Consultancy firm Mott MacDonald has been appointed as master planner and engineering designer for the $368 million expansion and modernisation of Malè International Airport (MIA).

On behalf of the GMR and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium - which was awarded the 25-year concession to run and develop Malè airport ┬¡- Mott MacDonald will design and build a new 55,000sqm passenger terminal, as well as other ancillary buildings and support facilities. 

The company will provide the full airport master plan as well as all engineering design, construction support, cost estimation and management.

The new terminal is expected to cater for the projected passenger growth at the airport and will provide 23 new aircraft stands, five of which will be bridged.

The other main facilities include a dedicated VIP terminal and cargo terminal, the refurbishment and widening of the existing runway and the development of a new taxiway system.

A ground handling base, maintenance building, fire station and a fuel system will also be included in the expansion programme.

Paul Martin, project manager at Mott MacDonald, says: "All work on the project will be carried out to a high environmental standard with the aim of meeting a minimum LEED silver certification.

"As with all island airport projects, challenging aspects of this expansion include limited space - reclamation is restricted by the coral which surrounds the island - and the problems of procurement, as most of the resources will need to be imported to the site."