Mammoet has successfully completed its role in the construction of Ain Dubai, the world’s tallest observation wheel.

Developed by Meraas, Ain Dubai sits on Bluewaters in the heart of Dubai and, once operational, it will provide residents and visitors extensive views of the iconic city of Dubai and its shoreline.

In 2014 Hyundai Engineering & Construction, the main contractor on the project, awarded Mammoet the heavy lifting contract to install the key structural elements of the wheel.

They proposed installing the largest elements, the legs and spindle, directly from the barge they arrived on onto foundations with two of their super heavy lift cranes.

This eliminated the need for temporary storage, multiple barge transports and working at extreme heights.

“Having been involved in the construction of many of the UAE’s iconic landmarks, such as Burj Al Arab and its expansion, Dubai Metro, Dubai Mall, and the luxury Five hotel on Palm Jumeirah island, we are pleased to add another one to our successes in the Middle East.

“Working on Ain Dubai alongside our valuable client HDEC is an honour and a privilege.

“Engineering capabilities, operational excellence and the remarkable cooperation of the entire project team ensured that the project was delivered successfully and incident-free,” said Michel Bunnik, commercial director, Mammoet Middle East and Africa.

In 2016 Mammoet successfully positioned Ain Dubai’s four legs onto their foundations and lifted the spindle.

The legs and the spindle were prefabricated offsite by others before being transported by barge to the installation site. This delivered multiple time-saving and safety benefits.

It reduced the number of barge trips required and each component was built safely at ground level before being lifted into place, eliminating the risks of working at heights.

Each 890-ton leg measured 126 meters long and 6.5 meters in diameter.

The wheel is expected to open later this year.