Posted on February 26, 2025
Al Arabiya English brings you multi-part series for an exclusive look inside the most talked about construction project on the planet with the first-ever media tour around Saudi Arabia’s NEOM
An hour’s drive from NEOM’s headline-grabbing linear city project THE LINE, a development workforce of 6,000 is transforming a stretch of Red Sea coast into what Saudi Arabia envisions as the world’s most advanced and sustainable port – Port of NEOM, in the reimagined industrial city, Oxagon.
The massive Port of NEOM and Oxagon developments represent the maritime and industrial heart of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s NEOM mega-project, backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), offering early tangible signs of progress in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious economic transformation plans.
“The Port of NEOM is an enabler for the entire NEOM project,” said Sean Kelly, Managing Director of Port of NEOM, in Oxagon. “The next major port with regular global connectivity is approximately 850 kilometers away – NEOM needed a port for both the economical and sustainable build of NEOM. In addition, the port will be a catalyst for the development of the economy for the northwest of the Kingdom, starting with import and export requirements of Oxagon’s industrial tenants.”
Since taking over operations in August 2022, the port has seen rapid expansion works, says Philip Eiszele, Project Director of the Port of NEOM.
“When they started, the access channel was about 180 meters wide and about 12 to 14 meters deep.
Today, the channel is 550 meters wide and 19 meters deep. The project showcases innovative dredging practices that ensures all dredged material is reclaimed on the land, with zero discharge into the ocean,” the director said.
The project’s environmental focus extends beyond waste management.
“We’re very cautious about what we’re doing,” Eiszele notes, pointing to the port’s coral relocation program and water quality studies conducted in partnership with international consultants.
The port’s commitment to sustainability encompasses all aspects of operations, with Eiszele confirming their ambitious target: “The aim is to get the port buildings to be at least gold on a Sustainability Index, but the infrastructure to be gold as well.”
This commitment is evident in their construction practices, with “100 percent recycling of our demolition waste” and the integration of renewable energy systems, including solar power and battery storage solutions.
The development represents a major feat of sustainable engineering.
Nearly 50 million cubic meters of wet and dry dredged materials have been reclaimed and reused for the development of Oxagon.
Industrial innovation
The Port of NEOM is at the heart of Oxagon, an advanced global manufacturing hub taking shape over 48 square kilometers. Vishal Wanchoo, CEO of Oxagon, is overseeing what he described as a “reimagined industrial city where technology, sustainability and livability converge.”
The development’s first major industrial tenant, flagship renewable energy partner – NEOM Green Hydrogen Company, is an equal joint venture between ACWA Power, Air Products and NEOM. NGHC is building the world’s largest green hydrogen plant, in Oxagon, with a total investment of $8.4 billion.
Production of up to 600 tonnes of carbon free hydrogen daily is set to commence at the end of 2026. In another significant move, technology company DataVolt recently signed an agreement to develop a 1.5GW net-zero AI data center in Oxagon. Phase 1 is set to come on-stream from 2028 with the agreement seeing an initial investment of $5 billion.
“We’re able to offer renewable energy sources, seawater for innovative cooling technologies, and subsea cable providing connectivity to Europe and the rest of the world,” explained Wanchoo, highlighting the strategic advantages of the location.
Oxagon is also positioning itself as a manufacturing hub for renewable energy technologies. The development is in talks with leading Chinese manufacturers to establish large-scale production of solar cells, modules, and wind turbines – with groundbreaking expected this year.
The port’s ambitious expansion plans include its initial Terminal 1, scheduled for commissioning in early 2026. The second terminal will be built based on market demand. At its end state of development, the port aims to handle 12 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), powered entirely by renewable energy.
A distinctive feature will be its advanced automation.
“Cargo will be transferred by a network of autonomous vehicles optimized by AI to maximize efficiencies and avoid delays,” Kelly explained. The system will integrate with an on-dock rail connection to NEOM’s broader transportation network.
Talent development
For Motaz Abdulaal, Oxagon’s Head of Regional Investments, developing Saudi talent is crucial to the project’s success. The development has implemented various training programs, including an initiative to teach Saudi women to operate advanced container cranes worth $15 million each, currently being manufactured in Shanghai.
“We’ve been able to attract really good talent, experts in their domain,” Wanchoo noted, pointing to Oxagon’s current workforce of over 500 people representing over 55 nationalities. “We’re following a similar journey with other manufacturers that we attract, focusing on developing local talent.”
Floating future
While early in development, Oxagon’s distinctive octagonal design includes plans for a more than 10-square-kilometer floating structure. “The floating structure was conceived as part of the master plan to minimize sprawl along the coastline,” explained Wanchoo. “We also want to leverage the blue economy and deep water technologies.”
The development aims to align with Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s economic transformation strategy.
“What I see for Oxagon in the future is establishing these world-class industries and creating a robust supply chain that can enable the energy transition within the Kingdom, the region, and also export to the world,” Wanchoo said.
To skeptics questioning NEOM’s viability, Abdulaal offered a direct challenge: “Seeing is believing. The fact we will be the largest renewable energy industry outside of China is an example of what we are achieving. So, come see with your own eyes.”
