Boskalis has been awarded a contract worth an estimated EUR 1.5 billion for the design and construction of Manila International Airport in the Philippines, marking its largest project to date.

“The confirmation of a project of this scale is fantastic news”, comments CEO Peter Berdowski. “During the construction phase, we will contribute to the local economy and the new airport will bring further socio-economic growth to the greater Manila region. Through this project, we have secured the utilization for our large dredging vessels for the coming years.”

Approximately 1,700 hectares of land will be developed for the MIA airport in Bulakan, located around 20 kilometres north from the heart of Metro Manila in Bulacan Province. The land development project will be designed to withstand potential large earthquakes, local typhoons and future sea-level rise.

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The government of the Philippines has granted a 50-year concession to San Miguel Aerocity Inc (SMAI) to build, operate and maintain the airport. The land development phase will be financed through a consortium of international banks.

For the dredging activities, which will span over a period of three years, Boskalis will deploy a number of trailing suction hopper dredgers including its largest mega hopper dredgers and a large cutter suction dredger. Preparatory work is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2021 with the land development project expected to be completed by the end of 2024.