Airport operator Avinor has broken ground on the construction of the new Bodø Airport in Norway.
The company approved the construction of the new airport for Nkr7.2bn (US$720m) last year. Scheduled to be open and operational in 2029, it will have a capacity of 2.3 million passengers per annum. The terminal and operational buildings at the new Bodø Airport will amount to a total area of 25,000m2 – five times bigger than the Oslo Spektrum Arena – and 650,000m2 of the site will be paved. During the construction, 3,500,000m3 of bedrock and earth will be moved – the equivalent of approximately 1,400 Olympic swimming pools.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of the first construction contract relating to the new airport. This contract encompasses preparatory works that will lay the groundwork for the beginning of full construction work in 2024. The new Bodø Airport will be located around 900m to the south of the present airport. The current airport will remain operational until the day before the new airport opens. The development is subject to approval from the European Surveillance Authority (ESA) due to EEA legislation relating to state aid for projects of this kind. There is no indication that this will not be granted.
According to Avinor, the new airport will bring the local neighborhood opportunities for both an increase in business activity and more residents. In total, 350 companies will be involved in the construction period, and the project will create 3,000 jobs.
Abraham Foss, CEO of Avinor, said, “This is a great day for the city of Bodø and for us at Avinor. Although the construction of the new airport has been approved by all parties, we have now marked this officially after signing the contracts and breaking ground on the project. At Avinor, we’re highly motivated to work together with our partners at the municipality of Bodø and in the Norwegian Armed Forces to build an airport that will become a hub for traffic into and out of the region. We’ve seen great enthusiasm throughout the city and among out employees. Avinor will be responsible for the development project, but our job is to work together with our partners to deliver the best possible outcome.”
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