Trowers & Hamlins advise on USD300Million expansion of King Abdulaziz airport

Under the deal the group will rebuild the airport's Hajj Terminal Complex - Saudi Arabia's air passenger terminal custom built exclusively for religious pilgrims. The project is needed to deal with the projected 100% increase in Hajj and Umrah pilgrims passing through the terminal from 4.5m to 9.2m by 2025.

Adrian Creed, Partner, of Trowers & Hamlins says: "This is a 20-year project for Saudi Binladin Group and one which is essential to raising the standard of service to those who arrive for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage."

"This is the first time General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has allowed private sector involvement in its activities and will result in a new terminal which will be able to cope with growing numbers of pilgrims."

"Helping to secure this prestigious contract for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the terminal has also strengthened Trowers & Hamlins ties with the Saudi Binladin Group."

The terminal at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is one of Saudi's most important terminals and welcomes no less than 50% of all pilgrims heading to Mecca to practice the rites of Hajj and Umrah.

All Muslims must practice the rite of Hajj, which begins on the eighth day of the 12th Muslim calendar month and lasts several days, while Umrah can be completed at any time of the year and takes less time to complete. Most Muslims combine the two.

The Hajj Terminal, which welcomes the millions of pilgrims each year, is characterised by its tent-like roof which covers 100 acres, an area larger than the Pentagon.

Under the development, the existing North and South terminals will be replaced by a new, modern one which will have an even larger capacity to cope with the high number of pilgrims passing through.

Trowers & Hamlins have previously advised the Saudi Binladin Group on other large construction projects, including the US$1 billion expansion of the Mosque of Prophet in Medina and the US$1.2 billion modernisation of the Jamarat Bridge which features as part of the Hajj pilgrimage.