Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry (MPW) has prequalified 22 groups for the contract to develop the second phase of the Kuwait International airport expansion.

The scope covers the construction of passenger services buildings and roads that connect to the first phase, the under-construction Terminal 2.

According to a source familiar with the scheme, the majority of the firms that have been prequalified to bid were approved to tender for the contract to build Terminal 2 in 2014.

They are:

• Acciona Infraestructuras (Spain)
• Al-Habtoor Leighton (UAE)/Alghanim International General Trading (local)
• Arabtec Construction (UAE)/Maali Al-Maasiya (local)
• Astaldi (Italy)
• Beijing Urban Construction Group (China)/Tima General Trading (local)
• Beijing Construction Engineering Group (China)/Copri Construction (local)
• Besix (Belgium/ UAE)/Combined Group Contracting (local)
• Daewoo (South Korea)/Al-Hashmi Construction (local)
• Enka Construction (Turkey)
• FCC Construction (Spain)/Al-Mabani United (local)
• Ferrovial (Spain)/Aknan Global Real Estate (local)
• IC Ictas (Turkey)/Aslaa General Trading (local)
• Impreza Pizzarotti (Italy)
• Italian-Thai Development Company (Italy)/Kuwait Systems for General Trading & Contracting (local)
• Larsen & Toubro (India)/Larsen Construction (local)
• Limak Insaat (Turkey)/Kharafi National (local)
• Murray & Roberts (South Africa)/Burhan Engineering & Construction (local)
• Obayashi (Japan)/Saleh Jamal & Partners (local)
• Obrascon Huarte Lain (Spain)/First United Company (local)
• Samsung C&T (South Korea)/Arkan Engineering (local)
• Shanghai Construction Group (China)/Al-Mulla Building & Construction (local)
• TAV (Turkey)/Kharafi Construction (local)

The request for proposals (RFP) is expected to be issued in July.

MPW awarded Turkey's Limak the KD1.3bn ($4.3bn) contract for the construction of Terminal 2 in 2016.

At the time, the award was made to a team comprising Limak and local firm Kharafi National, whose role, sources say, was limited to serving as local agent for Limak during the project bidding phase.

Terminal 2 is expected to handle 25 million passengers a year upon completion and accommodate all aircraft types through 51 gates and stands.

In May, Limak  signed a KD249.2m ($830m) syndicated credit agreement with the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to partly finance the construction of Terminal 2.

A third phase of the airport development is expected at a later date.