Saudi Arabia, like other countries in the region, is rethinking its future as an economy less dependent on its main natural resource, oil, of which it is a world leader in production and export. Consequently, starting in 2016, the Government has been implementing social and economic reforms such as those contained in the National Transformation Plan and in ‘Vision 2030’, a national strategy in which sustainable development, understood in the broader sense –to include social, economic and environmental development– is one of the pillars. This is the context of the Sustainability Plan for the country’s third airport, King Fahd of Dammam, which Ineco developed in 2019 for the Dammam Airports Company (DACO).

The work consisted of carrying out an environmental assessment, identifying the objectives and proposing the actions and measures to achieve them, in addition to monitoring implementation and supervising the actions. This is Ineco’s second project for Dammam airport, following the Master Plan completed at the end of 2018, and it is currently working on an automated baggage-management system. Ineco has extensive experience gained over more than 15 years working in Spanish airports.

In order to develop the Sustainability Plan, Ineco’s team’s first step was to gather information, which included visits to the facilities and meetings with both airport staff and other stakeholders involved: airlines, handling companies, cleaning and service companies, etc.

The information collected was used to draw up an assessment of the environmental situation at the airport and to define the key aspects to be studied and the level of risk presented by each one: water and energy consumption, soil contamination, noise and air quality, impact on cultural heritage and the landscape, waste management, biodiversity, etc.

Once all of these elements had been analysed, the five key topics were outlined and the sustainability objectives to be achieved for each of them were defined, with a time horizon of 2030, the same target year as the national strategy ‘Vision 2030’. After the objectives of the plan had been defined, the most appropriate actions to achieve them were proposed and planned.

Lastly, the implementation, tracking and monitoring of the plan, which is vital to its success, were planned. The proposed tools to achieve this include a website developed by Ineco and hosted on DACO’s systems, which covers the different monitoring indicators of each of the actions, and the creation of several monitoring groups, made up of both technical and management staff.

Environmental analysis of King Fahd Airport

The following elements, ranked in decreasing order of environmental risk, were analysed:

1. Key points: soil, waste and water 

• Soil

  Goal: to preserve soil resources and prevent pollution and degradation of the subsoil and groundwater.
  Situation and proposed actions: the King Fahd airport is constructed on ground that is made up of sandy limestone, marl, gypsum and beachrock (a type of sedimentary rock), porous materials that allow pollutants to pass through in the event of a spill. It is therefore recommended that all fuel storage tanks be checked and monitored to prevent any leaks or potential spills.

• waste

  Goal: to reduce waste generation and improve management.
  Situation and proposed actions: for solid waste, increasing the efficiency of storage, collection and separation is recommended, in addition to encouraging waste reduction and recycling. With regard to hazardous waste, the execution of an appropriate inventory of the type, storage, flow and quantity of waste is recommended in order to control and improve the disposal process.

• water

  Goal: to improve water management and control to reduce consumption.
  Situation and proposed actions: the airport is supplied by five wells, each with a capacity of 8,200 m3 per day, one of which is used exclusively for irrigation, drawing directly from the groundwater. The water from the four main wells passes through the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and is then distributed to all of the facilities via the central pumping station (UBB). According to data provided by DACO, the total consumption of the airport in 2018 was 4.3 million m3, of which almost 3 million m3 was previously treated. With regard to the wastewater, the airport manages this very well through its sewage net which ends at a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to treat wastewater for subsequent reuse for irrigation.
  One of the airport facilities with the highest water consumption is a large plant nursery covering more than 215,000 m2, where all of the plants used for the landscaping of the airport are grown. This nursery is supplied mainly from the STP.
  management of groundwater in arid countries is an important factor in sustainable development and, to this end, recommends monitoring consumption as much divided as possible to control over the use of this resource. DACO is currently working on a new water meter installation project for each facility (phase one has already been completed and phase two is planned and underway).

2. Medium risk: air quality, fauna, energy, climate change and mobility

• air quality

  Goal: to comply with the air quality limits established in air-pollution legislation.
  Situation and proposed actions: the main sources of emissions at the airport are aircraft, auxiliary power units (APUs), followed by ground support vehicles, as well as private cars for employees and passengers. All of these emissions are generated by third parties. Activities carried out by DACO that generate emissions are mainly the emergency power units (which run on fossil fuels), the vehicles used by its staff, and fire training activities. The readings collected by the monitoring stations are verified for the air quality assessment. In the case of King Fahd airport the closest stations are more than 30 kilometres away, so the Plan proposes an air quality monitoring station located closer that would make it possible to collect information that is more representative of the airport.

• Fauna

  Goal: to minimise the impact on natural areas and protected species.
  Situation and proposed actions: due to its location in a desert area, the main terrestrial species that live around the airport are camels, birds, reptiles, snakes and lizards. The most recent records provided by DACO, from 2018, regarding the presence of animals within the airport premises include cats and foxes. Since there is a wetland within the airport limits that attracts animals, including migratory birds, the Plan recommends the implementation of a wildlife control service to avoid potential incidents with aircrafts.

• energy

  Goal: to increase energy savings and efficiency.
  Situation and proposed actions: the approximate electricity consumption of the airport in recent years is 230,000 MWh/year, according to DACO data, with 30% attributed to the cost of the air-conditioning plant. In terms of fuel, the main consumers are the vehicles owned by DACO, power units and fire exercises. The main recommendation of the Sustainability Plan is metering and controlling energy consumption with the installation of individual meters, at least for the largest consumers.

• Climate change

  Goal: to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  Situation and proposed actions: in order to combat climate change, it is essential to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the airport’s installations and activities. The Plan recommends measuring energy consumption and monitoring possible refrigerant leaks in air conditioning systems.

• Transport and mobility

  Goal: expand the mobility options to connect the airport to the city.
  Situation and proposed actions: since King Fahd airport can only be reached by private transport or private vehicles, the implementation of some form of collective transport system is recommended, providing significant advantages for passengers and airport staff, as well as generating environmental benefits in terms of air quality and climate change.

3. Low-impact: noise, biodiversity, land use, landscape and cultural heritage

• Noise, flora and protected areas

  Goal: to prevent and reduce damage to human health and ecosystems caused by noise pollution and to preserve flora and protected areas.
  Situation and proposed actions: in all three aspects, the environmental risk is considered low since there are no residential areas around the airport; the natural vegetation cover is less than 10% of the surface area and the nearest protected areas (the Jubail marine area and the Bay of Kalij) are located 35 and 96 kilometres away, respectively.

• Land use

  Goal: to ensure the compatibility of the airport development with urban planning.
  Situation and proposed actions: all of the land belonging to the airport is classified as an airport/sea port, so no environmental improvement measures are required.

• landscape

  Goal: to minimise the impact on the landscape.
  Situation and proposed actions: the airport buildings and facilities are well integrated into the environment.

• Cultural heritage

  Goal: to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage.
  Situation and proposed actions: there are no places of cultural interest near the airport, so the airport activity is therefore considered to have no effect on such places. The closest UNESCO cultural heritage property is the Al-Ahsa Oasis, which is located 124 kilometres far from the airport.

The Dammam Airports Company (DACO) has awarded Ineco the consultancy contract for the integral management of the implementation of the automatic baggage handling system at Dammam King Fahd International Airport, in Saudi Arabia. The project aims to improve and renovate this system and the security inspection equipment, so that the airport can meet growing demand with high standards of quality.

The work includes a design review; a structural analysis of the building to accommodate the new equipment and project management and supervision tasks. In addition, DACO will provide assistance in the testing and commissioning process of the entire system, support in the training of DACO staff and advice during the Operational Trial Period (OTP).

Since 2009, Dammam Airport, Saudi Arabia’s third largest airport in terms of passengers, has increased by 10.5% to 10.8 million passengers in 2018.

The Global Infrastructure Hub (GIH), an organisation dedicated to the development of infrastructure within the G20 group, has invited Ineco to participate in one of its seminars to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a country that will hold the presidency in 2020. The meeting is part of the activities of the Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) of the G20, whose objectives include the strengthening of public-private relations to carry out investments.

The IWG analyses different approaches, policies and joint actions for the G20 to increase infrastructure investment. Recently, the Global Infrastructure Hub visited the company’s offices to find out about Cityneco and its solutions applied to mobility, the collection of real-time traffic data and the management of parking reservations. A comprehensive solution, developed by Ineco, based on different vertical developments for each of the management areas of a city or organisation.

Ineco has drafted the Sustainability Management Plan of Dammam King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia for the Dammam Airports Company (DACO). The work consisted of preparing an environmental assessment, identifying the objectives and proposing the actions and measures to achieve them, in addition to monitoring implementation and supervising the actions. This is Ineco’s second job for Dammam Airport, the largest in the world in terms of area, after drafting its Master Plan, completed at the end of 2018.

The company has worked for more than 15 years on the environmental management of airports both in Spain and abroad, including Kuwait International Airport (2013), among others.

The ‘AVE of the Desert’ commenced commercial operation with its first official trip between Makkah and Madinah on 25 September. The event was attended by King Salman and several other Saudi dignitaries, along with the ambassador to Saudi Arabia and representatives of the Spanish-Saudi consortium of which Ineco is a member, responsible for the design, construction, outfitting of the 450-kilometre line.

The high-speed train that will connect the cities of Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia has successfully completed its first test run along the entire route, reaching its top speed of 300 km/h. The Talgo train travelled the 450 kilometres of the Haramain project with the Saudi Transport minister, Nabil al Amudi, the Spanish ambassador, Álvaro Iranzo, and other local dignitaries and construction company representatives on board.

Ineco, along with eleven other Spanish companies (Adif, Cobra, Consultrans, Copasa, Imathia, Inabensa, Indra, OHL, Renfe, Siemens Rail Automation and Talgo) and two Saudi partners, is part of the Al Shoula consortium, which is responsible for design, construction, maintenance and operation.

The responsibilities of the Traffic Control manager include managing the different operations carried out on and near the track in order to ensure safe and proper functioning, whether they be construction activities or train and subsystem tests. However, given the international nature and complexity and magnitude of the project (it is very similar in length to the Madrid-Seville high-speed line in Spain), work on the new line between Makkah and Madinah has an organisational and operational structure that is different from the structure used in Spain.

The Traffic Control work is based on the Procedure of Traffic Control in Construction Phase for HARAMAIN HSR, or PTCH as it is known in Saudi Arabia. This regulation, drafted by Ineco, was prepared from the Spanish version, and excellent results have been achieved in terms of railway safety over these years thanks to its correct application. This regulation is the standard reference for the Traffic Control manager and workers from other companies involved in the project, and is essential for ensuring successful daily interaction between them.

For the first time, Spanish High Speed (AVE) technology has been introduced to Saudi Arabia, a country in which the presence of railways is limited or non-existed in cities such as Jeddah. Much of the construction work on a high-speed line begins in the work bases, which serve as headquarters for Traffic Control managers in their daily routines. In the case of Saudi Arabia, Ineco staff teams have been living in camps alongside these work bases –such as the one in Rabigh– in order to be as close as possible to the works, reduce travel time and minimise the risk of accidents.

The Traffic Control manager has full authority over the operation of the different activities carried out on the track for its safety and optimum functioning. Whether operating from an auxiliary control centre, the main control centre or with a walkie-talkie, he provides all necessary information to the train drivers and is responsible for running the trains at intervals between stations and supervising, for traffic control purposes, the activation of junctions and remotely controlled systems by installation companies .

Traffic Control teams like the one working on the Haramain Project must be able to communicate successfully and overcome the language barriers that exist between workers from many different countries, including Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc., in addition to Spain.

Ineco has been awarded the contract for the development of the Master Plan for the King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, winning against the most prestigious international companies. The one-year study will serve as a development guide for the new airport operator, DACO (Dammam Airports Company). With a horizon in 2047, this project aims to turn the airport into a regional hub and an important intermodal node for the movement of goods.

Expansion and connection with the railway freight line 

The work includes the study of the expansion of all airport facilities to meet its strategic objectives, as well as the study of the connection of the cargo area with the country’s main railway freight line. In addition, it will carry out the improvement and reorganization of its airspace and the development of the new Airport City and the Cargo Village, which is underway. Lastly, the Spanish company Idom will provide support as one of Ineco’s strategic subcontractors for urban planning and real estate management.

Dammam International Airport is the third largest airport in Saudi Arabia in terms of passengers and is managed by Changi Airport, considered one of the best in the world, and for which Ineco developed the review and design of certain instrument flight procedures.

With this contract, Ineco enters the aeronautical market in Saudi Arabia and consolidates its position in the Middle East where, in addition to participating in the development of high speed between Makkah and Madinah. It has also carried out the Master Plan for the Kuwait Airport  , the expansion of Fujairah airport, and the start-up of the Abu Dhabi airport.

Last July, the high-speed train linking the cities of Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia arrived in Jeddah on a test drive. On the route between Jeddah and Madinah, the train reached a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h. The Test Drive –which was attended by a number of Saudi Arabian authorities and Spain’s Ministry of Public Works– began in the city of Jeddah in the direction of the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), where it visited the intermediate station, now completed, and the Operations Control Centre (BOCC).

On its way to Madinah the train reached its maximum operating speed of 300 km/h. Approximately 370 kilometres of the 449 kilometres of the total railway line (80%) of the Al Haramain project are currently being tested. The Al Shoula Consortium is made up of 12 Spanish companies (Adif, Cobra, Consultrans, Copasa, Imathia, Inabensa, Indra, Ineco, OHL, Renfe, Siemens Rail Automation and Talgo) and 2 Saudi partners. The Consortium is in charge of the design, construction, maintenance and operation of the Haramain high-speed project.