The Public Works Ministry is planning to tender the first major construction package for its planned KD900m ($3.2bn) terminal at Kuwait International airport by the end of the year.

“We will tender the first package in December, and the project will be completed by June 2017,” said Abdulaziz al-Kulaib, undersecretary, Public Works Ministry, speaking at MEED’s Kuwait Energy and Infrastructure Projects 2012.

The new terminal will contain 30 to 51 gates, a transit hotel, VIP and first-class lounges, and car parking for 4,500 vehicles.

The Public Works Ministry re-opened prequalification for the airport in April.

The new passenger terminal was designed by a team led by the UK’s Foster & Partners, who won the contract in November 2009. Foster & Partners is working with local firm Gulf Consult. The design team also includes the UK’s Arup, the US’ Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Netherlands Airport Company. The terminal will increase the capacity of the airport from 6 million passengers a year to 13 million.

The new terminal will be located south of the existing terminal between the two existing runways. The terminal is designed to set a new environmental benchmark for airport buildings and is inspired by local forms and materials. The new terminal building will consist of three symmetrical wings of departure gates, each spanning 1.2 kilometres. The project is targeting LEED Gold standard and aims to be the first passenger terminal in the world to achieve this.

The total investment in developing Kuwait’s International airport is expected to reach $6bn. In addition to the new terminal, an estimated $3bn will be spent on widening runways, enhancing control tower facilities and building new cargo facilities.

In February, the joint venture of local First Kuwaiti Trading Company and Saudi Arabia’s Almabani General Contractors was selected for the $312m contract to build the runway at the airport. It involves building a new, third runway at the airport, as well as the reconstruction and extension of the existing eastern runway to make it 4 kilometres long. The new runway will be 4.5km long. This package also includes the construction of primary and secondary access roads and taxiways.