After slow progress in infra-structural development in Kuwait in recent years, the state has planned to expedite all projects including the development of Boubyan seaport, better known as Mubarak Al-Kabeer and expansion of Kuwait International Airport (KIA). According to the KUNA, the projects are aimed at transforming Kuwait into a global financial and trade hub as these marine and air ports represent main gateways of this GCC member state.
The Boubyan seaport is one the most important projects of the development plan, and is charted out with four stages of construction. The first stage, which started in September 2007, has two-way three-lane 30 km highways along with a railway line covering the same distance.
The second stage includes the construction of 12 additional marinas to make the total ports capacity amount to 16 marinas, while the third stage will add 8 marinas to make the total capacity hit 24. The fourth and last stage of the seaport will include the construction of 36 marinas, and consequently the final total capacity will be at 60 marinas.
On the other hand, the airport expansion focuses on increasing the capacity from 7mn passengers to more than 20mn annually. It is also projected to compound annual passenger traffic at about 10 percent for the next decade. The expansion of KIA is understood to include the construction of a second terminal, a third runway, a five-star passenger transit hotel and a new control centre, and will also house extensive new cargo handling facilities.
Implementation of the project will start in May 2013, and the time span of execution is expected to go over three years. The major feature of the completed airport would be 28 terminal gates, including 8 exclusively dedicated for Airbus 380 aircraft, besides a transit passenger hotel and service areas.
The economic planners of Kuwait expect the new projects will aid economic expansion not only to marine and air related industries but to even various other sectors. It is also envisaged that these projects will contribute to the countrys economic and trade openness to the world.
By Jose Roy
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