ACZ on massive infrastructure drive

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter

THE Airports Company of Zimbabwe (Private) Limited (ACZ) is calling on interested parties to enter into Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) and lease arrangements for the development of key infrastructure as it seeks to modernise its ports.

ACZ manages and develops eight airports in the country, offering direct and fast access to the country’s tourist resort areas. Highlighting key investment opportunities, the company said interested parties should send their business propositions to their Business Development Department.

Airports upgrade and modernisation are some of the flagship projects being implemented by the Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, who has placed emphasis on high-impact projects in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

In a statement on its official website, ACZ said at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (RGMIA) in Harare they were calling for interested parties for a commercial development of a cargo terminal and operation.

The proposed facilities location will be combined airside and landside, while the extent will be 40 000 square metres (sqm). The project scope will include cargo terminal buildings complete with storage and cold chain facilities, GHA/forwarder facilities offices and amenities (staff parking) as well as sorting and packing shed.

ACZ said the preferred development/investment model is a BOT at an estimated cost of US$20 million, with interested entities to sign an Expression of Interest Form.

Another key project is an airport hotel at the airport precinct over an area of 10 000sqm. This will be a five storey with estimated 150 room capacity, a conference facility that accommodates 200 people, a golf course and aquarium under a BOT estimated to cost US$15 million.

ACZ said the other commercial development will be of an airport transit hotel on the airport air side on 1 000sqm. This facility will be a three storey with estimated 50 room capacity under a BOT estimated to cost US$8 million. The company said there was need of a dry port at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on the airport land side on 40 000sqm.

This will have a bonded warehousing (customs) diplomatic duty-free shop under a BOT as the preferred development/investment model at an estimated cost of US$5 million. ACZ was also calling for interested parties for an aeronautical commercial development that will see the development of an aviation fuel depot to complement existing capacity and have aviation fuel storage facilities of litre capacity. This will be under a concession at an estimated cost of US$8 million.

The other concession is at an estimated cost of US$2 million and is for an aviation fuel hydrant system. Among other key developments under a BOT at an estimated cost of US$5 million respectively are a shopping mall estimated to cost US$5 million, a business park that will have multi-story building, offices, parking and ancillary facilities.

The other calls were of parties interested in airport agro business for horticulture. This will see blue berry production for export, cannabis and packing of fresh produce under a lease. ACZ said for a BOT estimated at a cost of US$ 8 million there was need of a hi-tech and light manufacturing for medical/pharmaceuticals with the project scope being a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.

Under clean energy, the company was calling for parties to setup a solar farm with the proposed energy generation capacity being 2kWh.

Victoria Falls International Airport
ACZ said there was need for an aeronautical commercial development of an uplift catering facility under a BOT at an estimated cost of US$10 million. The other BOT arrangement estimated at US$15 million was for an airport hotel at the airport precinct to sit on 18 000sqm. This will be a five story, estimated 150 room capacity, with conference facility to accommodate 500 people, a golf course and aquarium.

The resort town airport will also see the commercial development of an airport transit hotel on the airport air-side on 1 000sqm. This will be a three story, with estimated 50 room capacity under a BOT at an estimated cost of US$8 million.
Other key developments at the airport would be of an aeronautical commercial development of an aircraft storage facilities (hangarage) on the airport air-side with four sites measuring 4000sqm under a land lease.

The other land lease was for a motor vehicle fuel service station on the landside and adjacent to the main Victoria Falls–Bulawayo trunk road.
ACZ said this will incorporate a service station forecourt, storage tanks 20 000 litre capacity and fast-food outlet.
Under a BOT agreement, the company was calling for interest parties for an aeronautical commercial development of an aircraft maintenance operation facility (AMO) on the air-side.

The project scope includes a taxiway and apron, aircraft parking sheds and ancillary facilities.

Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport
ACZ said under a lease they were looking for interested parties for the commercial development of a cargo handling and logistics in the air-side with 8 000sqm of storage sheds, as well as sorting and packing facilities.
On completion, these developments will see the airports becoming regional aviation hubs, while the country is expected to see more international airlines opening routes into its airports and a corresponding increase in tourist arrivals.