Two bidders vie for Hanthawady airport contract
South Korea-based Incheon Airport Consortium and Singapore-based Yongnam-CAPE-JGC Consortium are the only two companies vying to win the Hanthawady contract.
From four shortlisted bidders for the construction of Hanthawady International Airport, they are the only two that submitted their financial proposals when the deadline came on April 22, according to the Department for Civil Aviation.
South Korea-based Incheon Airport Consortium and Singapore-based Yongnam-CAPE-JGC Consortium outlined their financing plans for the project. The other two shortlisted bidders - TAI SAE Corporation and VINCI Airport - failed to revise their plans.
The four previously proposed to finance the construction. Later, in light of the Japanese Official Development Assistance Loan being made available, the government invited them to revise their financial proposals.
“Two companies, namely Incheon Airport and Yongnam submitted renewed financial proposals. TAI SAE Corporation and VINCI Airport just re-submitted their previous plans. Now, we are reviewing their financial proposals,” said Tin NaingTun, Director General of the Department for Civil Aviation.
Currently, Myanmar has three international airports, located in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw respectively. Among them, Yangon International Airport is regarded as the gateway to the nation. However, the increasing number of flights connecting Yangon with many other cities worldwide has led to congestion at the airport.
As Myanmar was reopened to the world in 2012, regional and global airlines rushed to establish air links with the country. There are over 20 international airlines operating to and from the city.
Hanthawady is designed to ease the congestion at the main airport, which now operates with only one runway. To be built in Bago Region, it is located about 80km away from Yangon.
Pioneer Aerodrome Services, a subsidiary of Asia World Company, is operating Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw international airports.
Most international airlines fly to Yangon International Airport, which is regarded as the gateway to Myanmar, and a smaller number of flights are bound for Nay Pyi Taw. The operator has proposed to return the Nay Pyi Taw airport to the government.
