Honduras PPP promotion agency, Coalianza, has announced that six firms have bought qualification documents for the new Palmerola airport PPP project.

The firms are from Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador but the name of the firms have not been disclosed.

The concession was awarded in January 2014 to Constructora de Servicios Aeroportuarios Integrados S.A. (SAISA) but the contract was canceled. According to sources, the delay to start the project was the reason to cancel the concession contract.

Ten companies from different countries had shown interest in the first tender process: Mota Engil (Portugal), Corporación América (Argentina), Agencias Universales S.A. (Chile), CHEC (China), SAISA (Honduras), CONCAY (Colombia), Hidalgo e Hidalgo (Ecuador), SINOHYDRO (China), A-Port Operaciones (Brazil) and COPRECA (Spain).

The new airport will be located 13 km from the city of Comayagua, on a former airbase on the major road between Honduras capital, Tegucigalpa, and San Pedro de Sula.

The project includes construction of runway shoulders, a new control tower, a 14,000 m² passenger terminal and a 1500 m² cargo terminal. The airport is expected to have a maximum capacity of 2.1 million passengers per year in 2045.

The project will be development on a design, build, finance, operation, maintenance and transfer (DBFOMT) basis. The concession period is 30 years.

The total project investment is estimated at US$136 million. The private partner will provide US$84 million.

Spanish consultancy firm based in Barcelona, Advanced Logistic Group (ALG), carried out the initial project studies and specifications.