BISSAU, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese infrastructure contractor China Railway 11th Bureau Group said on Tuesday that it has completed the main structure and interior and exterior finishing work on a new technical block and air traffic control tower at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport in Guinea-Bissau.
The civil works, slated for formal handover in 2027, are part of a 4.7-billion-CFA-franc (about 8.4 million U.S. dollars) project financed by the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar.
The two-story technical block covers 2,734.4 square meters and will house administrative offices, communications services, meteorological monitoring and equipment maintenance facilities.
The 13-story control tower has a floor area of 694.02 square meters, designed to provide a clear view of the runway and aircraft parking areas. Automated air traffic control systems and navigation aids will be installed later by the project owner.
Li Chunqiu, a representative of the Chinese contractor, said the project team maintained strict safety and quality standards despite high temperatures, heavy rainfall and lengthy material delivery times.
Once operational, the facilities are expected to strengthen aviation safety and flight coordination at the airport and support the opening of new international routes.
Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, located in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, is the country's only international airport. First opened in 1955, the airport is undergoing a broader modernization program, with a new passenger terminal recently inaugurated in March.
