On Monday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operated the first commercial flight to land at the newly opened Gwadar International Airport.
CMG reported that the flight received a traditional water salute upon landing, and Pakistani officials welcomed passengers during the inauguration ceremony.
The first commercial aircraft, PK-503, touched down at the airport around 11:15 a.m., according to a statement from a Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) official.
According to the statement, the aircraft “touched down at the state-of-the-art Gwadar facility at 11:15 AM, carrying 46 passengers, having taken off from Karachi at 9:50 AM.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended the new Gwadar International Airport Project’s completion ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office on October 14, 2024, local time.
Anti-corrosion methods used in Gwadar International Airport’s construction
Construction of the airport began on October 31, 2019, after a groundbreaking ceremony led by then-Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 29, 2019.
The airport covers 4,300 acres (17 km²) and has a single runway that stretches 3,658 meters long and 75 meters wide, designed to accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8. It is constructed with 230 million dollars in grants from the Chinese government.
China provided the majority of the grant funding for the construction of Pakistan’s New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), with Pakistan and Oman also contributing.
The China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) carried out the project, and the China Railway Beijing Engineering Group, a division of the China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), accomplished important construction milestones.
Due to its coastal location, the new airport faces harsh salt spray conditions that could cause corrosion. To ensure the terminal’s durability, the construction team has used anti-corrosion techniques in key areas, including the steel structure, foundations, and interior decorations, as explained by a Chinese construction technician, according to Xinhua.
Gwadar International Airport set to enhance regional connectivity
The manager of the new airport stated that it will significantly improve Pakistan’s air connectivity with other countries, making it easier to access for international cargo and tourists.
The airport will also feature a refrigerated cargo storage system to help export local seafood, further connecting Gwadar’s economy to the global market.
By addressing past connectivity challenges, the airport will allow modern airlines to serve Gwadar, driving regional economic growth and positioning the city as a key transshipment hub linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), according to Xinhua.
According to a Chinese employee at the new airport, China provided all of the equipment, materials, and design guidelines used in its development.
According to CMG, this not only helps advance China’s civil aviation technology but also introduces its materials and standards abroad.
The new airport would be essential to the growth of Gwadar and the economy of Pakistan, a Pakistani official at the airport underlined.
