Dubrovnik Airport has this week secured finances for the second phase of its major development project, which will include apron expansion, the overhaul of its runway and taxiways, as well as the relocation of the fuel farm and enclosed facilities for maintenance, operations and ground equipment.
Initially, work will begin on the construction of a multi-story parking, the addition of new air bridges and the installation of a new baggage handling system. It comes a month after Dubrovnik Airport opened its new Terminal C building, which will now be integrated into a single functioning unit with Terminal B. Dubbed as the Dubrovnik Airport 2020 reconstruction and development project, phase two is valued at 115.2 million euros. It will enable the airport to compete with others in the region, in terms of service levels, employment and growth in both inbound and outbound passenger traffic. The expansion will enhance the airport’s handling capacity to some 3.98 million passengers per year by 2032.
The project, which is scheduled for completion in three years time, also includes the overhaul and lengthening of the runway, with work to begin during the 2017/18 winter season. Other airside improvements will include taxiway reconstruction and expansion (scheduled for 2018), construction of two new rapid exit taxiways, expansion of the western apron, new aprons for both commercial and general aviation, as well as the development of aircraft maintenance and operation facilities, including hangars. Furthermore, an underground fuel piping system, two internal gas stations, the installation of a solar power systems and the reconstruction of facades and a substation to attain energy-efficiency are also planned by 2020. The project is being financed mainly through European Union structural funds and local bank loans.
Dubrovnik Airport registered its busiest year on record in 2016 by handling 1.993.243 passengers, an increase of 17.7% compared to the year before. During the first quarter of 2017, the airport welcomed 75.976 travellers through its doors, a decrease of 5%. The decline was down to weaker results recorded during March. However, the airport anticipates a busy year with a number of airlines to launch new services to Dubrovnik this summer season. They include Eurowings,
Jet2.com, Monarch Airlines, easyJet, Flybe, Volotea and Thomson Airways. The Croatian Prime Minister,
Andrej Plenković, said Dubrovnik Airport will handle over two million passengers this year. “
This airport is constantly developing and offering new services. A lot was achieved during the first phase of the project and now these 115 million euros for the second phase, which have been secured, are extremely important for Dubrovnik”, Mr Plenković noted.
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