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A new airport for Crete

Crete's new airport is benefiting from the use of Dynapac machines.
By MJ Woof October 1, 2024 Read time: 2 mins
Road machines from Dynapac are playing an important role in the construction of Crete's new airport

Construction equipment from Fayat Group subsidiary Dynapac is playing an important role in the project to build a new international airport for the Greek island of Crete. The main contractor for the project to build the new Heraklion International Airport in Crete is local firm TERNA Group.

The new Heraklion International Airport is being built in the Kasteli area and will replace Crete’s current Nikos Kazantzakis Airport. Construction of the new airport is required as the existing facility is no longer able to meet current demands and does not have the capacity to cope with the expected air traffic volume to come.

The entire project has been centered around providing the private and public sectors with the infrastructure and architecture to meet current and future transportation needs throughout the concession period.

The ambitious project includes multiple construction goals, including the construction of a 3,200m-long runway for take-off and landings that will meet the ICAO 4E requirement. The project also includes a 3,200m-long parallel taxiway route. In addition, the contractor will build eight rapid exit taxiways, two crossfield taxiways, and an apron featuring 27 remote parking positions for aircraft. Construction will also include all necessary buildings and facilities, from the modern terminal to parking, customer, and safety structures. The planned commercial use area for the airport will extend some 400,000m2. The airport construction project also includes work to build local road connections. This will ensure that all the roads leading to and from the airport offer suitable access and are able to cope with demand.

In addition, an 18km highway is being built to ensure quick journeys between the airport and northern Crete, while the location of the project provides access to the southern part of the island as well.

Giannis Smaragdakis is construction coordinator & public relations manager located in Crete at the TERNA jobsite, while Thanasis Kougkoulos is director of the Machinery Department and located at TERNA’s head office in Athens. 
The two welcomed the Dynapac team in week 17 for commissioning of the SD2500CS and the SD2550CS highway pavers and the project has been running successfully ever since.

The contractor had already taken delivery of compactors from Dynapac for the project, three CA6000Ds, three CC4200VIs and two CC2200s for the project. TERNA represents a new key account for Dynapac and the contractor has expressed its satisfaction in working with the manufacturer as a high-quality supplier for demanding jobs.

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