Vanuatu’s international airport has moved into the design phase of a long-planned terminal upgrade after Port Vila-based Fosi Consulting won the tender, authorities announced. The project, which covers feasibility studies, design planning and cost assessments, carries an estimated budget of about 18 million vatu and marks the latest step in efforts to replace a terminal originally built in the 1990s.
Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL) said the successful contractor has already presented concept designs to key government agencies, including AVL, the Public Works Department, MIPU and the Ministry of Finance. The overall programme is being managed through the Public Works Department’s Project Management Unit, with an immediate focus on improving arrivals, check-in and departure facilities as part of the wider master plan.
Jason Rakau, chief executive officer of Airports Vanuatu Limited, told officials the new design must be future-proofed to cater for growth and rising demand over the next 20 years. “Small expansions are simply band‑aid solutions,” Rakau said, warning that piecemeal works will leave the airport congested unless a properly designed terminal is delivered according to the master plan.
AVL and government planners say the upgrade is urgent as the airport grapples with constrained cargo capacity and growing passenger volumes driven by multiple daily international services. Limited ramp and cargo handling space have put pressure on operations and highlighted the shortcomings of the ageing 1990s terminal, officials said.
The government is reviewing a range of financing options to fund the project, including conventional public funding and potential private sector investment, Rakau confirmed. Detailed information on funding pathways and any confirmed financing arrangements is expected to be released next month, he added.
Fosi Consulting’s role during the current design stage will be to produce detailed cost assessments and refine concepts to a level that allows procurement planning and funding decisions. The Public Works Department’s Project Management Unit will oversee the next steps, including any environmental and technical studies required before construction can be tendered.
With the design stage now under way and concept plans circulated among ministries, the project has entered a period of decision-making on how the upgrade will be financed and implemented. Officials say final designs and a confirmed funding plan should follow once the feasibility work and costings are complete. Source: VBTC.