Ever since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans for a $500 billion mega city dubbed ‘NEOM’ in Tabuk Province five years ago, the eyes of the world have been watching patiently to see progress on the mega-project.
NEOM is a revolutionary plan to create the world’s first truly 21st century city, a mega-development that is drawing on the finest minds globally to tackle issues of sustainable living and industries at an unprecedented scale of ambition.
“We cannot ignore the livability and environmental crises facing our world’s cities, and NEOM is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues,” said HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“NEOM is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture, engineering and construction to make the idea of building upwards a reality.
Nothing in the world can match the scope of NEOM in terms of its size or its ambition. It is so vast that the development’s land mass includes a huge swathe of the northwest territories of Saudi Arabia and could also eventually extend across the Egyptian and Jordanian borders; making it the first private zone to span three countries. The site will also become the main entrance to the King Salman Bridge, linking Asia and Africa, which will add to the zone’s economic and geographical importance.
The Crown Prince wants NEOM to focus on nine specialised investment sectors and living conditions that will “drive the future of human civilisation”, including energy and water, mobility, biotech, food, technological and digital sciences, advanced manufacturing, media, and entertainment “with livability as its foundation.”
The focus on these sectors is likely to create economic growth and diversification by fusing the drive of the Saudi government with international expertise to drive local industry, job creation, and GDP growth in the Kingdom. NEOM is backed by more than half a trillion dollars in investment by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, local as well as international investors.
NEOM is described as a vision of what a new future may look like; and the estimated $500 billion regional development on the Red Sea is being built from the ground up as a living laboratory, and a place where entrepreneurship will chart the course for this new future.
Playing a vital role
With works now well underway, Juffali Commercial Vehicles is playing a vital role as the construction and development of one of the world’s most ambitious new mega-developments takes shape.
Heiko Schulze CEO, of Juffali Commercial Vehicles, explains: “The scale and ambitions of NEOM are second to none and it is incredibly rewarding to see our Mercedes-Benz Trucks Actros and Arocs are working so hard for this world-class project.
He continues: “The Mercedes-Benz Trucks brand is synonymous with reliability, top-of-the-range Heavy-Duty Trucks, and our customers receive a Truck with components that are designed to work together to deliver higher production levels and versatility.”
The new generation of Mercedes-Benz, Actros, and Arocs heavy-duty trucks, which are assembled at the National Automobile industry (NAI) Factory (Subsidiary of Juffali commercial vehicles) in Saudi Arabia, has added a new dimension of efficiency and strength, as they were developed specifically for extreme weather conditions in Saudi Arabia and with specifications that make them bear the most difficult operating requirements.
“The Mercedes-Benz, Actros, and Arocs trucks have proven to be highly efficient and durable, making them a favourite for many customers around the world,” said Schulze,
With the first phase of the development is expected to be completed by 2025, NEOM will be a destination and a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses, and reinventing environmental conservation.
NEOM will be the home and workplace of more than a million residents from around the world. It will include towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centers, sports and entertainment venues, and tourist destinations.
NEOM will be a hub for innovation, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and companies will come to research, incubate, and commercialise new technologies and enterprises in groundbreaking ways. Residents of NEOM will embody an international ethos and embrace a culture of exploration, risk-taking, and diversity – all supported by a progressive law compatible with international norms and conducive to economic growth.
Future technologies also form the cornerstone of the mega-development. The Kingdom is actively exploring the possibilities of cutting edge and disruptive solutions for transportation from automated driving to passenger drones, new ways of growing and processing food, healthcare centered around the patient for their holistic well-being and wireless high speed internet (described as “digital air”) for everyone.
Students, meanwhile, will be able to access free world-class and continuous online education, while the population benefits from e-governance that puts city services at their fingertips. Building codes stipulate that net-zero carbon houses must standard, and the city layout is being designed to encourage walking and bicycling. Perhaps, most importantly, all the power in NEOM will be sourced from renewable energy.
