A four-hour flight from Europe, the Cape Verde archipelago offers visitors mountainous volcanic landscapes, golden beaches, marine wildlife sanctuaries and its rich crioula (creole) a blend of its Portuguese past and African roots. The dry, warm climate means that the attractions of these Atlantic islands that together form Africa’s most westerly country can be enjoyed all year round. In 2019, Cape Verde welcomed 758,000 tourists with its traditional morabeza (a creole term meaning hospitality, friendliness), a figure that has steadily increased over the past two decades from 28,000 visitors in 1995, and has established itself as a destination for sustainable and nature-based tourism.

To meet this growing demand, several years ago the country began to expand and modernise its airports. Ineco first started working in the archipelago in 2003 and since then has continued to provide services to the national company Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea, ASA (see ITRANSPORTE 50 and 61). Currently, the network consists of four international airports –Sal, Praia, São Vicente and Boavista– and three airports for domestic traffic, São Nicolau, Maio and Fogo. For the São Filipe aerodrome, Ineco is carrying out a study of flight procedures for the implementation of night operations.

In early March 2021, it also presented the technical feasibility study prepared for ASA on a new international airport on the island of Santo Antão, at an event held in the capital, Porto Novo, attended by the country’s top officials.

The fifth international airport, in Santo Antão

In total, the Cape Verdean territory, with just over 530,000 inhabitants, is made up of 15 islands and islets: 10 large ones (one of which, Santa Luzia, is uninhabited) and five smaller ones. All of them have at least one seaport and ferry lines, which together with domestic flights provide internal mobility. International airports are the main gateway for foreign tourism, which in 2019 contributed 28.6% of gross domestic product.

The Ineco report concludes that the construction of a new airport in Santo Antão is feasible and proposes that it be located in Ponta do Morro Preto, seven kilometres from Porto Novo

The second largest island by area, after Santiago (where Praia airport is located), is Santo Antão, which is 779 km² and the third most populated island, with more than 40,000 inhabitants. In 2003, the island’s only aerodrome, located in the north with a small runway of less than 600 metres, ceased operating for operational and safety reasons, meaning that its connections are now limited to the ferry line to neighbouring São Vicente. Despite this, its spectacular mountain scenery attracted more than 42,000 tourists in 2019, according to Cape Verde’s Directorate General of Tourism, a 20% increase on the previous year.

In 2016, the government, through ASA, launched preliminary studies for the construction of a new airport near Porto Novo, the island’s capital and home to a quarter of the population. On 5 March, the city hosted the presentation of the conclusions of the technical feasibility study prepared by Ineco, which was attended by the Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, the Minister of Tourism, Carlos Santos, and other Cape Verdean authorities and public and private entities.

After mapping the area and analysing four possible locations, the winds, as well as taking into account the mountainous terrain of the island and the obstacles to aircraft operations, the Ineco report concludes that the construction of the airport is feasible. After considering several criteria, the proposed location is the Ponta do Morro Preto area, seven kilometres from Porto Novo. This area was selected as the most suitable because of its proximity to the city, which would make it more convenient for future passengers, and because it would require less earthworks than the other options, making construction cheaper and easier.

The runway is expected to be 1,400 metres long, which could be extended to 2,000 metres, suitable for the medium-sized aircraft that make up the fleet of the airlines that will operate at the new airport. In order to determine the runway orientation, which is essential to ensure safe operations, a detailed analysis of the data collected over the last four years by the weather station, which was installed in the area in 2017, has been carried out. In this way, it has been established that the predominant winds are east-southeast, which dictates the orientation of the runway for the approach maneuvers, the most delicate, and the take-off.

The Ineco study also includes an analysis of the tourist demand that the new airport would generate, using the Spanish islands of La Gomera and El Hierro as a benchmark. Following the confirmation of the technical feasibility of the project, a ‘road map’ of the next steps was presented: the completion of a preliminary flight procedures study, the preparation of a Master Plan including location alternatives, a demand study and a cost-benefit analysis, a Strategic Environmental Assessment, and finally, construction and operation authorisations.

Ineco, on behalf of Renfe, has inspected the second batch of reconditioned trains that Kenya Railways acquired in 2019 from the Mallorcan rail operator SFM. The batch comprises six 6100-series diesel units manufactured by CAF, which will join the five units, also inspected by Ineco, that were shipped in late 2020 to serve Nairobi’s new network of commuter lines (see IT70). This second batch completes the total of 11 diesel multiple units and one trailer unit that were acquired by the Kenyan operator.

*In the field of aeronautics, Ineco is to begin a new project in Africa: specifically, in Cape Verde, where the company has been working since 2003. The new project consists of a feasibility study for a new airport on the island of Santo Antão.

Africa was the location of one of Ineco’s first projects abroad: in 1975, the company, then a small consultancy firm made up of a small group of engineers from Renfe, was preparing a feasibility study for the Kindu-Kisangani railway line in the former Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ineco, which began its aeronautical operations in Africa in the early 2000s, has carried out projects to improve and expand airport infrastructure, navigation systems and airspace management in various countries across the continent. One particularly noteworthy example, due to its condition as a group of islands, is Cape Verde, where Ineco has carried out numerous projects.

A study of the procedures and modes of operation at the São Filipe aerodrome on the island of Fogo is currently underway. Ineco is preparing a review of obstacles and safety in relation to the introduction of night operations and instrument flight conditions, and is designing the instrument flight procedures. Another recent project in the archipelago was a study, carried out in 2019, for the installation of an ILS (Instrument Landing System) at São Vicente’s Cesaria Évora airport, one of the country’s four international airports.

Members of the Ineco team at the opening of the new Boa Vista airport terminal (2007).

The first projects in Cape Verde date back to 2003, with the project and management of the new Boa Vista international airport, which opened in 2007. Since then, a large number of studies, projects and supervision of subsequent improvement works have been carried out. These include the review of the master plans of Sal, Boa Vista, Praia and São Vicente, in 2012, easement studies, technical and economic feasibility analysis of night operation in Boa Vista and São Vicente. In 2014, ASA also commissioned Ineco to draw up the master plans for three domestic airports: Maio, Sâo Nicolau and Fogo, and between 2015 and 2018, the management of the expansion of the passenger terminals at the international airports of Boa Vista and Sal.

Ineco has also carried out its aeronautical activity on the African continent in a half-dozen other countries. In 2015, it worked on updating the air traffic management system for the state-owned Airports of Mozambique (ADM). The company provided support services for the design of ATM systems in the specification of equipment and systems and also provided support for their subsequent deployment.

In 2012, as a result of an intergovernmental collaboration agreement between Spain and Angola, Ineco formed part of the Aena Internacional team that, over the course of a year, developed physical and operational security procedures for the airport of Luanda, the country’s capital. Airport staff were also trained and a quality assurance plan was introduced using indicators, similar to the one applied by Aena at its airports.

In Morocco, between 2011 and 2012, Ineco was part of the consortium that carried out the Study, analysis and reorganisation of Morocco’s airspace project that was included in the country’s Strategic Plan to boost its tourism industry. At the same time, the company carried out a capacity study for the Moroccan Directorate General of Civil Aviation for the Mohammed V airport terminal building in Casablanca.

Ineco’s first project in Egypt was awarded in an international tender in 2010, when the Egyptian Company for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN) selected the company to develop a strategic plan for the country’s civil aviation. The plan included an analysis of the CNS/ATM infrastructure, the proposal of a new airway network, the definition of a modernisation plan for navigation systems and the development of specifications for a new air traffic control system for the Cairo Control Centre.

In 2009, in Kenya, the company reviewed and updated the expansion project of the Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi. Due to the strong growth in traffic volume up to that point, the airport operator had to revise its planned expansion project. This plan was opened to international tender and awarded to Ineco in 2008. Works included a traffic demand forecast through 2030, the computer simulation of passenger, baggage and aircraft flows –both of the airport’s current situation and future forecasts– and the assessment and proposal of recommendations to optimise the capacity and functional, economic-financial, architectural and operational safety viability of the expansion project.

In 2009, Ineco designed the improvement and extension of the airfield at Walvis Bay airport for the Namibian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, for which it also drafted the basic project for a new passenger terminal.

Ineco’s 2019 professional volunteer project for the refurbishment of the Maternity and Paediatric Wards at Bor Hospital in South Sudan has come to a successful conclusion. The project, in collaboration with the NGO Doctors of the World, involved the design and construction of a drainage and water-supply system. The company also donated an ultrasound machine to the hospital, which treats more than 15,000 patients.

ASA (Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea), manager of the airports in Cape Verde, has once again commissioned Ineco to review procedures and operational policies at São Felipe aerodrome on the island of Fogo. Ineco will prepare a review of obstacles and safety in relation to the introduction of night operations and instrument flight conditions, and draft instrument flight procedures. In addition, in 2019 the company also carried out a study for the installation of an ILS (Instrument Landing System) at São Vicente airport. These recent projects join the long list of projects carried out by Ineco to improve and expand the airport network in the country since 2003 (see ITRANSPORTE 50 and 61).

In 2012, Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and one of Africa’s major cities, reopened its railways after a century, with its first commuter line connecting the capital to the Syokimau neighbourhood in the south, which saw the construction of the first new railway station in 80 years. It was the first step to giving the city and its suburbs an accessible, efficient mass public transport system that will help to reduce congestion. Growth of the population –some four million people in 2019– has stimulated the use of private vehicles and the city’s popular minibuses, known as ‘matatus’, which operate as shared taxis.

For this reason, work is underway for the Development of Commuter Rail Master Plan for the Nairobi Metropolitan Region, and aims to make rail the alternative mode of transport for the 13 million people that the World Bank, which is supporting the project, estimates will live the city by 2030 (increasing to 22 million in 2045). By then, it is expected there will be a total of six commuter lines, with 163 kilometres of track, 53 stations and 1.4 million daily passengers.

The first actions recommended by the Master Plan include the purchase of rolling stock, improvements and outfitting of the existing workshop, works to improve the condition of stations and renovate the track, and obtaining technical support for the inspection, commissioning and operation of the new trains.

This final task is the one undertaken by Ineco for Renfe, which worked with its Kenyan counterpart –Kenya Railways– and the overall authority for Nairobi’s commuter network, NAMATA (Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority), on the acquisition of rolling stock in Spain, also including the supply of spare parts and staff training. With the support of Spain’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (via ICEX) and Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, Kenya signed a contract in 2019 with SFM (Mallorca Rail Services) for the purchase of 11 diesel twin units and one trailer. Specifically, the units are Series 6100 units manufactured by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in the period 1994-2003, of which the first batch of five units has already been shipped to Kenya.

The units, which were withdrawn from service by SFM following the completion of the electrification of its network, have been reconditioned to extend their useful life by at least 25 years. Ineco carried out the pre-shipping inspection of the units, which departed from the port of Barcelona. Inspection included verification of the list of spare parts requested by Kenya Railways for maintenance of the fleet and checking the condition of the spare parts; inspection and recording the results of static and on-track tests carried out by SFM; visual and documentary review of the units and the reconfiguration of the Automatic Train Stop system (ATS) to factory settings, following the static and on-track tests.

CAF’s Series 6100 trains are equipped with two Cumins NTA-855-A diesel engines, one at each end, compressed air brakes and double doors on both sides. They can reach a top speed of 110 km/h. They measure 15.5 metres in length, 3.7 metres high and 2.5 metres wide and have a maximum capacity of 252 passengers: 156 standing and 96 seated. They have space for bicycles and door-closing warning alarms. A total of 52 were manufactured. They first entered service on the rail network in Mallorca in June 1995. They were retired progressively as the network was electrified and ran on the island for the last time in May 2019. In 2015, SFM sold 12 units to the French railways. In their new home in Kenya, the units will cover various routes from Nairobi to Syokimau, Embakasi, Thika, Kikuyu and Kitengela.

According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, the god Ra sailed his ship along the celestial Nile, which corresponded to the great royal river that gave rise to one of the earliest civilizations in the world. The great temple of Luxor, dedicated to Ra –as well as to another deity, Amon– together with the nearby enclave of Karnak, near Thebes, the ancient capital of the pharaohs, together with the great pyramids and the Sphinx of Gizeh in Cairo, constitute some of the most important archaeological legacies that reflect its greatness.

Today tourism, and the activities related to it, have become one of Egypt’s most important economic engines, contributing a total of 12.8% to the national GDP and 11.6% of total jobs of the active population. Tourism policy, which originally focused on enhancing archaeological tourism around the Nile, has been diversifying in recent decades to make sun and beach tourism, mainly around Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea and Matrouh on the Mediterranean coast, one of the country’s biggest attractions.

In spite of Egypt’s enormous tourism potential, with the number of international visitors doubling between 2004 and 2010, with a record high of 14.7 million foreign tourists, the events related to the Arab Spring in 2011 paralysed this growth trend and caused it to fall to its current figure of 10 million. In 2010, archaeological tourism attracted 3.2 million visitors in the vicinity of Luxor and Aswan, with 30% corresponding to national tourists and 70% to international tourists. According to the internal mobility patterns analysed along the corridor, these visitors generated almost 5 million trips in the study area. Approximately 65% of the tourists reached the area through the airports in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, while the remaining 35% came from the Hurghada region on private buses operated by tourist agencies. However, these 2010 statistics could increase significantly if the country regains political and social stability.

One of the main design criteria that conditioned the alignment was to minimize crossings over the Nile

Aware of their potential and the importance of tourism for the economic recovery and development of Egypt, the government wants to boost the production sector and is promoting a new model in which high speed enhances the synergies between cultural and leisure tourism, catalysing long-distance internal mobility within the country. The Ministry of Transport is studying two large corridors connecting the capital city of Cairo with Alexandria to the north, and to the south along the Luxor-Aswan axis and the Red Sea coast to the east. The implementation of high speed will transform Egyptian rail transport, offering connections with total travel times between key points similar to those of air travel, but with more regular service and expanded timetables, providing approximately 18 hours of daily service, plus punctuality and comfort at more competitive prices.

Egypt receives technical and financial support from the European Union to carry out its railway modernization plans. It is in this context that the collaboration agreement signed by the Egyptian minister of Transport and the Spanish minister of Economy and Competitiveness in April 2015, and the feasibility study carried out by Ineco with Adif and Renfe for the north-south corridor, financed from the Fund for the Internationalization of Enterprise (FIEM), are framed. The objective of the study, on which a multidisciplinary team with professionals of different specialities worked for 14 months, was to provide the Egyptian government with a useful tool for decision making in the process of implementing high speed in the country.

The study area

The feasibility study covers the corridor between Cairo and Luxor, and the areas from Luxor to Aswan and Hurghada. The proposed high-speed line comprises 650 km between Cairo and Luxor, an additional 175 km to Aswan, and 262 km between Luxor and Hurghada, totalling 1,087 kilometres of line and 6 stations: Cairo, 6th of October, Minya, Asyut, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada. According to data from 2015, the population of the study area totalled 13.1 million inhabitants (14.9% of the country’s population) and mobility between the different defined areas is estimated at 38.5 million trips a year. In terms of the modal distribution, 29% of the trips are made in private shared vehicles, 28% in private vehicles, 23% by railway, 17% by bus and the remaining 3% by plane. This demand for transport translates into a market of some 4.1 billion Egyptian pounds annually. In terms of door-to-door travel times, specifically for the Cairo-Luxor connection, the minimum time for the road alternative is more than 7 hours, rail more than 10.5 hours, and plane 3.5 hours. The quantification and characterization of the mobility in the study area was based on the analysis of the available information and the results obtained from a campaign of surveys and traffic counts.

Tourism, the X factor

The success of the high-speed line will depend to a large extent on the recovery and enhancement of international tourism, which according to the demand forecast model would account for between 60% and 80% of the total number of passengers, depending on the scenario. The model takes into account three possible demand scenarios, high, medium and low, in two traveller segments: local and international. In order to prepare them, we took into account the forecasts of the Egyptian government in terms of GDP growth and also analysed different hypotheses regarding the recovery and development of international tourism.

The objective of the study was to provide the Egyptian Government with a useful tool for decision making in the implementation of high-speed rail

In the most optimistic scenario, the Ministry of Tourism expects to reach 20 million foreign tourists in 2020, which means an annual growth rate between 2014 and 2026 of 9%, much higher than GDP growth for that same period. In this context, passenger demand for the high-speed line would be 6.3 million per year. In the average scenario, visitor levels are expected to return to 2010 levels in 2026, with annual growth of 3.4%, very similar to GDP growth, and 3.3 million passengers on the new line. The least optimistic estimate places tourist recovery a decade later, in 2036, with annual growth of 1.8%, and 2.7 million high-speed travellers.

Technical feasibility

The technical feasibility analysis is based on the definition of the alignment of the future railway infrastructure and a comprehensive design at a scale of 1:25,000. For this purpose, different alternatives were studied at a scale of 1:50,000, and the most favourable one was selected applying a multi-criteria analysis: the optimal combination between factors such as construction costs, technical complexity (evaluated based on the length of structures and tunnels and the type of terrain), environmental conditions –giving particular importance to the preservation of the archaeological heritage–, the length of the route and the travel times obtained from the simulations.

The main design criteria that conditioned the alignment were based on minimizing crossings on the Nile River, avoiding mountainous areas and lands with high geotechnical risk –with high clay, saline or gypsum content– as well as areas with archaeological and environmental protection or impacts on farmland. The two intermediate stations
–Minya and Asyut– were selected for being the most populated of the route, as well as for their future growth potential according to the plans of the Egyptian government. With regard to the design speeds, on the corridor between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, under very favourable topographic conditions, the maximum design speed is 350 km/h, while a maximum design speed of 250 km/h was chosen for the stretch between Luxor and Hurghada.

Once the most favourable alternative was identified, the Ineco team adjusted the alignment in greater detail, taking into account the analysis of the geotechnical and environmental factors, as well as comments received from the Egyptian government on future areas of development that could interfere with it. The geotechnical quality of the land of the proposed route is generally medium to high, except for some stretches, and does not interfere with protected natural areas or known archaeological areas. The potential risk of the track interference caused by desert sand was also analysed, and it it determined that part of the track design would use slab track. All these aspects will be addressed in more detail in later design phases.

The technical feasibility analysis also included the location and preliminary design of structures and tunnels, as well as passenger stations.

As for the operating plan, which is based on the demand of the scenarios analysed, the model recommended to the Egyptian government is based on trains with a maximum speed of 250 km/h, mainly for the following reasons: lower investment cost, approximately 30% less per unit, and lower operating costs –up to 25% less, based on experience in Spain. Also, the conclusions of the demand model show that, due to the fact that the travel motive of the potential passengers is predominantly leisure and the value of time is comparatively less than in the case of forced mobility, total travel times achieved with trains with a maximum speed of 250/h would be competitive. As an example, the Cairo-Luxor connection would be covered in 3 hours, requiring a commercial speed of 240 km/h.

The numbers

The study involves development of the high-speed line in three phases. The first would include the stretch between the capital and Luxor, which would begin service in 2026; Luxor-Aswan, in 2031 and the route to Hurghada, in 2036. The study covered an evaluation period of 50 years (from 2021 to 2070), which is the norm in profitability analyses. The socio-economic and financial profitability models were based on the inputs derived from the technical design, such as CAPEX and OPEX, as well as on the results obtained from the demand model: travellers attracted and mobility matrices with and without the project. It also took into account the specific conditions of Egypt’s macroeconomic framework and potential financing sources and conditions.

Summing up, it should be noted that the segment with the best results in terms of socio-economic and financial profitability is Cairo-Luxor-Aswan. The final report recommends that detailed studies focus on this corridor first, considering the results associated with the average demand scenario as more realistic. In regard to financing, the viability of the project would be contingent upon the ability of the Egyptian government to adapt to the proposed capital and debt structure, opting for multilateral financing sources in the pre-commissioning phase. In macroeconomic terms, it is estimated that during the construction phase, up to 9,800 direct jobs per year would be generated and total production of goods and services would increase by 13.9%. Once the line goes into operation, the impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be 2.3%.

The creation of a public enterprise, preferably attached to the Ministry of Transport, is recommended to manage and operate the high-speed line. This entity would be in charge of the development, acquisition and integration of the components of the system, as well as of the overall coordination of the project. Once the line was operational, it would evolve into a control and management authority. On its part, the private sector would be responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure and systems, the supply and maintenance of rolling stock, as well as traffic control and operation of services.

As a final recommendation, although the Cairo-Alexandria corridor was not included in the study, the Egyptian government should plan the high-speed network as a whole, in order to take advantage of the economies of scale generated by the more important corridors.

The stations

Computer rendering of the Luxor station.

One of the keys to the success of high speed lies in the location and functionality of the stations, so the study proposes their location and  preliminary design, taking the following criteria into account:

• Location outside the city centre to minimize complications and additional costs generated in urban areas (expropriation, tunnelling, vibrations, etc.). In the case of the Cairo station, the viability of the future connection with the Cairo-Alexandria corridor was taken into account.
• Accessibility and intermodality with other complementary modes of transport, to guarantee competitive access and dispersion times, minimizing door-to-door travel times.
• Development by phases, based on the evolution of demand in the period taken into account (50 years). The total area required includes the conditions of maximum development.
• Design from modular plans that allow strategies for sustainable growth and minimal disruption of station operation.
• Definition of sizes and types based on the needs of travellers getting on and off at rush hour, defined by the demand study and based on international experience, and the specific railway functionality for each location.
• Dimensioning of functional and operational areas of the stations and their auxiliary spaces (retail, services, facilities, etc.), seeking to provide a level of service suitable for the type of line proposed.
• Proposed type and size of outdoor areas (parking, bus stops and taxi, drop off & pick up areas) based on the study of methods of approaching and departing from the station, suggesting growth that is compatible with the development stages of the station.

In 2016, the airports in Cape Verde –four international airports and three for domestic flights– totalled 2,215,892 passengers, 11.5% more than in 2015. The growth of international passengers, up 22%, was especially significant. Tourism is the key engine driving the country’s dynamic air-travel market, which already contributes a third of its GDP. Cape Verde is an archipelago, a former Portuguese colony, located off of Africa’s Atlantic coast, approximately 500 kilometres from Senegal, and consists of 10 islands, seven of which have airfields. Its long beaches and natural riches attract more and more visitors every year, which has boosted international air transport.

Ineco has been working closely and continuously with the authorities of Cape Verde for 14 years to ensure that the airport network, managed by the public entity Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea (ASA), lives up to the growing demand for air transportation. Beginning in July 2015 to the present, the company has been supervising the most recent enlargement works of the passenger terminals of the Boa Vista and Sal international airports, which have the largest volume of tourists.

The company has drafted the work projects, which focus on external renovation, enlargement of saturated areas and increased comfort and quality of passenger service. The construction is being carried out by a Spanish consortium (Acciona Infraestructuras-Aberdore), while Ineco, with a team of five people, supervises the works at both airports, each located on a different island, Sal and Boa Vista. The work is expected to be completed by early 2018.

Sal, the most international airport

Sal airport.

Of the four international airports in Cape Verde, Sal (Amilcar Cabral) is number one with 53% of the total, it is also the one that grew the most in 2016, with 914,696 passengers, 17.2% more than in 2015, according to data from ASA. Of these, almost 754,000 were international passengers.

To meet this increase in demand, provided for in the Plan that was also developed by Ineco (see IT50), the adaptation work of the current terminal building has been undertaken, covering a total area of 6,464.58 m². To this end, a mixed solution has been chosen, consisting of both remodelling the existing areas and building an additional 2,022.66 m² of new spaces. Likewise, the plan includes actions to improve the operating revenues of non-aeronautical activities at the airport, increasing the area allocated for shopping.

The former international departures area has been restructured, giving way to new departure lounges in a new building, around 1,110 m², built as an improvement to the air side façade towards the aircraft parking apron. This boarding area includes a new executive lounge, and 500 m² of open-air patio with a pool area from which the project gets its name: Oasis.

The space that is no longer occupied by the departure lounges (1,400 m²) has become a new open-plan area for passengers after inspection and passport control, where restaurants and shops are located.

Of the four international airports in Cape Verde, Sal (Amilcar Cabral) is number one with 53% of the total, it is also the one that grew the most in 2016

The arrivals area is being extended to the north with new structures that will house the new unified room, with double capacity, two new baggage claim areas and a more extensive passport control area. The offices of the authorities, such as the police quarters and customs offices, etc., will be located in this new area.

In order to increase comfort levels and to keep passenger service levels as high as possible, the quiet season, during which traveller flow is much less, is being used to perform works.

Boa Vista, character of its own

Boa Vista airport.

In 2016, Aristides Pereira Airport, in Boa Vista, saw the second largest passenger growth, with a total of 465,049, 10.2% more than the previous year, of which around 400,000 were international passengers. Traffic has been booming since the inauguration of a completely new airport in 2007, built on the old facilities, entirely planned by Ineco, which was also in charge of the technical assistance of the works.

The original design of the facilities, structured around a central outdoor space around a pond, partially covered by tents, makes the building unmistakable and is intended to offer a pleasant welcome to the visitor, thanks also to the materials used such as limestone and wood. In 2011, the aircraft parking apron was expanded, a project drafted by Ineco.

Now it is the passenger terminal’s turn, which will have 5,332 m² more space, of which 1,245 m² will be used for the arrivals area and 4,087 m² for the departures area (including 1,382 m² of baggage handling space).

The check-in area currently has six counters and a lobby area for building access that is used for passenger queues. With the expansion of approximately 1,458 m², there will be space for 12 check-in counters, plus one for special baggage. The perimeter area surrounding the hall will be used for staff offices for the airport administrator and other companies.

In 2016, Aristides Pereira Airport, in Boa Vista, saw the second largest passenger growth, with a total of 465,049, 10.2% more than the previous year

At the same time, the reformulation of the current space for domestic departures and passenger control makes it possible to increase passport control booths from two to eight. For national and international departure lounge, two new spaces are generated, separated by a commercial area with independent access and a door between them that can act as a sluice-gate for boarding. In total, the commercial area in the departure lounges has increased by 382 m².

In the international area, passport control has moved from its location and the number of booths has increased by four, making six in total. The number of baggage claim areas will also be increased from two to four and the waiting area, currently very saturated, will be expanded.

A SYMBOL

A 200 Escudos Cape Verde currency note.

The control tower at Sal airport is featured on the 200 Escudos Cape Verde currency note, which is the most frequently-used note in the country for small transactions.

In July, Jesús Silva, president of Ineco, met with Olavo Correia, minister of Finance; Eunice Silva, minister of Infrastructure; and José da Silva Gonçalves, minister of Economy and Employment in Cape Verde. Ineco has collaborated with Cape Verdean authorities since 2003 on projects such as the enlargement and modernisation of the international airports Boavista and Sal, and the renewal of the tread surface at Praia International Airport. The company has also worked on the master plans for Cape Verde’s four international airports.

Additionally, in 2015 Ineco was awarded the tender for the inspection of passenger terminal enlargement work of Boavista and Sal, design of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) procedures for Boavista and São Vicente airports, and the master plans for local aerodromes which will be used in planning how they will develop their airport network and in facilitating the development of tourism on other islands of this archipielago.

Physical security and operational safety are a fundamental pillar of all aeronautical activity and are at the centre of all procedures affecting air navigation, passengers, airport staff and the airport itself: among others, the inspection of baggage and cargo, access control, airfield signalling, the maintenance of vehicles and facilities, and action plans in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Ensuring that all these elements comply with safety levels established in aeronautical legislation (and monitoring them through the use of quality indicators) guarantees not only reliable and efficient air transport, but also international recognition and greater attention from airlines, which can boost the airport’s growth. It is for that reason that ENANA (the Angolan National Enterprise for the Operations of Airports and Air Traffic Control), which operates the country’s airports and air navigation services, has again turned to the experience of Aena Internacional, which through Ineco has carried out its second project at the capital’s 4 de Fevereiro airport. Preliminary studies were carried out in 2012 (see IT48), and are now being given continuity.

This first approach focused on the analysis and detection of potential risks and needs for safety, and the development of a total of 21 proposals for immediate corrective actions. These measures were grouped into 7 areas: infrastructure, equipment, airport services, documentation, real-time management, strategy and maintenance. In addition, Ineco and Aena Internacional developed operating and safety procedures and an Operations Management Plan (OMP), focusing on planning and real time. To raise awareness among airport staff of all the actions, a plan of training was delivered, totalling 196 hours for 220 participants. In addition to the safety proposals, a proposal for the commercial exploitation for the airport was also developed. This new project has seen advances in the development of these measures, which are specified in different plans. Works were carried out in two pases.

SAFETY AND EMERGENCIAS

The airport safety programme assigns responsibility, competences and obligations in the area of safety between airport management and the departments that organise and provide the services involved; defines restricted areas and safety measures both in the air and on land as well as the regulations in force for vehicle checks, the control of weapons and hazardous substances and goods, and the transport of passengers who are ill, have been detained or deported or are deceased, etc.

The emergency and contingency plans are designed to cover any serious situation affecting safety at the airport, from criminal acts to aircraft accidents inside or outside the premises of the airport. The objective of the contingency plan at 4 de Fevereiro airport is to identify and to coordinate what action protocols are to be followed in the event of an aircraft being hijacked or sabotaged, and, according to the level of threat, what measures must be taken by each body: airport staff, ENANA, armed forces, the police, the fire service, hospitals and medical services, etc. In parallel, Annex 14 of the ICAO requires that each airport have a specific plan for situations involving aircraft or aeronautical emergencies, such as accidents inside and outside the airport, and other situations such as natural disasters, accidents with hazardous goods or medical emergencies. The purpose of the emergency plan is to minimise the repercussions of such situations, to avoid the loss of human life, to safeguard the integrity of the facilities and to resume normal airport activity as early as possible. To that end, the document identifies possible risks and establishes command and communication procedures to be followed in order to avoid improvisation and the lack of coordination. The emergency plan includes the preparation and organisation of emergency drills in the airport and the drafting of a guide to carrying this out.

The airport safety programme assigns responsibilities between management and organisational departments

The project’s scope also covers the Safety Management System (SMS), for which a gap analysis was carried out on the current situation, 10 procedures were drafted and a plan was established for the implementation of the System. Another crucial safety element, considered strategic by ENANA, is the training of trainers, for which a course is being planned.

APRON WORKS

A fundamental aspect of operational safety is that the aircraft parking apron or ramp and the taxiways are properly marked, in accordance with ICAO manuals. At Luanda airport, shortcomings were detected in this area, especially for aircraft stands. In addition, the apron is shared by different types of aircraft (planes and helicopters); this constitutes a potential hazard both for aircraft themselves and for people and vehicles. Three types of actions are recommended in response to this.

Firstly, a topographic survey at a scale that would allow plans to be drawn up. Secondly, the definition of requirements for the design of the apron, taking multiple factors into account: the air traffic volume and forecasts, the types and sizes of aircraft, and whether they are commercial, military or for general aviation, their stops (national or international, terminals, transit, etc.), margins of separation from other aircraft, buildings and objects, etc. It is also necessary to analyse the means of access to aircraft parking (autonomous or with the assistance of a vehicle to tow or push the aircraft) and the distance to other installations (terminal, hangars, etc.), aircraft’s requirements of land-based assistance (fuel supply services, baggage handling, etc.). Additionally, the design of the apron should take into account the space available, the type of surface, jet blast, the time that each aircraft will occupy a stand and the time taken for another to occupy it, etc.

Advances are also being made in the commercial development of the airport, a field to which Aena Internacional has contributed its broad experience

Finally, taking into account all these design requirements and in compliance with ICAO criteria, the signalling study and planning will be carried out. This will cover aircraft stands, taxiways, service lanes and helicopter pads.

COMMERCIAL PLAN

Advances are also being made in the commercial development of the airport, a field in which Aena has contributed ample experience (see IT54). To achieve an increase in non-aviation income similar to that of other international airports (in Aena’s, this accounts for 26% of total income), an analysis was carried out into passenger demand, the most appropriate type and range of offering (including catering, duty-frees, VIP lounges, parking, etc.), and the design or layout of commercial spaces. The plan also included how the exploitation and contracting of the different spaces are to be carried out (direct exploitation by the operator, concession to third parties, etc) and how it is to be planned and managed. All of this is gathered in a business plan which included the participation of Carlos Porrón, from Aena Internacional.