Construction starts on Bahrain airport expansion

expat network

Construction starts on Bahrain airport expansion

Bahrain has started construction work on a $1.1 billion airport expansion project which is majority funded by the UAE.

The move will see Bahrain International Airport increase its capacity to accommodate 14 million passengers a year, according to the country’s official news agency.

Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the country’s Prime Minister, laid the foundation stone for the new building, it was reported on Wednesday.

The project is part of a series of mega developments, worth more than $32 billion, planned over the coming years.

The airport expansion includes a new passenger terminal covering an area of 201,467sqm, making it four times the size of the existing terminal.

It also features 24 air bridges, airport aprons, departure halls, check-in counters, passport control booths, security lanes, a Duty Free retail area, e-Gates, baggage reclaim belts and car parks.

A joint venture between the Dubai-listed Arabtec and Turkey’s TAV Construction is building the new passenger terminal at Bahrain airport, it was announced in January.

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) took part in the ceremony that marked the start of work on the expansion project, according to the UAE state news agency WAM.

The project is being funded by a AED9.19 billion (US$2.5 billion) grant provided by the UAE to Bahrain in 2013 as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) development programme for Bahrain, WAM said.

Administered by ADFD, the grant aims to support development projects in Bahrain over 10 years. Of the grant, AED3.373 billion (US$919 million) was allocated towards the Bahrain airport expansion.

Source: ME Construction News

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.