ShareKUWAIT: Contractors working on Kuwait International Airport New Terminal Building (T2) project have commenced earthworks and excavation for the food preparation building and service tunnels as part of phase 3 of the development. A statement from the Ministry of Public Works, released on Tuesday, confirmed that obstacles at the construction site have been cleared in coordination with relevant authorities, including the Ministries of Interior, Electricity and Water, and other key agencies. The statement also noted that materials, equipment, and specialized contractors are being approved, in collaboration with the project consultant and the supervising team, to ensure smooth progress.
Phase 3 of the project involves several critical tasks, including the construction of the food preparation building, technical support center, security checkpoints, employee and cargo inspection areas, waste disposal zones, service tunnels, and aircraft taxiways and parking areas. The terminal is being constructed by the Turkish company Limak Insaat, with operations to be managed entirely by a 100 percent Kuwaiti administrative team.
Minister of Public Works Dr Noura Al-Mashaan reiterated the government’s commitment to utilizing all available resources to ensure the timely completion of the T2 project. This statement followed a meeting she held with key officials, including Director-General of Civil Aviation Sheikh Humoud Mubarak Al-Hamoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and representatives from the Ministry of Interior, to review the project’s latest developments.
Al-Mashaan, since her appointment earlier this year, has frequently highlighted the need to “overcome obstacles” in the project, though specific challenges have not been disclosed. Despite previous delays, the ministry remains focused on completing the terminal on schedule, although no definitive completion date has been set. Critics have called for clearer communication, including calls for a public deadline, which some say is not “a miracle” to provide.
No set deadline
The New Airport Terminal, which has been under construction since 2017, was originally scheduled to open by the end of 2023. The $4.34 billion project is divided into three phases: the first includes the passenger terminal, central station, and service tunnel connections; the second includes car parks, service buildings, and access roads; and the third involves aircraft parking and taxiways. Once completed, the terminal will triple Kuwait Airport’s capacity to 25 million passengers annually.
In 2022, the Ministry of Public Works revised the timeline, pushing the completion date to the third quarter of 2024, citing the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions on labor availability. By December 2023, Phase 1 was 72.64 percent complete, while Phase 2 stood at 68.1 percent, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. A ministry spokesperson recently confirmed that the project is now expected to be finished in 2025. Last May, Limak Insaat, the Turkish contractor responsible for building the terminal, reported that work was nearing completion.
