Chile launches prequalification process for Santiago Airport new terminal construction

Chile's Minister of Public Works Loreto Silva launched (19-Feb-2013) the prequalification process for parties interested in participating in the tender for the construction of Santiago Arturo Benitez International Airport's new terminal. The tender will be launched in 2H2013, the award granted in 2014 and the 15-year concession will begin in 2015. The new concession will involve the construction of a new terminal that will triple passenger capacity by 2030, which is estimated to reach 29 million passengers p/a. The existing terminal will be expanded and transformed for domestic use only, and two additional parking garages will be constructed to incorporate 4100 new parking spaces. Regarding timelines, Mr Silva said, "Once the new concession is awarded, there will be a period of one year for final engineering development and then four years for the construction of the works." Mr Silva added that the new terminal complements the current expansion project, with works to begin "in a couple of months" on "increasing" infrastructure in "certain crucial sectors of the airport". [more - original PR - Spanish]