SAUDI ARABIA/IRELAND. The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has confirmed daa International as the operator of Red Sea International Airport in an official ceremony. The new travel hub is set to become the Middle East region’s first-ever carbon-neutral airport.
The new deal follows on from an agreement originally signed in January 2021. It covers operations and general maintenance services worth close to SAR 1 billion (US$266 million).
TRSDC CEO John Pagano said: “Ahead of welcoming our first guests early next year, Red Sea International is ushering in a carbon-neutral, net-zero era for airport designs and operations. As the region’s first-ever airport powered by 100% renewable energy, RSI will serve as an innovative blueprint for decarbonised urban destinations of the future.”
“The Red Sea International Airport is primed to deliver luxury guest experiences unlike any other” – daa International CEO Nicholas Cole
TRSDC welcomed a delegation of Irish dignitaries to its offices in Riyadh to mark the signing of the agreement, including Ireland Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton TD, and Ireland’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Gerry Cunningham. They appeared alongside representatives from Enterprise Ireland, the country’s trade organisation.
Additionally, the event was attended by His Excellency the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Mr. Abdul-Azeer bin Abdullah Al-Duailej.
“Our agreement with leading industry player daa International, with a proven track-record of excelling in international aviation, marks our latest step towards materialising a sustainable, regenerative gateway that will open this under-explored region of Saudi Arabia to the world,” added Pagano.
Irish state-owned daa International will serve as the airport operator for Red Sea International in 2023, overseeing design consultancy, management and operations in accordance with the provisions of General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (GACA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Services will also enable the seamless integration of green technology and waste and resource management, aligned with the highest standards of sustainability, while prioritising safety and security, TRSDC noted.
daa International CEO Nicholas Cole said: “The Red Sea International Airport is primed to deliver luxury guest experiences unlike any other. We are thrilled to partner with TRSDC to bring to life a seamless, ultra-premium, highly personalised experience for each passenger traveling through this unique gateway, underpinned by stringent sustainability goals.”
The partnership will harness daa International’s extensive credentials in airport operations. The company operates Dublin and Cork airports, has a 20% stake in Düsseldorf Airport, and an 11% stake in Hermes, which operates Larnaca and Paphos airports in Cyprus. daa is also the parent company of prominent Irish travel retailer Aer Rianta International.
Red Sea International is being designed by international architecture firm Foster + Partners and is on track to welcome its first passengers next year. It will have the capability to serve an estimated one million domestic and international tourists per year by 2030 – at a peak of 900 travellers per hour.
The airport was successfully registered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and recently completed test landings and take-offs on the 3.7km main runway. The team also celebrated eight million safe man-hours with 2,400 workers.
Red Sea International will be the first and only airport in the region with a dedicated runway for seaplanes and water aerodromes, regulated by a new set of GACA safety guidelines.
The destination will also service hydrogen-powered seaplane variants, supplied by hydrogen-electric aviation firm ZeroAvia, as well as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft technology.
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