The Ministry of Transport and Communications in Oman has floated a tender for Package 7 of the $2.6bn Al Batinah Expressway project.

Local and international contracting companies can purchase the tender documents until August 14 and bids will be accepted until 15 September.

"The Batinah Expressway is expected to reduce the time taken to travel between Muscat and UAE border."

Contractors include Strabag Oman, Consolidated Contractors Company, Gharbia Enterprises Establishment, Larsen & Toubro (Oman) and Yuksel Construction.

An extension of the 53-km long Muscat Expressway, the 265km-long dual four-lane Al Batinah Expressway connects Muscat to the new Sohar Port and the UAE border.

The complete project was initially divided into six large packages and all but one of the packages have been awarded.

Claimed to be one the biggest road projects in the country, the Batinah Expressway is expected to reduce the time taken to travel between Muscat and UAE border.

In addition to interchanges, flyovers and underpasses, the expressway encompasses four tracks for traffic on each side.