Progress of the pacific Airport Project in El Salvador
The Pacific Airport project, promoted by the Government of El Salvador, has been reflecting movements or updates in recent weeks. The aforementioned airport is planned to be built in the eastern part of the country, where there is currently no facility of this magnitude. The objective of the project is to build an airport to provide an air connection to the eastern zone, in order to generate a new destination for the growing demand of passengers abroad, encouraging development and contributing to the activation of the Port of La Unión. Its geographic location offers the opportunity to become an important center for the collection, consolidation, and distribution of cargo from the Central American region, as well as an important logistics and international services platform.
The latest news on the subject is that the Government of El Salvador has received the first results of the technical study for the construction of the Pacific Airport, which is being carried out by the International Consortium PEYCON – ALBEN 4000. This consortium will prepare market, technical, environmental, economic, and social impact studies. Likewise, on September 23, the President of the Autonomous Port Executive Commission (CEPA), Federico Anliker, the entity in charge of the colossal and ambitious project, affirmed the strategic location of the project and expressed that the preliminary results of the aforementioned research estimate the capacity to mobilize up to 80,000 passengers per year, since it has a design to receive Boeing 737 and Airbus 330 airplanes. The estimated date for receiving the final results of the study is January of next year (2022). Furthermore, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) reports on its website that the institution is analyzing the information provided, as well as conducting field visits to verify site conditions.
The next steps to be taken with respect to the project are as follows:
- December 2021, receipt of the Feasibility Study for the construction of the Pacific Airport.
- In 2022, determine the management model and design of the airport terminal.
- In 2023, start of construction of the airport.
The Pacific Airport will not only be a new development pole for El Salvador but will also position it as a strategic trade point in the region, and for this reason it will be necessary to keep an eye on the investment opportunities it will attract.
Oscar Torres Cañas
oscar.torres@garciabodan.com
Partner
García & Bodán
El Salvador