France’s Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPI) is reviewing plans for four airport projects in Iraq.

The projects cover the rehabilitation of systems and the buildings at Baghdad airport, the renovation of the terminal at Basra airport and the construction of a new passenger terminal and extension of the runway at Mosul airport. The other project is a greenfield project in Duhok. ADPI is currently carrying out the site survey for this airport and will present the study to the Transport Ministry shortly.

ADPI is working on these projects as part of an agreement signed in 2010 with the Transport Ministry to be the exclusive consultant for all Iraq’s airport projects.

ADPI is already working on the development of the new Middle Euphrates International airport in the country. The Transport Ministry has approved the concept design for this airport and ADPI has now moved to the schematic design, which covers the bill of quantities, including the cost of materials and labour.

The Middle Euphrates airport will be 33 kilometres southeast of Karbala and 39km northwest of Najaf. It is being built to serve the millions of Shia pilgrims that visit the shrines and places of religious significance in Karbala and Najaf.

Phase one is expected to have an annual capacity of 1.6 million passengers by 2015 and stage two will have an annual capacity of 12 million passengers by 2028. The third stage, which is due for completion by 2050, will have an annual capacity of 20 million passengers.

Initial plans to have two terminals have been scrapped and there will now be just one terminal. There will be a 4.5km runway, 12 contact gates and a multi-storey carpark. There will also be an airport city, which will include a Bedouin area where pilgrims can camp and cook. This will be connected by light-rail transit to the first phase of the airport. Tenders for the construction could be invited in mid-2012.