Bechtel to master plan Sharjah Airport expansion

Bechtel has been selected by Sharjah Airport Authority to develop a master plan services for the phased expansion of Sharjah International Airport in the UAE.

The initial study phase is expected to take around eight months, after which the client will decide which projects to prioritise.

According to Bechtel, the airport served 8.5 million passengers in 2013. This figure is expected to rise to more than 15 million passengers over the next 20 years due to economic growth in the region and a planned expansion by the airport’s main carrier, Air Arabia.

Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, chairman of Sharjah’s Civil Aviation Department said, “Sharjah International Airport plays a pivotal role in the Emirate’s economy and has become a catalyst for its cultural, tourist, industrial, and commercial activities. Our continued success will depend on catering for future growth, so it’s crucial that we plan now. All concerned stakeholders are now looking forward to working with Bechtel to provide various options for optimal land use, identifying critical areas of infrastructure need. We will then seek governmental guidance on progressing this phased growth of the airport. ”

Chris Dering, Bechtel’s managing director for aviation added, “We will apply our master planning, engineering and implementation experience to help Sharjah Airport Authority raise its impressive performance as a modern, sustainable airport - one that addresses its immediate and future needs.”

Bechtel has delivered more than 90 major airport projects over the last 50 years. Projects in the Gulf region include the King Khaled, King Fahd and King Abdulaziz airports in Saudi Arabia, along with Dubai (UAE), Hamad (Qatar), Muscat (Oman) airports.