Dutch airport operator the Royal Schiphol Group has terminated its Pier A contract with the construction joint-venture Ballast Nedam/TAV following a series of delays and irreconcilable differences over the facility’s design.
When complete, Pier A will be Schiphol’s most sustainable facility to date, covering 55,000m2 and creating an additional eight gates at the airport.
Royal Schiphol Group awarded the contract to the Ballast Nedam/TAV joint venture in April 2018, with responsibility for the creating the main building, connecting it with the Pier B, installing the gatehouses with passenger bridges, and laying 57,000m2 of pavement for the aircraft stands. Commissioning of the new pier had initially been planned for the end of 2019.
The operator is now preparing a new tender procedure, putting the majority of the remaining scope of Pier A out to tender. Schiphol and the new contractors will agree a schedule for the delivery of the pier once the tender process has been completed.
“The completion of Pier A is not proceeding as expected,” said Hanne Buis, chief projects and assets officer at Royal Schiphol Group. “We have had extensive discussions about this with the contractor, during which we did not reach an agreement. This is unfortunate for all parties. We are currently working on a plan to complete and deliver Pier A with other contractors as soon as possible.”
A statement from Ballast Nedam said, “The project has encountered significant problems, arising from a dispute about the design, which has led to the current situation with Schiphol Group. Despite the fact that Ballast Nedam/TAV and Schiphol exerted significant efforts to find a mutual solution to resolve the dispute, unfortunately no agreement could be reached, leading ultimately to the decision of Schiphol Group to end the cooperation. Ballast Nedam/TAV regrets this outcome, moreover for all suppliers, subcontractors and the end users of the A-pier.
“Ballast Nedam/TAV and Schiphol Group have agreed to proceed with a safe and careful transition and transfer of the construction site. Ballast Nedam/TAV will continue to work on a resolution, in the interest of all stakeholders, including the subcontractors and suppliers involved.”
Pier A had originally been conceived to accommodate a larger number of wide-body aircraft at the airport. Of the eight gates, five on the north side will be suitable for narrow-body aircraft, with three gates for wide-body aircraft on the south side. The gates to the south can also accommodate six narrow-bodies. At a later stage, two additional wide-body gates will be added to the south side.
To boost its sustainable credentials, Schiphol will introduce plants and greenery throughout and has also been exploring ways to save energy and use recycled or sustainable materials. Concepts included ceiling elements made from recycled plastic and the installation of 5,000m2 of solar panels on the roof. The toilets would also be flushed using rainwater and a large section of the floor and furniture is being made from bamboo.
The façade on the sunniest side of the pier will act as a double curtain wall, which, together with the underground cold and heat storage, will help to regulate the climate in the pier. Schiphol is striving for the new facility to achieve LEED Gold status.