Dubai International airport’s Concourse A has been named GCC Project of the Year at the MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2013.

The new concourse at Dubai International’s Terminal 3 was also named GCC Transport Project of the Year at the awards, held in Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi on 14 May. The development was delivered by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects Corporation (DAEP).

The new passenger terminal began operations in January and is the world’s first purpose-build facility for handling the Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft. The project beat off competition from entrants across the region, including the Development of King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project in Mecca, also known as The Clocktower, Qatar’s Doha Tower, the Maaden Ammonia Plant Project in Saudi Arabia.

The UAE led the region with five award-winning projects, with Saudi Arabia and Oman claiming two regional awards and Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar each receiving one.

The full list of winners is:

• GCC MEED Quality Project of the Year, in association with Ernst & Young: Concourse A - Dubai International airport
• GCC Mashreq Oil & Gas Project of the Year: joint winners Octal Petrochemicals Expansion Phase, Oman and Maaden Ammonia Plant
• GCC Industrial Project of the Year: Ducab HV and EHV Facility, UAE
• GCC Power and Water Desalination Project of the Year: Replacement of Steam Turbo-Generators at No. 2 Power Plant
• GCC Water Reuse Project of the Year: Sewage Treatment Plant of Duqm Crowne Plaza
• GCC Leisure and Tourism Project of the Year: The Avenues Project, Kuwait
• GCC Transport Project of the Year: Dubai International airport – Concourse A
• GCC Social Project of the Year: Development of King Abdul Aziz Endowment (Mecca)
• GCC Building Project of the Year: Doha Tower
• GCC Lafarge Sustainable Project of the Year: Siemens Head Office
• GCC Small Project of the Year: UAE Pavilion Project on Saadiyat Island

Two companies were also given special recognition by MEED. Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) received The Angus Hindley Award for Project Excellence 2013, for its outstanding contribution to the development of the region over the past six decades. The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) was given the MEED Editor’s Award, in recognition of its leadership and vision in the region’s projects market.

For full details, read the full GCC Winners 2013 ezine

“It is not just the quality that we are recognising in the projects that have received awards tonight. We are also paying tribute to the invaluable impact that these projects have had on the development of the region as a whole. Congratulations to all the winners – your achievements are honourable examples for others to follow,” said Abraham Akkawi, Partner and Head of Infrastructure and PPP Advisory Services, Mena, Ernst & Young,

“This year’s awards programme received a higher number of entries, firmly establishing it as the most sought-after recognition initiative in the projects industry. This signifies the important value placed by stakeholders on achieving quality in their projects not just by aspiring for excellence in design, engineering and construction, but also in terms of their projects’ contribution to the economy, society and the environment. For their outstanding achievements, we salute all the winners,” said Edmund O’Sullivan, chairman of the judging panel of the MEED Quality Awards for Projects.