Maputo, Mozambique, 9 April – The Mozambican president, Armando Guebuza, Thursday officially launched the modernization of the Maputo International Airport, a project valued at US$75 million, to be carried out by a Chinese company.

At the ceremony, Guebuza said work on the airport would take “approximately 20 months” for Chinese company An Hui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation (AFECC) to complete.

A modernized airport will allow the country to be better equipped to “take better advantage” of the soccer world cup to take place in 2010, in South Africa.

The work, which includes construction of five passenger boarding tunnels and a new control tower, is expected to triple the airport’s current capacity of 300,000 passengers per year.

The design also includes construction of a new international passenger terminal and an aircraft park, as well as transforming the domestic terminal into a shopping area.

The modernization of the airport will also include a new VIP area, a new cargo terminal and a car park, with a capacity for 900 vehicles. (macauhub)