Dematic will carry out the development, installation and commissioning of the new Baggage Handling and Screening System of the New Terminal.
The Gibraltar Government has signed the contract with the company Dragados to build the new terminal and associated facilities such as the extension of the apron, aircraft parking area, new cargo handling facilities, new building for airport vehicles, and new facilities for Customs, at the airport and border crossings.
Gibraltar airport is located on the isthmus that joins Gibraltar with Spain. This international airport is located only 500 meters from the town of Gibraltar and a similar distance from the village of La Linea de la Concepción (Cadiz) Spain.
The airfield was built during World War II and officially opened in 1949 as an emergency base of the British Royal Navy. On December 2nd, 1987, an agreement between the Spanish and British governments agreed to the civil joint use of the airport by Gibraltar and Spain. In 2006 a new agreement between Britain, Gibraltar and Spain, ended up with so far restrictions on civilian use of the facility, allowing flights with Spain and thus ending years of conflict.
Two years later the Gibraltar Government announced it would build a new passenger terminal as part of these agreements. The new terminal would have 20,000 m² on two floors, and then being much larger than the existing one to be replaced. This new terminal will be the focus of the new road network being also developed. The Terminal will have 5 gates and a capacity of up to one million passengers per year.
Dematic is implementing the installation, integration and commissioning of the Baggage Handling and Screening System for the departures and arrivals circuits.
The Baggage Handling and Screening System for the departures circuit consists of two separate paths devoted to Gibraltar and Spain. There are a total of 16 check-in positions and one more for Out-Of-Gauge bags. All bags from check-in are screened by 2 automatic and 1 manual X-ray machines. Checked baggage are sent to 2 inclined flight-make-up carousels for manual classification and subsequent transfer to the aircraft.
The arrivals circuit consists of two pier conveyors where bags are unloaded, and then carried by two independent conveyor paths to 2 flat arrival carousels, where passengers will pick them up.
The complete Baggage Handling and Screening System is supervised by a SCADA control system, which further integrates the operation of fire doors, then providing zone isolation in case of fire.
The deadline for the completion of the entire Baggage Handling and Screening System is 12 months, including all operational tests before the New Terminal opens to the public.