Work on the second and final phase of the passenger terminal construction at Bahrain International Airport has started. The project milestone will see the eastern section of the current terminal demolished to make way for the western part of the new facility, which is being built adjacent to it. Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) Chairman Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed launched the second and final construction phase in the presence of BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif al-Binfalah and other senior officials of Arabtec/TAV, the main contractor for the project. Kamal Mohammed hailed the progress made during the first phase and the ‘Team Bahrain’ spirit of everyone involved with the project, noting that the work was completed without disrupting operations at the existing terminal. "As per the agreement with the main contractor, and according to the planned timeline to complete the new passenger terminal, work on the second and final phase will start as soon as the first phase has been completed," stated Kamal Mohammed. "The second phase of the project involves construction of three gates in the western section of the new terminal, which requires the demolition of the eastern part of the existing facility," he added. The Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards while working on the remaining sections of the new terminal. He later toured the eastern section of the new terminal and was briefed on the latest project developments, including the remaining construction stages. Following the tour, the minister reiterated that the Airport Modernization Programme is one of the most important national development projects in the Kingdom’s history and underscored the importance of completing the project on schedule and to the highest international standards. -- The new passenger terminal building will increase BAH’s capacity to 14 million passengers a year, many of whom will be international visitors. #1130.8
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Work is progressing well on the private aviation terminal project at Bahrain International Airport and is due for completion by February 2021. It is one of the main components of the Airport Modernization Programme, which is an important step in achieving Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. Transportation & Telecommunications Minister and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) Chairman Kamal Ahmed toured the Civil Aviation Affairs building, which is being restored and developed into a private aviation terminal to cater to VIPs and business leaders. The major revamp is carried out on directives of Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The minister was briefed on the progress of construction work and the various phases of the project, which began in October 2019. He was joined by representatives from Gulf House Engineering (GHE), which is responsible for the design, Hafeera Contracting Company, the main contractor for carrying out the restoration and renovation work at the Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) building, which once served as the Kingdom’s main airport. Covering an area of 4,000 m², the project will feature a range of services to enhance the travel experience for private jet owners, VIPs, and business leaders. The project aims to give VIPs greater freedom and ease of travel through Bahrain International Airport and provide the highest levels of service. It also supports the development of the Kingdom’s private aviation sector. #1130.9
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Bahrain had awarded a total of 372 tenders worth USD 740 million during the first three months of the fiscal year, thus reaffirming the Kingdom’s efforts to continue public and private sector spending on major infrastructure projects despite the exceptional circumstances currently affecting the globe regarding the Covid-19 outbreak. Of these, the biggest share (30%) of tenders was for procurement of equipment and materials worth USD 233 million, followed by the construction and engineering services sector which accounted for 26% of tenders worth USD 188.7 million, according to new data released by the Bahrain Tender Board. The aviation sector was the third, taking 18% of the tenders valued at USD 132 million, while the fourth and fifth slot was taken by the oil and gas sector and the services sector, accounting for 15% and 11% of the awarded tenders, it stated. According to Bahrain Tender Board, a total of 1,730 tenders worth USD 4.9 billion had been awarded in 2019 with the construction and engineering services sector grabbing the lion’s share (45%) worth USD 2.2 billion. The oil and gas sector came second with USD 1.2 billion tenders (around 24% of the total) followed by the aviation sector with tenders worth USD 627 million accounting for a 13% share. The Tender Board said the Kingdom’s USD 32 billion infrastructure project pipeline is a major contributor and driver of national economic growth. Among the key projects currently under way is the USD 1.1 billion Bahrain International Airport expansion project that will contribute to doubling the airport's capacity to 14 million passengers annually, and the fleet upgrade of Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air. Chairman Shaikh Nayef bin Khalid al-Khalifa said: "The new data reflects the stability of the bids awarded in all sectors and reinforces the sustainability of Bahrain’s development services as part of the on-going urban infrastructure expansion that the country is undertaking." "In line with the objectives of the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, these numbers encourage us to provide best-in-class services that meet and exceed our citizens’ expectations and align with our national priorities to achieve sustainability and encourage investment, further driving the country’s economic evolution," he added. Sheikh Nayef said in an effort to enhance market competitiveness, the Board had sought to encourage a wider range of suppliers and contractors to participate in Government tenders and bidding. "The Tender Board achieved distinguished results in 2019 in terms of its selection of Government tenders and auctions, with the number of public tenders constituting 70.5% of the 2019 total – up from 57% the previous year," he stated. #1130.10
