The construction of the promised back in 2006 new international passenger terminal at airports in Burgas and Varna can finally begin. Last week, the concessionaire of the two airports Fraport Twin Star Airport Management signed a contract for the construction and implementation of the facilities and surrounding areas with the consortium TIE-ICTAS-Engineering , which includes Bulgarian Technoimportexport and Turkish Holding Ictas. The value of the project is BGN150 million and the deadline for completion is Spring 2013 and that next summer tourists are welcomed in the new buildings.
CEO of Fraport – Dirk Schusdziara explained that the construction will begin in December this year, and is expected to give jobs to over 500 workers. In his words the Turkish company has extensive experience in the construction of airports in different parts of the world. The company has built the facilities in Antalya, Izmir, Baku, St. Petersburg, Ordu – Giresun (at sea), Kazan and others. How much this is relevant, however, is visible by a curious detail. Accidentally or not, the majority owner of the former state company Technoimportexport is Blyasak LTD. The company is registered at the same address which houses the headquarters of Chimimport who are partners of Fraport in the concession of the airports.
To some extent this may explain why they were so slow in choosing a company to build new terminals. In March 2007 Fraport Twin Star Airport Management opened a procedure for selecting a company to prepare technical projects for new facilities in Burgas and Varna, but two months later it was terminated. The motive of the sponsor was that the technical requirements do not include all necessary parts and the design does not comply with the requirements of the Ordinance on the scope and content of investment projects. Then it turned out there were no detailed operating plans. So on May 15, 2008 their development was assigned to Attica – P5 (against the amount of BGN90 thousand), and the documents were approved two months later. Followed by a new attempt at making investment projects for terminals, but again this did not lead to signing a contract, after the winning participant withdrew.
In the middle of 2009, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, announced the tender for the third time and on 27 November the same year it finally came to an agreement. As contractor was selected the British architectural bureau Halcrow Group Limited whose specialists initially received EUR2.6 million for their work, but obviously the task has proved more complex than expected and subsequently requested additional funds. On 25 May 2010 the British agreed to get further EUR68,940, and on August 20 signed a new contract for additional design services worth EUR359 thousand. So ultimately the cost of project for the new terminal came to around EUR3 million. Separately, another EUR1.77 million went to the German Schussler – Plan for consultancy services in management, control and administration of the project for construction of passenger facilities.
This led to 11 November 2011 when the tender itself for engineering, implementation and turnkey construction of terminals and adjacent areas of the airports Bourgas and Varna was opened. According to the documentation of the technical bids opening took place on January 14, 2011, but by 15 November there was no information about this auction and the company did not even say which companies participated in it.
Otherwise, the price of the new terminal building in Varna will exceed BGN60 million. It will offer far more convenience and comfort for travelers – large areas for arriving and departing, modern systems for handling baggage, shopping areas, restaurants and cafes, as well as an entertainment area. According to the designers of Halcrow Group Limited the interior design will retain the holiday mood of the passengers during their stay and will combine elements of Bulgarian architecture and nature.
The facility will be located on a large greenfield site, which will allow construction to be carried out in continuous mode. It is expected to have a capacity of 1.8 million passengers per year and includes two above ground and one underground floor. The built-up area is about 18 thousand square meters.
Far bigger will be the terminal in Burgas and logically it will ask for more money – BGN90 million. It will have a capacity of 2.7 million passengers a year, while the built-up area will be about 20 thousand square meters and will also have two ground and one underground floors.
The BANKER
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