By John Lee.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) and the French-Italian Artelia Group have signed a contract for the management of an ambitious development plan for Benghazi, including local offices for the NOC, further oil companies and governmental departments, as well as a hotel and conference complex.
NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla and Artelia executive director Alberto Romeo signed the agreement in Milan on Friday March 30, 2018.
Chairman Sanalla commented:
“NOC’s new facilities in Benghazi will reflect our potential as a country and the global importance of Libya's oil sector. There is a bright future for our country if we can put conflict and instability behind us. We should be considering our country's long term potential - our mutual horizon. This project is a glance to what this future could look like."
The centre-piece of this development will be the stunning 100m tall “vertical blade” NOC local offices, clad in an iridescent and shimmering metallic gold. Also included in the harbour-side site will be the double hexagonal headquarters of the Brega Petroleum Marketing Company (BPMC), offices for the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), a hotel and helipad, offices for other oil companies and an international conference centre.
This project that will play a big part in the development of the harbour area and grow the reputation of the city. It is expected that the project will be the first in the Mediterranean area to obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Neighbourhood Development sustainability rating - the most widely used environmental building rating system in the world.
The project management consultancy is Artelia Group, an international multidisciplinary consultancy, engineering and project management group specialising in building and construction, infrastructure, water and the environment.
The consultancy will start engineering work upon completion of the preliminary financial guarantee and tax authority procedures. The project will be financed by lending from commercial banks.
(Source: NOC)
