Mozambique issues tender to upgrade airport
Mozambique's Airports Company, (ADM) said on Friday it has issued a multimillion dollar tender to refurbish and expand Quelimane airport in the central province of Zambezia, 1 600 km north of Maputo.
ADM spokesperson Sandra Garcia told Reuters that the upgrade would boost the airport's capacity to handle more passengers and cargo and allow it to accommodate the Boeing 737-200.
"ADM has issued a multimillion dollar tender to upgrade the Quelimane airport including the building of new airport shops and office premises," she said in interview.
"Construction should take twelve months beginning January 2009 to meet our plans of serving tourists during the 2010 world cup event in South Africa", she said.
The government is upgrading and improving the efficiency of its transport infrastructure in preparation for soccer's 2010 FIFA World Cup in neighbouring South Africa.
Mozambique hopes to attract 150 000 tourists and fans during the tournament finals. Some 600,000 soccer fans from the 32 countries who will qualify for the event are expected to tour the southern African region.
The government plans to modernise the country's 10 airports and ancillary services, renew the fleet of Mozambican Airlines (LAM), and upgrade the railway system between Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.
ADM has awarded several contracts for refurbishment of airports in Maputo, Pemba and Vilancuclos to China's Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation.
