• The African Aviation Tribune •: ■ CONGO (KINSHASA): See Renderings for Kinshasa N'djili International Airport's new passenger terminal due in 2014.

Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport's New stop-gap International Terminal

French airport equipment firm Alpha Airports, the winner of the Build-Operate-Transfer contract for this project, has commenced the construction of Kinshasa's Ndjili International Airport's new USD21million Terminal. The works were officially launched by Congolese prime minister, Mr Augustin Matata Ponyo and are expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2014.

According to Mr Daniel Ravet, the CEO of Alpha Airports, the new international terminal is being built by China's Sinohydro in front of the current domestic terminal where the car park presently is. Covering an area of 10'000sqm with 4 aerobridges , the facility will have a processing capacity of one million passengers per year, averaging 83'000 passengers per month. A new cargo terminal is also planned. Mr Ravet added that the terminal will be equipped with the latest ICAO & IATA endorsed safety and security technology.

As such, the terminal is in reality, a temporary solution (at least in theory), while funding to the tune of USD600million is raised to help build a terminal capable of handling 4million pax/annum in the medium term. French consortium, Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) SYSTRA, have already been awarded the feasibility study contract for this new project.

Overview

The project is part of Kinshasa's concerted efforts to improve the country's poor aviation safety image, battered over the years with a series of high profile crashes. It will also form the gateway for two large upcoming projects set to transform the DRC's local and regional traffic. Firstly, Kinshasa is once more attempting to set up a viable national carrier to replace the semi-defunct LAC Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (4V). Turkish Airlines has been identified as a potential partner though no official statement has been issued as yet. Secondly, with its under-exploited market, Kinshasa will (tentatively) be the site of Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Central African hub, intended to tap into the DRC's international-bound traffic and funnel it via Addis Ababa.

Connectivity

Domestic Passenger Connectivity ex Kinshasa (ch-aviation)

Regional & International Pax/Cargo Connectivity ex Kinshasa (ch-aviation)

Other aspects

Other upgrades that are still ongoing include the re-laying and resurfacing of runway 06/24, set to have been concluded last year, but extended until the end of 2013. Work on pouring a second 8cm thick layer of asphalt is set to commence with funding to the tune of USD64million to come from China's ExIm Bank.

Under the USD150million African Development Bank-backed "Priority Air Safety Project", Ndjili is also to get a new 35m tall control tower (also under construction) as well as a new service area, a regional control centre, a new power plant and a new fire station, all due by Q1 2014.

Complimenting the new buildings will be a new ADS-B system to be rolled out by Thales covering Mbandaka, Ilebo, Kisangani, Lubumbashi and Kinshasa N'djili. N'djili will also benefit from the construction of Area Control & Approach Control Centres (ACC&APP) as well as an ATC simulator.

A USD11million VIP Terminal was inaugurated in 2010.

According to architects, Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi), the new terminal will be integrated into the existing colonial era facility using "dynamism and character" to keep most of the original building.

For the backround, financing and contracting details associated with the project, see this post: ■ CONGO (KINSHASA): (Pics) N'djili Airport Runway 06/24 rehabilitation nearing completion.