Hanthawaddy International Airport

Hanthawaddy International Airport is an airport project in Bago, Myanmar (Burma). Yongnam Holdings, Changi Airport Planners and Engineers (CAPE) and JGC Corporation submitted a proposal to Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation for the contract to design, construct, operate and maintain the airport under a 30-year concession period, one of several such proposals. The Hanthawaddy project includes construction of an international terminal with capacity for 12 million passengers p/a, a 3600m runway capable of handling A340 and Boeing 747 aircraft, taxiways, 42 aircraft stands and installation of a baggage handling system and other support systems. The consortium submitted a similar proposal for Yangon International Airport in Apr-2013. Construction for the Hanthawaddy International Airport was expected to commence in 2017.

Jul-2019. Myanmar and Japan resumed negotiations to form a JV to develop Hanthawaddy International Airport. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation allocated almost 3600ha of land for the project and the revised designs may include a connection to existing rail networks.

May-2018. Japan's State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tsukasa Akimoto and Myanmar's Minister for Transport and Communication U Thant Sin Maung held discussions on the possibility of reviving the stalled Hanthawaddy International Airport project. Japanese ambassador to Myanmar Ichiro Maruyama said both governments want the project to commence "as soon as possible". The construction programme is projected to cost USD1.5 billion.

Feb-2018. Singapore's Yongnam Holdings announced a framework agreement (FWA) signed between a consortium comprising Yongnam, JGC Corporation and Changi Airports International, and Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation for the design, construction and management of Hanthawaddy International Airport on the basis of a public private partnership, has expired. Yongnam stated the FWA has not been renewed as certain issues remain unresolved. Yongnam holds a 25% interest in the consortium, and will provide updates when there are further developments. 

Sep-2017. Myanmar Ministry of Transport and Communication Permanent Secretary U Win Khant said the development of Hantharwaddy International Airport is the sole aviation development priority for the government's Transport Master Plan. The Hantharwaddy International Airport master plan calls for the development of the airport between 2016 and 2022, with initial capacity for 12 million passengers p/a and an investment of USD2 billion.

Feb-2017. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation director-general U Min Lwin revealed the Government is working to secure a USD890 million "ODA loan from the Japanese government" for the Hanthawaddy International Airport development project. 

Oct-2016. Myanmar's Minister for Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung announced that the Burmese Government plans to finalise a concession agreement with a consortium of Yongnam Holdings, JGC Corporation and Changi Airports International for the construction of the Hanthawaddy International Airport north of Rangoon. Construction is expected to commence in 2017. 

Feb-2016. JGC Corporation, Yongnam Holdings and Changi Airports International signed a framework agreement with Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation for the design, construction and management of Hanthawaddy International Airport. The new airport is expected to be Myanmar’s main international gateway upon completion with the capacity of 12 million passengers p/a. The project is scheduled to complete in 2022.

Jan-2016. Hanthawaddy International Airport’s consortium investors, Yongnam Holdings, Changi Airport Planners and Engineers (CAPE) and JGC Corporation, are expected to sign a MoU for the airport development project with Myanmar government in early Feb-2016.

Aug-2015. Myanmar’s Department Civil Aviation (DCA) deputy director Min Lwin Oo announced the new Hanthawaddy International Airport will be delayed by another four years to 2022, due to insufficient official development assistance. The tender for the USD1.5 billion airport construction project was awarded to a Yongnam-CAPE-JGCC consortium in 2014, after the initial contractor, Seoul Incheon Airport Corporation, had a disagreement with DCA. The design has the capacity for 12 million passengers p/a.

Feb-2015. Hanthawaddy International Airport will be operational in 2020, according to Myanmar's Director General of Civil Aviation Win Swe Tun. Mr Tun confirmed: "The Official Development Assistance - ODA Loan from Japan Government will support this project. We need to discuss within this year whether we can get the loan and hope that it will be active in 2016. We hope that the airport will fully operate in 2020 at least." The Burmese Government hopes to cover 50% of the USD1.5 billion Hanthawaddy International Airport construction project via the ODA.

Nov-2014. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) plans to further expand the airport's handling capacity to 30 million passengers p/a, according to director general Win Swe Tun. Mr Tun stated: "We plan to extend the airport until it can handle 30 million passengers in the future."

Oct-2014. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation expects the new Hanthawaddy International Airport will be operational by the end of 2019. DCA director general Win Swe Tun stated: "Hanthawaddy Airport, when it is completed, will be the premier gateway for entry into Myanmar." The airport will be designed to have a handling capacity of 12 million passengers p/a, according to Mr Tun. 

Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) selected the consortium led by South Korea's Yongnam Holdings, Singapore's Changi Airport Planners and Engineers (CAPE) and Japan's JGC Corporation (Yongnam-CAPE-JGC) to oversee the Hanthawaddy International Airport project, as confirmed by Yongnam CEO Seow Soon Yong. Preferred bidders, Seoul Incheon Airport Corporation (IIAC) were initially awarded the tender. However, IIAC amended the airport capacity estimates outlined in its proposal, reducing the infrastructure's handling capacity from 12 million to 10 million passengers p/a. DCA rejected the changes and negotiated with the Yongnam-CAPE-JGC consortium to replace IIAC for the contract. The consortium will undertake design, construction, operation and maintenance works under a 30-year public-private partnership agreement.

Mar-2014. The Department of Civil Aviation confirmed the Government will request official development assistance to finance 50% of the USD1.5 billion Hanthawaddy International Airport construction project. DCA director general Tin Naing Tun stated the decision was made after negotiations between the government and preferred bidder, South Korea's Incheon International Airport Corporation failed to determine viable methods of financing the project. The financial assistance package has prompted the DCA to request the shortlisted bidders to resubmit their bids by 22-Apr-2014. Mr Tun advised the DCA expects the process will delay the completion of the project.

The Myanmar Transport Ministry stated it expects to delay Hanthawaddy International Airport construction work as a project policy change forces potential contractors to submit new bids by 22-Apr-2014. The government agreed to pursue official development assistance for the expansion project prompting the resubmission of tenders from four short-listed competing contractors. The Ministry expects the change will delay the completion of the project.

Feb-2014. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation invited the consortium comprising Yongnam Holdings, Changi Airport Planners and Engineers (CAPE) and JGC Corporation to enter negotiations on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of Hanthawaddy International Airport and its facilities under a public-private partnership agreement for a 30-year concession period. The consortium previously submitted a proposal for the project in Feb-2013 and was appointed back-up tenderer in Aug-2013 to Seoul Incheon Airport.

Oct-2013. Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation director general Tin Naing Tun reportedly said a contract for the construction of Hanthawaddy International Airport is expected to be signed with preferred bidder Incheon International Airport by early Nov-2013. Discussions on the contract are reportedly underway and construction is expected to commence in early 2014.

Aug-2013. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs announced that Seoul's Incheon International Airport has been selected as preferred bidder for the development of the new USD1.1 billion international airport, Hanthawaddy International Airport. Incheon Airport is in discussion with Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation on the exact details, with aims to sign a contract by the end of 2013. It is planned to open the airport in 2018 with Seoul Incheon now to be able to manage the property for 50 years (from Jan-2018 to the end of 2067). The new airport plans to have a capacity of handling approximately 12 million passengers p/a. A final agreement on the details is expected to be reached at the end of this year.