MIA privatisation expected to come to a close

It is expected that the Government will be announcing its conclusions on the privatisation programme for the Malta International Airport sooner rather than later.

One of the main conditions which the Maltese Government has seemingly put on the contenders for the MIA is to surrender or give up their respective bids for the privatisation of the two Cypriot airports.

It appears that Alterra Partners Consortium remains the Government’s preferred bidder after the evaluation process of last December.

Alterra is an investment company or partnership. It is made up of two different partners, namely a subsidiary company of the US construction Group Bechtel (via Bechtel Enterprises) and the Singapore Airport Authority (a Government owned and operated authority), via its subsidiary company Singapore Chiangi Airport Enterprise Pte Ltd. - together under the Alterra Partners banner owned as to 50% each.

Alterra Partners had joined up with the Spanish Construction Group Dragados and the Mizzi Organisation to form the consortium which has now bid for the privatisation of MIA.

It appears that neither of the contenders had wanted to give up on their Cyprus bids, and this for a number of various and good reasons, especially because the tender bid involves large construction works which remain the major interests of construction groups such as Bechtel and Dragados.

It also appears that Vienna Consortium was willing to give up its Cyprus bid ‘only if it should win the MIA bid’.

Med Gateway Consortium was initially also considered a strong leading contender in the MIA privatisation process, nevertheless it was excluded from being invited to renewed negotiations based.