Work on Addis Ababa Airport expansion project commences

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – A senior official of the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise told The Reporter that CCCC started fencing the construction site and has embarked on earth-breaking work. The enterprise plans to expand the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport passenger terminal at a cost of 250 million dollars. The loan was secured from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China. The project is aimed at transforming the passenger terminal into a state-of-the-art terminal and boosting its capacity. CCCC, which has built a number of highways in Ethiopia, is the contractor. The design of the new passenger terminal was drafted by a Singapore company called CPG Airports.

To hire a consulting firm that would supervise the construction work, the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise has put up a tender. Thirty-eight companies bought the bid document. Only five of them submitted bid proposals and the enterprise bid committee has been evaluating the technical proposals presented by the five international consulting firms.

Reliable sources in the enterprise told The Reporter that a French company has won the technical evaluation. Another French firm ranked second and an Italian company was ranked third. Sources, who declined to disclose the names of the companies, said that the financial bid would be opened next week and automatically the winner will be revealed. The incumbent will also undertake a study on the new mega airport planned to be built out of Addis Ababa.

The Addis Ababa Bole International Airport passenger terminal expansion project includes the construction of a new passenger terminal as an extension of the existing Terminal 1 (domestic and regional terminal) and Terminal 2 (international terminal) with all related equipment and the construction of a new VIP passengers’ terminal.

The new terminal will house boarding areas, lounges, recreation centers, shopping malls, offices and other facilities. New boarding gates, boarding bridges, and new parking areas are parts of the expansion project. The new parking area will serve passengers and staff members.

A major component of the expansion project is the VIP terminal. The first of its type in Ethiopia, the VIP terminal will be dedicated to leaders, senior government officials, diplomats and other dignitaries. The VIP terminal will have various saloons, lounges, conference rooms, recreation centers, duty free shops, an IT center and an exclusive parking lot.

At present the two terminals accommodate 6.5 million passengers every year. When the new terminal is completed it will accommodate 25 million passengers per annum.

The Ethiopian Airports Enterprise owns and operates 18 airports, 15 of which are asphalted. To cope with the fast growth of Ethiopian Airlines, the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise is building new airports in different parts of the country. The enterprise will soon inaugurate the Jimma and Assosa airports it has recently built. It will also soon embark on the construction of a new airport in Hawassa town. The enterprise is also contemplating to build a giant international airport (mega hub project) in a lowland area outside Addis Ababa.

Source: The Reporter