Despite the unprecedented worldwide conditions caused by the pandemic that has so deeply impacted everybody’s lives and slowed down countless initiatives, teams from VINCI Concessions successfully delivered several key projects. We take a tour of these achievements in various parts of the world that are helping to improve quality of service and boost regional economies.

First stop: Santiago. Arriving in the Chilean capital will never be the same. Santiago airport boasts a new terminal for domestic flights that opened on February. The new terminal will be a real boost for the airport, with the $900-million investment creating 200,000 square metres of additional space for passengers. The new terminal was handed over on time and heralds an ambitious future for the airport, raising its capacity from 16 million to 38 million passengers a year.

It will also deliver a more enjoyable passenger experience with shorter waiting times. New identity control posts have been created, 56 in departures and 64 for international arrivals, designed to make passenger journeys as smooth as possible. Automated baggage recognition, a fibre optic network serving all parts of the airport and fully renovated signing all help to ensure the best possible customer experience. Every aspect of the airport's performance has been considered with an eye on environmental performance and the desire to move to carbon neutrality. Rooftop photovoltaic panels will help avoid the annual emission of 500 tonnes of C0₂.

The same environmental concerns applied in the Dominican Republic, where the new freight terminal at Santo Domingo airport was also delivered in 2021. This new $14-million facility was designed to optimise energy and water use. 100% of on-site waste will be recycled or reused. The 6,800-square-metre terminal will be occupied by Fedex and will house all the organisations involved in freight transport. The new terminal will also support the country’s economic development by providing improved logistics for Dominican exports.

Boosting economic attractiveness was a theme that also arose in Europe. We head to Germany, and the renovation of a section on the A7-2 motorway, another project delivered despite the health crisis by Via Niedersachsen, the German subsidiary of VINCI Highways. The new 2-km section has been renovated and widened with a third lane and includes 1.3-km of anti-noise barriers. The A7-2 is a strategically vital route for the German economy.

It links Bavaria, the engine-room of the country’s growth, with the port of Hamburg, a gateway to global trade partners.

Bavaria to Serbia is barely any distance at all, and we land in Belgrade. Again, despite having to work during a pandemic, our teams’ motivation never faltered. The 12,000-square-metre extension to the airport’s terminal C, delivered hand in hand with VINCI Construction Grands Projets, made it possible to completely redesign the departures zone. The new space now includes restaurants providing local specialities and boutiques offering a range of local brands. The project forms part of a comprehensive long-term vision to transform the airport into a leading hub for south-east Europe, including a 40,000-square-metre extension to the passenger terminal, a new runway, taxiways and boarding gates to allow it to welcome up to 15 million passengers a year. And all the while keeping a close watch on the site’s environmental performance, which features total recycling for waste and wastewater and the launch of a 1 MW solar power plant.

In France, mission accomplished at Toulon-Hyères, where the project to renovate the two runways was delivered despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic. As well as work on the runways, the project included updating the aviation beacons and work to reduce the site’s environmental impact to bring it into compliance with French laws on water pollution. Surfaces for new runways included recycled asphalt. This is the largest package of works undertaken since the airport was built in 1967.

Heading much further to the east, in Cambodia, where, despite the health situation, teams from VINCI Airports celebrated the completion of work to renovate and extend the runway at Sihanoukville International airport. Delivered by a consortium that included VINCI Construction Terrassement and Soletanche Freyssinet, work on the $58-million programme began in 2018. The airport at Cambodia’s main coastal and port city is now able to handle long-range wide-bodied aircraft like the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-1000. A new LED beacon lighting system was also installed to improve visibility for pilots and reduce the airport’s energy use.

Time for a final stopover in in South America, in Colombia. Vía Express 40, a VINCI Concessions subsidiary, has partnered with VINCI Construction Grands Projets and VINCI Construction Terrassement to continue work on modernising the motorway connecting Bogotá to Girardot. After commissioning a first section, which was renovated and widened in 2019, a second 2.8-km section has now been widened with a third lane. Seven sections, totalling 126 km of roadway, will be modernised with two priorities in mind: improving road safety and enhancing the customer experience thanks to innovations such as a chatbot to inform motorists about traffic conditions and upcoming works. One of the largest projects in Colombia, the work will create over 14,000 direct and indirect jobs.