Abu Dhabi-based Al-Jaber Group has been awarded a SR1.8bn ($480m) contract for the construction of Abha airport in Saudi Arabia.

The project, which will take 36 months to complete, entails the building of a new passenger terminal with an area of 86,000 square metres that will accommodate 5 million passengers annually.

The work will also feature 20 passenger boarding bridges, an apron for aeroplanes to park as well as a parallel corridor to accommodate 26 planes. Al-Jaber will also carry out work on car park buildings.

Al-Jaber Group, which completed a $4.5bn debt restructuring deal in last year following financial difficulties, has since won a number of project deals including the AED1.8bn contract to build luxury villas on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi in early 2014.

“Al-Jaber Group KSA branch is witnessing substantial growth since we started our operations in Riyadh last year,” said Obaid Khaleefa al-Jaber al-Marri, chairman of Al-Jaber Group. “We are looking at winning more projects in the Saudi market in the near future. Al-Jaber Group is well positioned to benefit from the increased momentum in the launch of new projects in this strategic market.”