The joint venture that won the $4.3bn expansion project for Kuwait International airport (KIA) in August begun mobilising for the scheme this week.

The winning bidder, comprising Turkey’s Limak and the local Kharafi National, received the official letter of award last week, according to a source close to the project.

There had been speculation that the scheme could be delayed prior to the letter of award going out..

The new terminal is expected to be completed by 2020. When finished, it will more than double the airport’s passenger handling capacity to 13 million people a year.

Meanwhile, a passenger support building is being planned for the existing Terminal 1 of KIA. The expansion will provide an additional capacity of up to 4.5 million passengers annually to support Terminal 1, until Terminal 2 becomes operational by 2020.

Deadline for submissions on the Terminal 1 expansion is 3 November.

Some 15 groups were prequalified for the deal in August.

The total investment to develop Kuwait International airport expected to reach $6bn. In addition to the new terminal and passenger support building, the funds will be spent on widening runways, enhancing control tower facilities and building new cargo facilities.