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The New Addis Ababa International Airport is a monumental infrastructure giant project in Ethiopia which has the potential to make Ethiopia the aviation hub in Africa. This is not only because of the congestion in numbers of airplanes and passengers but also it is the strategic move to augment the development of economy in Ethiopia and its integration to the rest of the world. The project is set for completion by 2024.
Scope
A new airport is expected to increase overall capacity: upon the transfer of the full-scale facility, passenger traffic is to reach 100 million passengers per year, making it one of the largest airports in Africa. This is a consortium of international contractors led by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) that are well experienced in the management of mega construction projects. In this case, the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise, a state enterprise that handles various operations within airports, is in charge of the implementation of the project.
Ethiopia has many runways, spacious passenger terminal buildings, and new cargo handling facilities, or facilities, all which are important for Ethiopia’s growing export sector especially from horticulture and textiles products. Another important aspect of the New Addis Ababa International Airport is its ability to function efficiently with an eye on sustainability and great use of technology.
The structure also employs technologies that are eco-friendly, and the construction fits the international standards in an effort to create ‘Green airports’. This encompasses features such as efficient lighting system, waste disposal section, and the water saving mechanism. The airport is also designed to be used for transit passengers, with construction of attractions like hotels, shopping malls and business class waiting areas among others to make the stay worthwhile.
Ethiopian Airlines is expecting to grow from 13.9 million passengers to 18 million passengers. By the time next summer reaches, the pre-existing aprons and terminals at the Addis Ababa hub will be expanded in order to be able to accommodate a passenger capacity of 25 million.
New Addis Ababa Airport Site Location
The new site of the New Addis Ababa Airport is located around 38 kilometers south of city of Addis Ababa. The new airport will have a total of four runways and shall be constructed on an existing site which contains both cargo and VIP operations. Lastly, the new Addis Ababa airport shall be opened within a period of four years.
The New Addis Ababa Airport will be located at a slightly lower altitude as compared to the home hub of the Ethiopian Airlines which sits at 7,500 feet making it among the highest globally. This factor tends to create operational difficulties for the fleet of Ethiopian Airlines. According to a statement that was made by the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mesfin Tasew, the new airport is going to give way for the strategy of growing Ethiopia.
This New Addis Ababa Airport project is expected to cost approximately $5.6 billion. A construction company shall be assigned to come up with the design of the airport, construct it, and also provide the funding for the project. Quite a number of construction companies have shown their interests in the establishment of this project. This new airport will possess a capacity of 100 million passengers annually which is four times the capacity of the pre-existing Ethiopian Airlines hub. |
