Brazil’s Odebrecht to build Mozambique’s Nacala International

Construction work to build Nacala International Airport in Nampula province, northern Mozambique, is due to begin in April, government spokesman, Alberto Nkutumula said last week in Maputo. The contract has been signed and government approved.

The work, which is estimated to cost US$112 million, was contracted to Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, which will have 23 months to transform the current Nacala Airbase into an international airport. The contract includes construction of passenger and cargo terminals and a control tower as well as repaving the runway, which will be 3,400m long and able to receive Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft.

The transformation of the landing strip into a civilian airport is aimed at meeting the development challenges of Nacala district, which over the past few years has been the target of several investment projects, taking into consideration its status of special economic area.

Nkutumula also said that the government believes that international airports, which work as terminals in the north of the country, would also contribute to attracting European, US and northern African air carriers, due to reduced flight times and resulting lower operating costs.

8 February 2010