TEMPO.CO, Semarang - The expansion of Semarang's Ahmad Yani Airport is currently being accelerated to meet its' operational target - which is set at the first trimester of 2018. The construction of the expansion to the existing airport had faced some delays, but the first and second phase of the expansion work is claimed to be nearing its' completion.
"The second phase is 100 percent completed, while the first phase is 60,5 percent completed, and we aim to finish the first phase of the construction on December 26, 2016," said the Project Technical Manager for Semarang's Ahmad Yani Airport, I Ketut Aryana on Friday, August 19, 2016.
Ketut said that the first phase of the project is the construction of access road to the newly expanded terminal. The first phase of the project - which costs Rp2,1 trillion - will allow the commencement of the third and fourth phase, which is slated to commence at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018. "The second phase of the project is the construction of additional aprons and taxiway - these have been completed since July 31, 2016," said Ketut.
Ketut explained that the bidding process have already begun for the third phase of the project, which is the construction of the terminal building and its' supporting infrastructure, while the fourth phase of the project - which is the design of the actual terminal - have already entered the design phase.
The fourth phase of the project will include the construction of the airport's supporting offices and bureaus - which includes the customs building, as well as offices for airlines that operate in and out of the airport. The buildings and its' supporting infrastructure, will be built across 88,4 hectares of land, which is located on Semarang's northern coast, and will be designed as a 'floating airport' - giving the airport an illusion of floating above the water off the coast of Semarang.
The Director of Finance and Information Technology for Angkasa Pura Airports, Novrihandri, said that the construction of the airport is funded by the issuance of bonds and non-bank loans amounting to around Rp25 trillion, which will begin to be channelled to fund the construction between 2016 and 2020.
"We need these funds to further develop and run the airport - the expansion of Ahmad Yani Airport alone requires an investment of around Rp2,1 trillion," said Novrihandri.
Novrihandri said that the expansion of Ahmad Yani is no longer negotiable as the airport has been running above its' intended capacity. "By expanding the airport, we hope to improve services at the airport, as well as to ensure that the gateway to Semarang is developed in such a way that it complies with the national, civil aviation standard," Novrihandri stated.
In 2016, Angkasa Pura Airports plan to issue Rp14,5 trillion in bonds, and is planning to acquire investment loans from financial institutions, amounting to some Rp10,5 trillion.
EDI FAISOL