The contractor that won the $685m contract in 2015 to develop a new airport in Jizan in southwest Saudi Arabia has resumed mobilisation work on the new site, according to a source familiar with the project.

MEED understands the contractor and the client, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca), held a kick-off meeting for the project in early October.

The contractor, a joint venture comprising local firms Safari Company, Nassir Hazza and Saudi Lebanese Modern Construction, expects the new King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz airport in Jizan to be completed between 2021 and 2022, the source tells MEED.

The source also says a subcontractor to undertake earthworks for the scheme is expected to be appointed in November.

“The project requires well-qualified subcontractors to undertake earthworks and generate data such as water levels in the area … [detailed geotechnical data is necessary] before the runway, apron and taxiways design can be finalised,” the source adds.

The scheme has been put on hold twice since Gaca awarded the contract in December 2015.

The construction first stalled in 2016 based on oil giant Saudi Aramco’s suggestion that the location where the new airport is being built may present an opportunity for oil and gas exploration activity.

New land identified not far from the original site was subsequently allocated and the contractor began mobilising for the site preparation in early 2017. However, Gaca again issued a work stoppage notice in October or November that year for unspecified reasons.

The project entails the construction of a 52,000 square metre terminal building to accommodate 2.4 million passengers annually.

Jizan lies directly north of Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen. The region has often been targeted by Houthi rebels since the beginning of the Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen.