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Ninety express interest for Taif airport PPP

13 February 2025

Some 90 firms have expressed interest in bidding for a contract to develop and operate a new international airport in Taif in the kingdom’s Mecca province.

Saudi Arabia’s Matarat Holding, through the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP), invited firms to express interest in bidding for the contract in early December.

The international and local firms that expressed their interest are: 

  • Abdul Ali Al-Ajmi Company (local)
  • Abrdn Investcorp Infrastructure Investments (UK)
  • Aeroporti Di Roma (Italy)
  • Algihaz Holding (local)
  • Al-Jaber Contracting (local)
  • Al-Modon Al-Arabia Company (local)
  • Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Company (local)
  • Al-Sharif Contracting & Commercial Development (local)
  • Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting (local)
  • Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting Company (local)
  • Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting (Kuwait)
  • Almabani General Contractors (local)
  • Almansouryah Company General Contracting (local)
  • AlMozaini Real Estate (local)
  • Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Company (local)
  • Alternative Resources Investment 
  • Annasban Group (local)
  • Asyad Holding Company (local)
  • AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering (China)
  • Bangalore International Airport (India)
  • Binladin International (local)
  • Bouygues Batiment (France)
  • CACC International Engineering 
  • China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
  • Surbana Consultants (Singapore)
  • Buna Al-Khaleej Contracting (local)
  • China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation (China)
  • China Railway Construction Corporation (China)
  • Clavrix (US) 
  • Consolidated Contractors Company (Greece)
  • Contrax International (UAE)
  • Corporacion America Airports (Luxembourg)
  • Currie & Brown (UK)
  • DAA International (Dublin Airport Authority, Ireland)
  • Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair & Partners, Lebanon) 
  • DG Jones & Partners (UAE)
  • EB Cornerstone (UK)
  • Edgenta Arabia (Malaysia)
  • Egis Project (France)
  • Enzar Company for Operation & Maintenance (local)
  • Erada Advanced Projects (local)
  • EXP Arabia (Canada)
  • FAS Energy (local)
  • Ghesa Ingeniera Technologia (Spain)
  • GMR Airports (India)
  • Gulf Investment Corporation (Kuwait)
  • Haji Abdullah AliReza & Company (local)
  • IC Ictas (Turkiye)
  • Indiza Airport Management (South Africa)
  • Innovative Contractors for Advanced Dimensions (ICAD, local)
  • International Energy (local)
  • Kalyon Insaat (Turkiye)
  • Kolin Insaat (Turkiye)
  • Korea Airports Corporation (South Korea)
  • Koushan Real Estate Development Company (local)
  • Lamar Holding (local)
  • Limak Insaat (Turkiye)
  • Lynx Contracting Company (local)
  • Mada International Holding Company (local)
  • Makyol Insaat (local)
  • Manchester Airport Group (UK)
  • Middle East Tasks (local)
  • Modern Airports (local)
  • Mota-Engil (Portugal)
  • Mowah Company (local)
  • Munich Airport International (Germany)
  • Namaya Investment Company (local)
  • Nasser Abdullah Abu Sarhad (local)
  • National Transportation Solution Company (local)
  • Nesma & Partners (local)
  • Nesma Company (local)
  • Pini Group (Switzerland)
  • Ports Projects Management & Development Company (local)
  • Salso & Associates (Greece)
  • Samsung C&T Corporation (South Korea) 
  • Sarh Developments (local)
  • Saudi Arabian Trading & Construction Company (local)
  • Saudi Binladin Group (local)
  • Saudi Building Technic Maintenance Company (local)
  • Skilled Engineers Contracting (local)
  • Sumou Real Estate Company (local)
  • Tamasuk Holding Company (local)
  • Tatweer Buildings Company (local)
  • Tav Airports Holding (Turkiye)
  • Technical Development Company for Contracting (local)
  • Terminal Yapi Ve Ticaret (Turkiye) 
  • Vantage Group (Australia)
  • Vision International Investment Company (local)
  • WCT International (Malaysia)
  • Zamil Group (local)

The new Taif International airport will be located 21 kilometres southeast of the existing Taif airport, with a capacity to accommodate 2.5 million passengers by 2030.

The clients opted for a 30-year build-transfer-operate (BTO) contract model, including the construction period.

In addition to a new airport terminal, the proposed design features a runway with a full-length parallel taxiway connecting to a single commercial apron.

The scope includes facility buildings, utility networks, car parks and access roads, as well as provisions for additional expansions to meet future subsystem requirements.

The new Taif International airport is expected to meet the projected increase in demand by 2055 and contribute to the economic development of Taif city and its surrounding areas, in line with the kingdom’s National Aviation Strategy.

It is also expected to meet the needs of Umrah pilgrims as a viable alternative within the region’s multi-airport system, which includes King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina and Prince Abdulmohsen Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Yanbu.

Other airport PPPs

In addition to the Taif International project, three other airports comprise the first stage of Saudi Arabia’s latest plan to modernise and privatise its international and domestic airports.

The other planned airport public-private partnership (PPP) schemes are in Abha, Hail and Qassim.

Matarat and NCP recently tendered the contract to develop and operate a new passenger terminal building and related facilities at Abha International airport. They expect to receive bids by April.

Located in Asir province, the first phase of the Abha International airport PPP project is set for completion in 2028. It will increase the airport terminal area from 10,500 square metres (sq m) to 65,000 sq m. 

The contract scope includes a new rapid-exit taxiway on the current runway, a new apron to serve the new terminal, access roads to the new terminal building and a new car park area. The scope also includes support facilities such as an electrical substation expansion and a new sewage treatment plant.

The transaction advisory team for the client on the Abha airport PPP scheme comprises UK-headquartered Deloitte and Ashurst as financial and legal advisers, respectively, and ALG as technical adviser.

Previous tenders

The Taif, Hail and Qassim airport schemes were previously tendered and awarded as PPP projects using a BTO model.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) awarded the contracts to develop four airport PPP projects to two separate consortiums in 2017.

A team of Tukey’s TAV Airports and the local Al-Rajhi Holding Group won the 30-year concession agreement to build, transfer and operate airport passenger terminals in Yanbu, Qassim and Hail.

A second team, comprising Lebanon’s Consolidated Contractors Company, Germany’s Munich Airport International and local firm Asyad Group, won the BTO contract to develop Taif International airport.

However, these projects stalled following the restructuring of the kingdom’s aviation sector.

Saudi Arabia has already privatised airports, including the $1.2bn Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International airport in Medina, which was developed as a PPP and opened in 2015.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13391497/main.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

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