Ballast Nedam International Projects B.V. has officially signed an agreement as the general contractor for of Princess Juliana Airport’s terminal reconstruction project. Construction is due to start by the end of September.
The airport terminal suffered massive devastation during Hurricane Irma in 2017 and the official signing ceremony, which was held at the airport’s check-in hall on 24 August marks one of the most anticipated reconstruction projects in the construction firm’s history.
The Airport Terminal Reconstruction Project is jointly funded by the European Investment bank (EIB) and the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. The Sint Maarten Trust Fund is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB).
Commenting on the contract signing, Brian Mingo, CEO of the Princess Juliana International Airport said: “This is a major milestone for the country, PJIAE NV and our staff. I would also like to compliment the project team with this accomplishment, despite the hurdles such as COVID-19, which complicated the works tremendously, they never lost focus and made the impossible, quite possible.”
He added his thanks to “all stakeholders not forgetting our shareholder, the Princess Juliana International Airport Holding Board (PJIAH) and the Government of Sint Maarten for their patience and consistent support over the last year. I am proud to announce that we finally can start rebuilding the ‘Airport of the Future’.”
The phased-planned construction portion of the project will take place over a two-year period, following the mobilisation of the contractor in August 2021. Ultimately, the renovation development will further modernise the 15-year-old terminal building.
The reconstruction project is due to be complete by Q2, 2023, although sections of the terminal building will come online from as early as December 2022.
