Airport Improvement Project Designed to Meet International Standard

The Honiara International Airport Improvement Project was designed to meet international standards. 

Gyros Consultant Company’s Civil Engineer, Tetsuya Ishikawa said in an interview with SIBC News. 

“The Solomon Islands government request is to accommodate more airplanes and passengers and so we designed the airport to meet these needs and also have an apron to park the aircrafts, of course we designed it to meet the international standards and also make sure it is resilient.” 

Mr Ishikawa said they had to make sure that the design is disaster resilient.

“From past events we had to make sure the design can reduce the impacts of natural disasters.”  

The airport was closed for 5 days in 2014 due to heavy rain and flooding from the Lungga river, the new design caters for run way flood protection. 

Mr Ishikawa said work on the project is progressing well even though it was delayed due to COVID-19.

Gyros Consultant Company has been involved in many projects in Africa and the Middle East. 

Kitano Construction Corporation (KITANO) of Japan is the contractor.

The airport project consists of 6 categories and these are the expansion of the Apron, New Taxiway, Airport Field Light Renovation, ETB renovation, new IDT Building Construction and Embankment for Runway Flood Protection.      

Once completed, the airport will be able to cater for more than 125,000 passengers and see more than 9000 aircraft takeoff and landing. 

The new Apron and Taxiway will cater for bigger aircrafts.

Contracted in 1998 by Grant aid from Japan, the current building and facilities have become old. 

The project costs SBD 307,324,000 dollars and is expected to be completed by 30th February 2023.  

By Sharon Nanau