Maafaru Airport runway expansion: Bids cancelled due to ‘technical issues’

Housing Ministry states the bids submitted for the project to expand the runway at Maafaru International Airport were cancelled after they because aware of some technical issues. 

Housing Ministry cancelled the bid invitation and procurement process on Sunday. 

State Minister for Housing Akram Kamaluddin told Sun on Monday evening that the proposals were cancelled after the ministry became aware of some technical issues. 

He said the bidding process will be reopened. 

However, he did not specify the technical issues found. 

“When we looked at the technical aspect of the proposals submitted, we found it lacking, and have decided to reopen the bidding process,” he said. 

The runway expansion project is financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). 

Akram said a decision will be made in accordance with the recommendation of ADFD. 

Opened in 2019, the Maafaru International Airport was developed with funding from ADFD – which awarded USD 60 million grant for the project - and contracted to Singaporean company, Tuff Offshore. The airport was developed to accommodate Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircrafts, and is scheduled to be further enlarged to accommodate Boing 777 twinjet.