A consortium of Middle East construction companies with track records in building ultra-modern airports have been selected as the preferred bidder for the Dh11.75bn (US$3.2bn) Midfield Terminal Building project at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) has chosen Consolidated Construction Company, (CCC), TAV and Arabtec Construction.
"Adac is currently in discussions with the preferred bidder to finalise all details of the contract prior to its signing, and before officially announcing the winning contractor of the Midfield Terminal Building at the capital's airport in June this year," the company said yesterday.
The contract for the 700,000 square metre Midfield Terminal building is one of the largest airport projects ever put out to tender. It will result in passenger capacity at the airport jumping to more than 47 million people a year by 2030.
One of the key strategic infrastructure projects to be undertaken in Abu Dhabi, the terminal will initially handle 30 million passengers per year and act as a springboard to the aggressive growth plans of Etihad Airways.
"In light of the developments underway and planned for Abu Dhabi, the expansion and redevelopment of Abu Dhabi International Airport is aimed at delivering world-class aviation infrastructure to support the emirate's long-term economic and tourism strategies that will underpin the emirate's 2030 vision in building a vibrant and diversified economy," Adac said.
Abu Dhabi plans to spend US$500 billion (Dh1.83bn) on developing its industry, tourism and culture sectors through to 2030 to reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons.
"The company is on-track to deliver an efficient and sustainable aviation infrastructure, capable of catering to the growing air transport needs of the emirate," said Khalifa Al Mazrouei, the chairman of Adac.
"Abu Dhabi is experiencing remarkable development in the air transport sector and business and tourism industries that has positioned it as a hub for international commerce and travel. Adac was established in 2006 to support this position and to spearhead the redevelopment of the emirate's aviation infrastructure," he said.
"To this end, it plays a key part in the Government of Abu Dhabi's Plan 2030. Adac will ensure that the aviation infrastructure in the emirate is ready to support this opportunity."
Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of the fastest-growing hubs in the world. Its growth rate of 19.7 per cent over the past five years has been spurred by the rapid growth of Etihad Airways, which is competing for transfer traffic with rivals Emirates Airline, based in Dubai, and Qatar Airways. All three are seeking to attract long-haul passengers to Asia away from the traditional hubs in northern Europe such as London and Frankfurt.
The new terminal will include more than 200 check-in counters, and will be capable of handling over 8,000 passengers per hour. The baggage system is designed for almost 20,000 bags per hour and will have more than 22km of conveyors and 10 reclaim carousels. Security screening lanes for passengers will total 136 with a further 25 for staff.
The passenger facilities will include 18,000 sq metres of duty-free retail shopping and almost 10,000 sq metres of international restaurants and cafes, offering a wide range of styles and cuisines. Passenger facilities will also include more than 27,500 sq metres of space offering 23 hospitality lounges, a transit hotel and a heritage and culture museum.
The total built-up area will be 450,000 sq metres in the central passenger areas, with a further 250,000 sq metres in the aircraft piers. The piers will accommodate up to 65 aircraft, including the largest Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-800.
The whole building will be constructed using almost 70,000 tonnes of steel, more than 1.6 million tonnes of concrete, and nearly 500,000 sq metres of steel and glass cladding.
Three other consortia were shortlisted; Samsung, ACC and Six Construct; Bechtel Corporation, ENKA and Al Jaber Group, and Hyundai, Kumho, China State Construction and Al Shafar General Contracting Company.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khodar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%20and%20Alexandria%2C%20in%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ayman%20Hamza%2C%20Yasser%20Eidrous%20and%20Amr%20El%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20agriculture%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Saudi%20Arabia%E2%80%99s%20Revival%20Lab%20and%20others%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 2 Bournemouth 1
United: Sharp (45 2'), Lundstram (84')
Bournemouth: C Wilson (13')
Man of the Match: Jack O’Connell (Sheffield United)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
ANALYSTS’ TOP PICKS OF SAUDI BANKS IN 2019
Analyst: Aqib Mehboob of Saudi Fransi Capital
Top pick: National Commercial Bank
Reason: It will be at the forefront of project financing for government-led projects
Analyst: Shabbir Malik of EFG-Hermes
Top pick: Al Rajhi Bank
Reason: Defensive balance sheet, well positioned in retail segment and positively geared for rising rates
Analyst: Chiradeep Ghosh of Sico Bank
Top pick: Arab National Bank
Reason: Attractive valuation and good growth potential in terms of both balance sheet and dividends
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
