INIA seaplane terminal to be moved

Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) announced that its seaplane terminal at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) would be shifted elsewhere before the airport’s new runway is put into use.

Speaking to "Sun" after a press conference this Sunday regarding the massive to upgrade INIA, Managing Director of MACL, Adil Moosa said that 30 percent of land needed to build the new runway had now been reclaimed.

62 hectors of land is being reclaimed for the new runway which will be built the same length as the current runway – 3,400 meters.

The land is being reclaimed from the lagoon on the west of Hulhule’.

Work on constructing the new runway has been contracted to the Chinese company, Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG).

Adil said that the new runway would be operational within 2018, but that they needed to shift the seaplane terminal to another area before the new runway can be used.

“Given where the seaplane terminal is currently located, we will need to shift it elsewhere before the new runway is made operational,” said Adil.

The MD said that they had completed the concept design for the task, and were now working on a detailed design.

“The seaplane terminal will be moved in time for completion of the new runway. The seaplane terminal will be moved based on a timline,” said Adil.

He said that the seaplane terminal would be shifted near the air traffic control tower.

“All buildings related to seaplane terminal will be moved. Seaplane terminal is different from a passenger terminal. Seaplane terminal will not have sophisticated equipment,” said Adil.

He said that shifting the seaplane terminal and related offices to another area would therefore not be that difficult a task.

Once the new runway is complete, the old runway will be used as a taxiway – which will help save both time and expense.