Bids in for Abu Dhabi airport terminal

11 July 2003
Bids were opened on 7 July from five international groups for the terminal package on the Abu Dhabi International Airport expansion project. According to the bid opening prices, Philipp Holzmann Abu Dhabiwith the local Al-Hamed Development & Constructionis the low bidder at AED 1,534 million ($418 million), followed by a South African/Japanese/local joint venture of Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East), Takenaka Corporationand Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprisesat AED 1,714 million ($467 million). Bidding is also under way for the other main package on the estimated $600 million contract, covering the construction of a second runway. The client is the Works Department (MEED 18:4:03).

Bid prices ranged up to AED 2,513 million ($684 million) for the 40-month contract. A substantial element of the project costs relates to the new terminal's roof structure, which will be made of titanium. Bidders are understood to be proposing that the material should be supplied by two European companies.

The contract involves the construction of a two-storey building, 11 bays, six remote bays and a 7,000-square-metre shopping area. The new terminal, to be linked to the existing terminal, will have capacity to handle 4 million passengers a year. The consultant for the terminal package is France's Aeroports de Paris.

For the estimated $110 million runway package, about 10 companies attended the late June site meeting. They were: Germany's Bilfinger & Berger, the local/UK Balfour Beatty Abu Dhabi, the local/South African venture of Al-Jaber Transport & General Contracting Establishmentand Grinaker-LTA, South Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Germany's Strabag, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company, the local/Cypriot J&P Abu Dhabi, the local Al-Naboodah Contracting, Saudi Bin Ladin Groupand the UK's John Mowlemwith the local Engineering Contracting Company.

Bids are due on 18 August for the 30-month contract, which covers the construction of a 4,100-metre runway, parallel and link taxiways, navigational aids and associated works. The consultant for the runway package is the UK's Halcrow.

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