German airport operator Fraport has signed a multi-year contract with Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the owner of Bahrain International Airport, to supply Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) consulting services for the airport’s new passenger terminal.
Fraport will provide its full range of ORAT services, which will be bundled into three consulting phases over a 32-month period. Scheduled to open in 2019, Bahrain International Airport’s new passenger terminal will have the capacity to serve 14 million passengers annually and is a key infrastructure element in BAC’s Airport Modernization Program (AMP).
The suite of Fraport ORAT (operational readiness, activation and transition) services and tools comprises project management; concepts and standard operating procedures (SOP); training and familiarization, and human resources strategy; operational trials (simulation); and airport relocation and post-inauguration support.
Dr Stefan Schulte, executive board chairman, Fraport, said, “Winning Bahrain Airport’s ORAT tender further confirms Fraport’s position as a top provider of operational readiness services to airports around the globe.
“The size and scope of this consulting project underscores BAC’s commitment to developing Bahrain as a leading international aviation gateway in the years to come. Not only is this our largest ORAT contract to date, it is our most comprehensive – whereby we will be delivering operational readiness services and solutions before, during and after the inauguration of Bahrain’s new terminal.”
Alexander Larisch, ORAT director, Fraport, said, “Our unique ORAT program allows us to find and solve any deficiencies relating to the opening of new terminals and other airport infrastructure – well before inauguration day. Operational trials are one of our most powerful tools to highlight critical issues, while proving the functionality of new facilities and systems, as well as the preparedness of staff. Furthermore, these trials establish a platform for all relevant stakeholders to work closely together.”