Contractors chosen for US$16bn Long Thanh International Airport

The winning bid for constructing the terminal at Long Thanh International Airport in Vietnam has been awarded to the Vietur consortium, led by Turkey’s IC Istas. The project, valued at VND35.9 trillion (US$1.5 billion), is expected to be completed by November 2026, with construction set to begin this month.

The first phase will cost an estimated US$4.1 billion (Photo: Arup)

The consortium includes ten companies, including Vietnamese private firms Ricons, Newtecons, and Sol E&C, as well as state-owned Vinaconex and Construction Corporation No.1.

IC Istas has prior experience constructing airports in Russia, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

Despite controversy surrounding the bidding process, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam affirmed that all bidders were evaluated fairly by independent experts.

The first phase will cost an estimated US$4.1 billion and include the construction of a runway and terminal, with a capacity to accommodate 25 million passengers per year. In the second phase, a second runway and terminal will be built, which will serve 50 million passengers per year.

Finally, in phase three, the airport will be expanded to serve 100 million passengers per year, making it the largest and busiest airport in Vietnam, surpassing Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Additionally, the airport will be connected to Thu Thiem, located to the east of Ho Chi Minh City, with a 38km light rail and a future north-south high-speed railway. Construction work on the runway began in December last year, following the country’s prime minister’s calls to expedite the project.

The total project has been costed at US$16 billion and is not expected to be complete until 2050 when it will become Vietnam’s largest airport.