Peru's AdP to invest US$300mn in Chiclayo airport upgrade

Aeropuertos del Perú (AdP) plans to invest US$300mn to modernize Chiclayo airport on the country's north coast.

The transport and communications ministry approved the project, which involves new passenger and cargo terminals, aircraft maintenance platforms and a fire station, AdP general manager Evans Avendaño said.

Chiclayo is the capital of Lambayeque region, which features major agro-export operations, oil and gas exploration blocks, mining projects including Candente Copper's Cañariaco copper property and tourist attractions including the world surfing championship circuit, the pre-Hispanic Sipán tombs and the Tucumé pyramids.

"This is a project that will contribute to connectivity, decentralization and the development of regional trade and tourism," Avendaño told newspaper Gestión.

AdP, which was taken over by Lima-based Grupo Sandoval from Spain's Ferrovial in 2014, operates 11 regional airports in Peru. It competes with Aeropuertos Andinos del Perú, which controls five regional airports.

Peru, where the tourism industry brings in about US$4bn/y, is counting on billions of dollars in airport investments, including projects such as the Jorge Chávez expansion in Lima and regional airports such as Chinchero, Pisco and Ilo.

RECONSTRUCTION

In other infrastructure news, the government will allocate the first 2bn soles (US$600mn) this month of a 7bn-sol post-flooding reconstruction budget for 2019, President Martín Vizcarra said.

Peru is struggling to accelerate a 26bn-sol reconstruction program after devastating flooding and landslides sparked by the El Niño phenomenon in 2017 left at least 163 dead and 291,000 homeless and caused billions in damage to infrastructure.

Other infrastructure investment projects this year include 1,000 new schools and 80 new hospitals and other health centers, according to Vizcarra

"I will hand over power with a politically and socially stable country, with economic growth and improved living standards," Vizcarra said in a statement. "That's my goal, and I will meet it."

Vizcarra, who replaced Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in March 2018 and is due to leave office in July 2021, transferred 10bn soles to regional and local governments last year to finance infrastructure projects. About a quarter of the 168bn-sol 2019 budget will be allocated to public infrastructure, according to the government.