WSP wins Jordan airport contract

expat network

WSP wins Jordan airport contract

A joint venture between Canadian engineer WSP and Jordanian firm Consolidated Consultants, has been appointed as independent engineer for an $800m new-build passenger terminal at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), in Amman, Jordan.

The joint venture will provide technical advice and support related to project financing. The decision was not entirely unexpected, as both companies have been providing independent engineering services at QAIA since December 2007.

The terminal is being built under a public–private partnership agreement between the Kingdom of Jordan and Airport International Group, the airport concessionaire, which is made up of Aéroports de Paris and investment companies from Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Greece, Cyprus, the UK and Jordan.

Jim Ratliff, managing director of WSP’s management and industry division, said: “Our appointment to this high profile project reflects WSP’s increasing presence right across the aviation sector, from front-end planning to design and environmental consultancy.

“We’ve worked on several of the world’s largest airports such as the new Hamad International Airport in Doha, which is ongoing, and Heathrow and Gatwick in the UK so this consolidates our offering.

WSP recently completed the purchase of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Balfour Beatty’s former professional services arm, for $1.3bn in cash.

Source: http://www.globalconreview.com/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.