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WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Elsewhere countries are building floating cities to keep their citizens from drowning, KSA’s vision is more about being grandoise.

 

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As the world sees something of a Noah’s Flood in its future as sea levels continue to rise between 2mm and 8mm a year some countries, such as the Maldives, are already building floating cities in the ocean. And so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Saudi Arabia, home of the $500 Billion Neom megaproject nicknamed “The Line,” a 170km long linear city, has revealed plans to build its own floating city the Oxagon port and logistics hub, which would be the “world’s largest floating structure,” as part of the Neom development.

 

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Set to be one of 10 regions within the Neom development in the northeast of Saudi Arabia, Oxagon will become a port city on the Red Sea, designed to take advantage of shipping travelling through the Suez Canal.

 

Learn more about the Oxagon

 

The city will act as a port and logistics hub for the wider Neom project – a renewable energy-powered region that forms part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy and minimise reliance on oil. Oxagon will have a distinctive octagonal shape with part of the development on land and a large section protruding into the Red Sea.

 

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Divided from the land by a shipping canal, the Neom developers claim that the off-shore section of the city will be the “world’s largest floating structure,” and that the floating city will be arranged around water-filled squares connected by small canals. It will also contain a cruise terminal and oceanographic research centre.

“Oxagon will be the catalyst for economic growth and diversity in Neom and the Kingdom, further meeting our ambitions under Vision 2030,” said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Oxagon will contribute to redefining the world’s approach to industrial development in the future, protecting the environment while creating jobs and growth for Neom. It will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s regional trade and commerce and support creating a new focal point for global trade flows.”

About author

Matthew Griffin

Matthew Griffin, described as “The Adviser behind the Advisers” and a “Young Kurzweil,” is the founder and CEO of the World Futures Forum and the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures consultancy working between the dates of 2020 to 2070, and is an award winning futurist, and author of “Codex of the Future” series. Regularly featured in the global media, including AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, RT, Viacom, and WIRED, Matthew’s ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of revolutionary emerging technologies on global culture, industry and society, is unparalleled. Recognised for the past six years as one of the world’s foremost futurists, innovation and strategy experts Matthew is an international speaker who helps governments, investors, multi-nationals and regulators around the world envision, build and lead an inclusive, sustainable future. A rare talent Matthew’s recent work includes mentoring Lunar XPrize teams, re-envisioning global education and training with the G20, and helping the world’s largest organisations envision and ideate the future of their products and services, industries, and countries. Matthew's clients include three Prime Ministers and several governments, including the G7, Accenture, Aon, Bain & Co, BCG, Credit Suisse, Dell EMC, Dentons, Deloitte, E&Y, GEMS, Huawei, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Lego, McKinsey, PWC, Qualcomm, SAP, Samsung, Sopra Steria, T-Mobile, and many more.

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