Construction Week cited Mr Marc Chagnas VP of business development for transport in South Europe as saying that Alstom is aiming to win a tender for the Haramain rail system linking Jeddah, Makkah and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Chagnas said that "We see in the Middle East real projects with advanced financing schemes, engineering and that's not forgetting urban transport projects."

A consortium including Alstrom picked up the USD 412 million contracts to build phase one of the Al Sufouh tram system in Dubai earlier 2009 and the firm is now chasing the USD 809 million maintenance contracts.

Meanwhile in Morocco, Alstom has been seeking a deal to supply rolling stock for a Tangier Casabalanca railway.

(Sourced from Construction Week)