Dubai seeks contractors for airport tunnel tender

29 December 2016

Infrastructure will be used for Al-Maktoum International airport’s baggage handling system

Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects has invited contractors to express interest in bidding for a contract that involves tunnelling works at Al-Maktoum International airport.

The tunnel will be over 4 kilometres long, 33 metres wide, 15 metres high, and will be used for the airport’s baggage handling system. It will link the airport’s West Terminal building with the concourse buildings.

The contract is the latest sign of accelerating construction activity on the $33bn expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport.

In early December, a joint venture of US-based Lane and Sharjah-based National Contracting & Transportation Company (NCTC) was awarded a $125m infrastructure contract. That work involves building and installing temporary fences and gates, utilities and site offices, as well as site security. The 31-month contract is scheduled to start in January 2017.

Over the summer, the local Tristar was awarded the contract to complete the enabling works, which covers earthmoving works for the entire 36-square-kilometre site.

An expansion to the existing terminal at the airport is also under way. In March, the local Alec was awarded the construction contract. The work involves increasing the airport’s built-up area from the existing 66,107 square metres to 145,926 sq m by June 2017.

The overall $33bn expansion project involves building new terminal facilities, concourses, runways, roads and tunnels. Once completed, the expanded airport is expected to accommodate more than 220 million passengers a year, making it the world’s largest in terms of size and passenger capacity by 2050.

Dubai Municipality is tendering another larger tunnel project that will serve Al-Maktoum International airport. It has invited prequalified contractors to submit proposals for the main tunnel package on its Jebel Ali stormwater network project.

The main tunnel package is also referred to as package 2, and is one of three main packages planned for the stormwater network.

The second major tunnel package, the 11.5km-long lateral tunnel, is expected to be tendered in April 2017. A third package, known as package 1, involves the construction of a pumping station.

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