Bandar Seri Begawan - The transformation of Brunei International Airport, which is aiming to be the best airport on Borneo island, is set to begin and will be completed in two to three years after the tender process, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) announced yesterday.
Dato Paduka Timothy Ong, acting chairman of the board, said BEDB will create an airport which will meet all of Brunei's requirement for the next 10 years with the assistance of Changi Airports International (CAI).
CAI has been appointed to assist in drawing up the tender specifications and undertake project management with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunel Darussalam, the BEDB said in a statement.
"Our projection is that we will aim to go to tender within three months and from the time of award, (project completion) will be between 24 and 36 months as it also depends on which contractor," Dato Ong said.
The board, which advertised internationally, received expressions of interest from 69 contractors and consortia.
Dato Ong said: "We don't want something that is 'okay'. We want something with a wow factor, so we are not just going for a pass, we're going for distinction. The project will be based on current and projected traffic. We recognise that Brunei doesn't have the traffic of, say, Kuala Lumpur."
Their aim is to create from the existing airport one with high standards, he added.
The acting chairman also stressed that they do not want to build a white elephant.
"We envision between three and seven aerobridges, but the minimum is three," he said.
Dato Ong added that this is a challenging project because the airport will continue to be used while work is being done.
"It is easier in fact to build a new airport, but we don't have the luxury of doing that.
People going in and out of airports can get very upset or agitated if there are delays. So we have to undertake this work smoothly... In order to ensure this is done well, we are engaging one of the world's leading consultants, CAI, to work with us," he added.
Dato Paduka Timothy Ong, acting chairman of the board, said BEDB will create an airport which will meet all of Brunei's requirement for the next 10 years with the assistance of Changi Airports International (CAI).
CAI has been appointed to assist in drawing up the tender specifications and undertake project management with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunel Darussalam, the BEDB said in a statement.
"Our projection is that we will aim to go to tender within three months and from the time of award, (project completion) will be between 24 and 36 months as it also depends on which contractor," Dato Ong said.
The board, which advertised internationally, received expressions of interest from 69 contractors and consortia.
Dato Ong said: "We don't want something that is 'okay'. We want something with a wow factor, so we are not just going for a pass, we're going for distinction. The project will be based on current and projected traffic. We recognise that Brunei doesn't have the traffic of, say, Kuala Lumpur."
Their aim is to create from the existing airport one with high standards, he added.
The acting chairman also stressed that they do not want to build a white elephant.
"We envision between three and seven aerobridges, but the minimum is three," he said.
Dato Ong added that this is a challenging project because the airport will continue to be used while work is being done.
"It is easier in fact to build a new airport, but we don't have the luxury of doing that.
People going in and out of airports can get very upset or agitated if there are delays. So we have to undertake this work smoothly... In order to ensure this is done well, we are engaging one of the world's leading consultants, CAI, to work with us," he added.
Continue reading at: The 'Best Airport' On Borneo Island
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