investor in the Singapore Consortium for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project. QIA’s participation is subject to definitive agreements to be mutually agreed.

Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who mooted the project with the Chinese Government in April 2007, graced the occasion with HE Finance Minister Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal. The MOU was signed by Mr Hussein Ali Al-Abdullah, Board Member of QIA and Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman of Keppel Corporation.

Mr Lim said, “The Eco-City is envisioned to be a thriving, self-sustainable development that integrates society, the economy and the environment harmoniously to create an optimal setting for ‘live-work-play’.

“It will serve as a model of sustainable development that is practical, replicable and scalable with many opportunities for international collaboration, drawing together world-class organisations to build green communities for the future.

“We are very pleased that the Qatar Investment Authority, our first partner in the Singapore Consortium, has accepted the invitation to participate in this landmark project.”

The 30 sq km Eco-city site straddles the districts of Hangu and Tanggu, and is within a designated resort and recreation zone in Tianjin’s Binhai New Area. The entire project will be developed in phases with the initial phase comprising an area of about 3 sq km.

Laying the foundation for sustainable development

The same event also marks the next milestone since Keppel Seghers, the environmental engineering division of Keppel Corporation, was awarded the QR3.6 billion (S$1.5 billion) Doha North Sewage Treatment Works project in September 2007 to build the largest wastewater treatment and water reuse and sludge treatment facility in Qatar and the Middle East and subsequently operate and maintain this facility for 10 years.

The foundation stone was unveiled by Eng Zayed Mansour Al-Khayarin, CEO of Ashghal, the Public Works Authority (PWA) in Qatar and Mr Lim in the presence of SM Goh and HE Finance Minister Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal.

Mr Chua Chee Wui, CEO of Keppel Seghers, said, “We are honoured to mark this project milestone in the presence of HE Finance Minister Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. The Qatari leadership are committed to invest in environmental infrastructure to support their economic growth.

“We believe that the Doha North project offers Keppel a unique opportunity to contribute towards the realisation of Qatar’s vision of sustainable development.”

Keppel also unveiled a concept proposal at the ceremony to transform and enhance the surrounding area of Doha North Sewage Treatment Works into an EcoPark. Blending in with the natural contours, the proposed EcoPark will be the first-of-its-kind to showcase breakthrough ideas on sustainable and resource-conscious development. Treated water from the Doha North facility will irrigate the EcoPark to provide a green space for the local community to learn, work and play.

The above mentioned MOU is not expected to have any material impact on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of the Company for the current financial year.

About Doha North Sewage Treatment Works (DNSTW)

The Doha North Sewage Treatment Works is expected to be operational in 2010. With peak design capacity to treat wastewater of up to 439,000 cubic metres per day, this will be the largest wastewater treatment and reuse facility in Qatar, more than triple the capacity of the next largest wastewater treatment plant.

The sludge treatment plant in the DNSTW will be the only sludge treatment plant in Qatar. It will receive and treat sludge from wastewater treatment plants all over Qatar. The treated sludge can be used as an organic fertiliser or as a supplementary green source of energy.

With its forte in water and thermal recycling, Keppel is able to offer a complete ecologically-friendly design for the DNSTW. Keppel will apply in-house know-how and technology in water and thermal treatment processes, ranging from advanced biological water treatment processes to membrane filtration to produce high quality water for reuse, and thermal drying processes to treat the wastewater sludge. The DNSTW will have advanced odour control systems to minimise its impact on the surrounding communities.

Keppel Seghers

Keppel Seghers is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Corporation through Keppel Integrated Engineering Limited (KIE). KIE is a leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions and services ranging from consultancy, design and engineering, technology and construction to operations and maintenance of facilities, as well as investments (via DBOO or BOO, BOT) in such projects. Its advanced technology solutions address a wide spectrum of environmental issues such as solid waste, wastewater, drinking & process water, biosolids & sludge. In addition, Keppel Seghers offers a full range of environmentally-friendly industry applications for the removal of organic substances from metal parts and tools.

Through its in-house research & development capabilities as well as strategic alliances with global research institutes, KIE is continuously upgrading its technology offerings to its customers and adapting its solutions to suit local conditions and purposes.

KIE’s subsidiary Keppel FMO is a reputable one-stop integrated facilities management services company.

Keppel’s presence the Middle East

Keppel Corporation is among the first Singapore companies to enter the Middle East market as early as 1995 through a joint venture shipyard in the UAE.

In 2006, it achieved a major breakthrough when KIE secured from Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture in Qatar a S$1.7 billion contract to design, build and operate an integrated solid waste management plant over a 20 year period. This plant is expected to be operational in 2009.

Its subsidiary, Keppel Offshore & Marine, is in partnership with Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd to develop a world-class shipyard in the Port of Ras Laffan. It has completed two jackup drilling rigs for Qatar’s Gulf Drilling International Ltd and is providing drydocking services of a fleet of LNG carriers chartered by Qatargas.

Keppel FMO has ongoing facilities management contracts at the Doha International Airport and is actively pursuing similar opportunities in the Middle East.


Keppel invites QIA as partner for Eco-City project – Signing the MOU are Mr Hussein Ali Al-Abdullah, Board Member of QIA (second from left) and Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman, Keppel Corporation (second from right), witnessed by HE Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal, Finance Minister of Qatar (left) and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (center).


A critical milestone for the Doha North Treatment Works was marked with the unveiling of the Foundation Stone by Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman, Keppel Corporation (second from left) and Eng Zayed Mansour Al-Khayarin, CEO of Ashghal, (second from right) and in the presence of Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (first from left) and HE Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal, Finance Minister of Qatar.


A growing relationship between Qatar and Singapore as Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman of Keppel Corp(second from left) presents Keppel’s Doha North EcoPark concept proposal to Eng Zayed Mansour Al-Khayarin, CEO of Ashghal (second from right) with Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (left) and HE Sheikh Yousef Hussein Kamal, Finance Minister of Qatar looking on.

For more information, please contact

Singapore:
Ms Sarah Seah
Deputy General Manager
Group Corporate Communications
Keppel Corporation Ltd
Tel: (65) 6413 6420
Email: sarah.seah@kepcorp.com

Doha:
Mr Ang Lai Lee
Senior Executive
Group Corporate Communications
Keppel Corporation Ltd
Tel: (65) 82339299
Email: lailee.ang@kepcorp.com