A CONSORTIUM of Western Australian specialists has been awarded a coastal management contract in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address concerns over increasing tourist pressures on the beaches of Dubai.
The consortium is being led by Kay Consulting, and includes DAL Science and Engineering (WA), OB Consulting (WA), Minter Ellison and UK-based HR Wallingford.
It has been contracted to study Dubai’s beaches and produce a report into ways the Dubai Government, private operators and beach users can manage increased pressure on the unique resource.
The rapid growth in Dubai’s population, as well as increasing tourist numbers, unique wind patterns and a highly developed coastline, have resulted in a number of beach-related ‘incidents’ – many due to an unfamiliarity with swimming in the open sea.
Mosman Park-based Robert Kay, an international coastal expert and principal of coastal management consultancy Kay Consulting, said the consortium had been awarded the contract over a number of specialist international engineering companies.
Dr Kay said that, while the group had been chosen for its experience working on beach management projects in Australia and overseas, this was the most significant overseas contract Kay Consulting had been involved with.
He said winning the contract had been an involved process, but it went to show that small WA companies could join forces to win this type of export.
“The Dubai Government is very happy working with Australians,” Dr Kay said.
Both Austrade and the new Western Australian Trade Office were instrumental in helping them on the ground in Dubai, he said.
