Among all the mega-projects currently under construction in the world, one of the most interesting is that relating to Oxagon, a futuristic industrial city partially floating and forms octagonal which should arise in Saudi Arabiaon the Red Sea. The idea behind this work – part of the much greater project Neom – It is to create an ambitious hub for logistics and advanced manufacture, all using 100% renewable energy. Its strategic position would make it a crucial crossroads for global trade, even if its construction has yet to start and there is certainly no shortage of adults doubts on its effective completion.
The characteristics of Oxagon, the industrial city on the Red Sea
Oxagon is the floating industrial city of the Neom project and should rise in the south-west corner of the province of Tabuk, along the coast of the Red Sea. Announced in 2021the city will have an area between the 200 and 250 km² And of these a good part will be floating, so as to host the port and the logistics center. In addition to Oxagon, another important tourist destination under construction inside Neom is Trojena, a mountain resort located 50 km from the Gulf of Aqaba.
Oxagon will be an important center for the global logisticsthanks to its integrated and automated port and its strategic position near the Suez channel, through which it transits about the 13% of world trade. Furthermore, this new industrial pole undertakes to operate with 100% clean energyusing renewable sources such as solar, wind energy and green hydrogen. Practices of circular economy And efficient management of water resources. The city will integrate technologies such as theInternet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (TO THE), the robotics and the Men-Macchina merger To optimize operations, production and logistics.
In addition to the industrial pole here it will also rise livable community with residential areas, Leisure structures and a focus on the quality of life of its inhabitants.
TO March 2025the construction of Oxagon, the industrial pole of Neom, proceeds with significant progress in themarine area and in the expansion of the port. We work on the integration of sustainable industrial infrastructures, with a focus on green hydrogen and on global partnerships for seven key sectors. The goal is to make logistical solutions operational within this year and complete the onshore development by 2030.
The integrated port project
One of the most important infrastructures of the city of Oxagon is certainly the port. This is designed to be completely integrated with the industrial area and its logistics network with the aim of giving life to a “Compressed Supply Chain” (compressed supply chain) which maximizes efficiency and reduces transit times.
Although the exact figures can evolve, the port is designed to manage considerable volumes of continated traffic and various goods: initially there was talk of an ability of approx 1.5 million Teu (Twenty-Foot equivalent Unit)but with the ongoing expansion, aims at a significantly greater ability, with the aim of becoming one of the largest ports in the world, potentially managing up to 12 million teu once completed. In addition to the container terminals, the integrated port will include structures for the management of General loads, Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) and potentially a cruise terminal. There will also be a Oceanographic Research Center.
The port project is underway and foresees phases. There phase 1 It has already been operational since May 2023. They are in progress quick expansion workswith the enlargement and deepening of the access channel to host larger ships and the construction of new docks. Logistics structures are expected to be operational by 2025 and complete completion onshore by 2030.
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The impact of the Oxagon project
Although innovative, the Oxagon City project also affected some critical issues linked above all to the environmental impact. First of all, the construction of a partially floating city and with a large port will require significant works of Dragage and fillingresulting Destruction of sensitive marine habitats as coral reef and prairies of fans.
Construction activities, underwater noise and the increase in naval traffic can disturb and damage marine fauna, including protected and migratory species. The discharge of industrial and urban waste water, even if treated, and the potential escape of polluting substances from port and industrial activities can compromise the quality of the water of the Red Sea. The promised “zero liquid exhaust” technology will need extremely rigorous management to be effective.
Although the goal is a zero -emission operations, the construction phase of such a massive project will inevitably generate a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to the production and transport of materials, construction activities and the use of machinery. This “incorporated carbon” must be carefully considered.
