RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday announced plans for a new airport in Riyadh, aimed at spurring rapid growth in the capital while advancing the kingdom’s ambitious aviation goals.
The airport, which will accommodate 120 million passengers by 2030 and 185 million by 2050, will be named after 86-year-old King Salman and announced by his son, 37-year-old de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. was According to the official Saudi Press Agency.
“The airport project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s vision to make Riyadh one of the top ten economies in the world and help grow Riyadh’s population to 15-20 million people by 2030,” SPA said. “
The current population of the city is less than eight million.
Saudi Arabia’s aviation goals, part of Prince Mohammed’s sweeping “Vision 2030” reforms, include more than tripling annual traffic to 330 million by the end of the decade.
It wants to invest $100 billion in the sector by 2030, establish a new national flagship and move 5 million tonnes of cargo every year.
The new airport is expected to be able to process 3.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2050, SPA said.
The SPA said it would “promote Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub, boost transportation, trade and tourism, and act as a bridge connecting East to West.”
The announcement did not provide information on the cost of the project, which is designed to cover 57 square kilometers.
“With sustainability at its core, the new airport will achieve LEED Platinum certification by incorporating the latest green initiatives in its design and will be powered by renewable energy,” SPA said, referring to the Green Building Certification Program. “
The kingdom’s busiest international airport is currently in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, the self-proclaimed “gateway to Mecca” for millions of Muslims performing the Hajj and Umrah.
But officials have sought in recent years to position Riyadh in central Saudi Arabia as a rival to business hub Dubai in the UAE.