Mega airport projects lined up in Mideast

Over $7.77 billion will be invested in developing, upgrading and building new airports in the Middle East within the next few years, according to latest reports coming in from the region's civil aviation authorities.

This includes a $3.26 billion investment in the expansion of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah airports.

Together with Doha International Airport's $1 billion expansion, Kuwait's new Airspace System that will cost $290 million, Muscat's Seeb International Airport's new $150 million terminal and Jeddah King Abdulaziz Airport's $750 million facelift and new terminal project, the total investment in civil aviation facilities in the GCC will rise to $5.45 billion.

Of the balance $2.32 billion, Egypt is spending $850 million for a number of projects that include improvement and ex-pansion of the Cairo International Airport ($500 million), expansion of Sharm El Sheikh airport ($200 million) and building of six new domestic airports, upgradation of three airports in Libya's Tripoli, Benghazi and Sirte at a cost of $810 million, expansion of the Algiers international Airport at a cost of $300 million, a $123 million expansion of Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca and Enfidha's new airport, valued at $244 million in Tunisia.

The GCC: Meanwhile, work on Dubai International Airport's $2.5 billion expansion has already begun and the Department of Civil Aviation has awarded contracts on some of the works under the project.

Abu Dhabi, in its continuous pursuit to provide passengers with improved facilities, is currently managing a major $710 million expansion, which will be completed by 2004.

Besides, Fujairah International Airport is expanding its facilities to include a second runway of 4,250 metres, at a cost of $50 million. It is scheduled to be completed by 2005.

In Saudi Arabia, seven companies are expected to bid for the project management and consultancy (PMC) contract for the expansion of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

The contract is expected to be the largest for civil construction work in the kingdom in the next two years. The project completion is expected in 2005.

The seven bidders are from companies from the U.S., UK and the Netherlands. The project will involve construction of two new passenger terminals for international and domestic flights alongside the existing south terminal. Other contract work involves the renovation of the airline's station hall, movable docking pier with 32 passenger gangways and new car parks.

Development of the new Doha International Airport, at an estimated cost of $1 billion, will include a new 70,000 sq.mt passenger terminal, central plant, aprons/runway and associated taxiways, control tower, fuel farm and fuel hydrant system, infrastructure services, roads and covered car park fire stations, mosques, offices and workshops. The implementation period will take approximately three years, commencing 2002.

The Department of Civil Aviation has announced the implementation of the Kuwait Airspace System. This will take five years to complete, at an approximate value of $290 million, and will involve the supply of sophisticated aviation equipment including a communications system, surface movement radar, air traffic management system, airport meteorological system and meteorological data processing system.

It will also involve the construction of the Kuwait Control and Meteor-ological Centre, services infrastructure, power building and long-range radar building.

Muscat's Seeb International Airport's future development will include the construction of a new five million passenger per annum terminal at an estimated cost of $150 million. Comp-letion of the terminal is expected in 2007. Both Seeb and Salalah Airports are to be privatised.

North Africa: Improvement and expansion of Cairo Internation-al Airport includes a new terminal valued at approximately $500 million, which will take four years to complete. The expansion of Sharm El Sheikh Airport includes a new terminal of 166,000 sq. mt, with 12 new passenger air-bridges, covered car park, electrical plant, and drainage systems - valued at $200 million.

Six new local airports are planned in Marsa Alam (valued at $40 million), Dhahab, Alamin, Ras Sedr, Farafera and Kharega. Improvements are also planned at airports in Aswan ($6 million), Luxor ($2.4 million), Hurghada ($100 million) and Abu Simbel.

The planned $123 million expansion of Mohammed V Airport, Casablanca will involve the construction of a second 3,720-metre runway, new terminal buildings and the installation of a new ground control system.

In Tunisia, the design of Enfidha's new airport, valued at $244 million, is scheduled for completion in 2002. The expansion of Algiers international Airport is valued at $300 million.

Due to the poor maintenance of airport facilities during UN sanctions, massive investments in equipment and technology are planned in Tripoli and Benghazi, in addition to the development of Sirte Airport, which is valued at $810 million.