New terminal opening 2016
This is how Terminal III will look like upon completion.PHOTO|FILE
What you need to know:
The main challenge is to secure funds for phase 2 so that the entire project can be completed at once. It should be noted that the project will be executed in two phases. So far, only Euros 133 million have been secured for phase I
How is TAA faring in the construction of Terminal III of Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport?
It shall be recalled that actual construction of Terminal III commenced on January 23, 2014 and is going on well. Generally speaking, it has reached 60 per cent. The three floors, steel structured building is now at the roofing stage. Construction of an apron and a taxiway has reached a base course level while that of a 1.7 million litre reservoir for clean water is complete.
Do you expect to complete construction in line with the specified timeframe?
Yes. The project is on schedule. It will be opened in June 2016.
Are there any challenges encountered in the course of constructing the project?
The main challenge is to secure funds for phase 2 so that the entire project can be completed at once. It should be noted that the project will be executed in two phases. So far, only Euros 133 million have been secured for phase I. The government of Tanzania has not yet secured the remaining Euro 117 million for Phase II. The plan is to execute Phase II of the project by building a structure which will add terminal capacity by 2.5 million passengers, thus making a total capacity of 6.0 million passengers per year once the project is fully completed.
Will the construction require extra funding or the earlier estimates are sufficient to complete the project?
No extra funding is required. The earlier estimates are sufficient to complete the project.
Air operators have also been complaining about lack of fuel at Songwe International Airport. Any updates on this matter?
TAA has solved the fuel problem at Songwe Airport by engaging Puma Energy (T) to serve the airport. Now big and small planes can refuel at Songwe Airport. We hope Precision Air will resume their flight schedules to Songwe Airport because now they can easily refuel their aircraft there. [Precision Air suspended its Dar es Salaam-Songwe flights on June 21, 2014 due to unavailability of jet fuel at Songwe Airport. The airline stated that with no jet fuel in Mbeya, it had to uplift fuel from Dar es Salaam, a situation that limited passenger loads.]
