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With the number of visitors to
Dubai increasing at a staggering rate each year, Dubai
International Airport is expanding to meet the increased
passenger flow through the construction of two new
concourses and a third terminal dedicated to Emirates
airline. By the time the massive construction project is
complete, the airport will be able to handle 70 million
passengers a year, compared with its current capacity of
22 million.
Emirates is
a launch customer for the Airbus A380, and the new
facilities make provision for the arrival of the new
‘Super Jumbo’, with other facilities including four and
five star hotels, first and business class lounges, a
spacious duty free area, an internal Skytrain, along
with Metro stations for the forthcoming Dubai Light
Railway.
A spokesman
for the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation said: “To
meet the travel needs of the influx of travellers and
airlines, the government of Dubai has committed to a
major expansion plan for Dubai International Airport and
its affiliated divisions. This expansion program is
designed to turn Dubai International Airport into an
even more user-friendly and efficient airport in order
to maintain the emirate’s position as the aviation and
business hub of the region.”
With
construction of the superstructure of the new facilities
nearing completion, the Dh 3.6bn contract for the
fit-out of the new Terminal Three, Concourse Two and
associated car park was recently awarded to a Joint
Venture between Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises,
Murray & Roberts and Takenaka.
Having
completed the Dh 540 million Sheikh Rashid Terminal
Concourse at Dubai International Airport in 2000, the
Joint Venture between Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises
and Murray & Roberts has been involved in a number of
construction projects at Dubai airport ever since – with
this latest contract continuing a long tradition of
working with the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation.
“The Joint
Venture between Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and
Murray & Roberts has been a successful working
partnership for many years, but this is the first time
we have brought in a third partner in Takenaka - a
Japanese corporation with extensive airport construction
experience,” explained project director Peter Thomas.
“Predominantly, they are a specialist MES (Mechanical,
Electrical & Systems) engineering company and bring a
massive amount of technical expertise to the project.
Otherwise it is business as usual with Murray & Roberts
bringing the project management skills and Al Habtoor
Engineering Enterprises providing the resources to
enable it all to happen.”
Among the
most striking features of the project is the fact that
the new terminal is being built underground, and the
design will make it even more spectacular than the
award-winning Sheikh Rashid Terminal. Terminal Three's
departure and arrival halls will be located 10m below
the apron and taxiways, but will not feel claustrophobic
as visual contact will be maintained with the outside
world through a fully glazed facade at one end, and the
naturally lit atrium of Concourse Two at the other end.
Directly
connected to Terminal Three, Concourse Two is dedicated
exclusively to Emirates. The building will include a
multi-level structure for departures and arrivals,
incorporating 27 contact gates and 59 passenger-loading
bridges. It will also include a number of aerobridges
capable of handling the new Airbus A380 Super Jumbo.
“This is
one of the biggest civil engineering projects of its
type in the world at the moment and takes the existing
airport to the next level,” Mr Thomas said. “To give an
example, there is a massive waterfall in the main area
where the Skytrain operates, which will be spectacular.”
The
fit-out team faces an enormous challenge due to the size
of the project and the sheer volume of work that needs
to be completed within a relatively short timeframe, but
they are relishing the opportunity to work on such a
prestigious project.
“The
contract was awarded on 19 December 2004, and we have
the first major milestone to reach by 4 June 2006 –
which is having ‘wild air’ (conditioned chilled air, but
not controlled) which is needed to provide a stable
environment for the finishes to be completed, as
materials expand in heat and humidity,” Mr Thomas
explained.
“The
airport is scheduled to become operational by 19
December 2006, and that is the date for Phase One to be
completed. By that stage we will have undertaken some
98% of the work and then have until 19 April 2007 to
complete the fit-out of the airport hotels.”
In total
the team will complete some
460,000 square metres
of blockwork, 500,000 square metres of plastering,
550,000square metres of ceiling, install some 9000
doors, and lay over 300,000 square metres of tiles.
At peak capacity, there will be 13,000-14,000 people
working on the site, with careful coordination required
to ensure the many different aspects of the job come
together as planned.
“The
challenge of the project is achieving what is expected
of us in such a short period of time,” Mr Thomas said.
“Most of the major works in Dubai at the moment revolve
around building towers, but here we have a very
horizontal building and we have to integrate many other
systems being undertaken by the other associated
contractors such as baggage handling, the mass transport
Metro stations and the Skytrain. In addition, we have a
number of nominated subcontractors, the biggest being
Thermo LLC whom we have worked with on the airport since
the first terminal. Our role as the principal contractor
is to ensure that all these different scopes of work
dovetail together, so it is a major logistical and
planning exercise.”
He added:
“To understand the concept of the physical size of the
project, the Sheikh Rashid Terminal is 750m long,
whereas this is another 200m in length and also a lot
taller. If you analyse the sheer volume of work that has
to be done in the time available, you will begin to
recognise what a challenging project this is.”
Once the
airport becomes operational, the team will have the
added challenge of working within a busy, functioning
airport, alongside passengers, airport staff and
officials, as they complete the remaining work.
Mr.
Thomas said: “The contract starts ‘landside’ but by
December next year it will become an operational airport
and it will then go ‘airside’, yet we will still have
work to do. But, with all our experience of working on
projects at the airport, we are used to working
‘airside’ - although it does become more difficult
logistically because you are working in a secure area.”
As Dubai
continues to expand and welcome even more international
visitors, the new airport terminal will serve as a
fitting introduction to the most dynamic business and
tourism city in the Middle East.
“For most
visitors, the first thing they see when they arrive in a
country is the airport and Dubai airport will be a
reflection of what people can expect in the city,” Mr
Thomas said. “It will have sheer presence, style and
opulence, which is what Dubai is all about.” | 
