Al Naboodah-Laing has won the largest engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract under Dubai International Airport's $4.1 billion (Dh15 billion) expansion project which involves construction of Concourse 2 and Terminal 3.

Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) officials said five consortiums comprising local and international contractors bid for the project.

They include Al Naboodah-Laing, Canada-based CCC-Dutco Balfour Beatty, Al Habtour-Murray and Roberts, Arabtec and Belhasa Six Construct and Higgs and Hills-Arabian Construction Company.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of DCA and chairman of Emirates Group, said: "We have signed an agreement for the construction of Concourse 2 and Terminal 3 with Al Naboodah-Laing. The project is to be completed in 30 months.

"The tender, which includes engineering, procurement, construction, concrete and civil works, has been awarded to Al Naboodah-Laing after stiff competition between bidders, thorough study and evaluation of all the bids. The tender submitted by Al Naboodah-Laing suits our needs and priorities the most and matches our expectations."

The value of the tender has not been disclosed by the DCA.

"We do not want to quote the value of the contract as a matter of policy to prevent others from pre-evaluating future tenders," said Sheikh Ahmed.

"Periodic meetings will be held for all bodies using the airport to determine their demands and needs and the work will be adjusted according to the future needs of the airport. Views of passengers, airlines and officials in relation to the future needs will be taken into consideration to make the terminals and facilities the best," he said.

According to recent DCA studies, passenger traffic is to grow at a rate of between 12 to 15 per cent for the foreseeable future.

Passenger movement through Dubai is expected to reach 40 million by 2010, compared to the previously estimated 30 million, 70 million by 2016 and 100 million between 2020 and 2025.