Wings Rebuilt, Qatari Specialists Win Damascus Airport Terminal 2 MEP Contract

Project Overview

Damascus International Airport is undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment under a $4 billion concession awarded to a Qatar‑led consortium, with Terminal 2 forming a critical early phase of the expansion programme. Elegancia MEP’s scope covers all MEP and ELV systems required for terminal operations, passenger facilities, safety, and efficiency.

Airport terminal construction featuring advanced MEP systems installation, curved roof architecture, tower cranes, scaffolding, and aviation apron infrastructure, showcasing large-scale international airport redevelopment, complex electrical and mechanical engineering, and modern passenger terminal expansion projects. Image is an artistic expression.

Key details include:

• Scope, MEP and ELV systems for Terminal 2, including electrical, HVAC, fire safety, surveillance, control, plumbing

• Client, UCC Holding consortium (main concession developer)

• Location, Damascus International Airport, Syria

• Contract value, not disclosed

• Construction status, works already underway

• Terminal 2 opening target, before Hajj season (approximately May 2026)

• Overall programme capacity target: 31 million passengers annually

Delivery Partners And Key Stakeholders

• Main Concession Consortium (Damascus Airport Developer)

• UCC Holding (Qatar) – lead developer through subsidiary Urbacon Concessions Investment

• Cengiz İnşaat (Turkey)

• Kalyon İnşaat (Turkey)

• Assets Investments USA (USA)

• Contract type, long‑term Build‑Operate‑Transfer (BOT) valued at $4 billion

Terminal 2 MEP and ELV Contractor

• Elegancia MEP (Qatar) – subsidiary of Estithmar Holding Q.P.S.C., responsible for integrated MEP and ELV delivery

• Area Managing Director, Abdul Hakim Wahab – overseeing project execution

• CEO Elegancia Contracting & Industries, Eyad Elkhorebi – representing parent group

Design and Consultancy Team

• Hesco Hammada Engineering Services (Spain) – detailed design and redevelopment of Terminals 1, 2, and Terminal 3

• H’Collective (Qatar) – architectural and interior design of a new airport hotel

• Dar Al‑Handasah (Shair and Partners) (Lebanon) – Project Management Office (PMO) services, site supervision, design review

• DG Jones and Partners (Lebanon) – contract management, cost control, quantity surveying

• Elegancia Catering and Newrest Gulf JV (Qatar) – design and operation of central kitchen and in-flight catering

Client and Policy

• General Authority of Civil Aviation, Syria – concession authority and regulatory body

Technical Scope Of MEP And ELV Works

Elegancia MEP’s contract encompasses sophisticated, integrated systems designed for high‑density airport operations. Specific systems include:

• Electrical installations ensuring stable power distribution and backup capacity

• HVAC systems delivering precise environmental control for passenger comfort and equipment reliability

• Safety and security systems including fire detection, suppression, and emergency evacuation

• Firefighting systems compliant with international aviation standards

• Surveillance and monitoring systems covering CCTV, access control, and perimeter security

• Control systems for centralised building management and operational integration

• Plumbing works supporting sanitary, drainage, and water supply infrastructure

• The systems must maintain operational efficiency, comply with global aviation safety standards, and support the terminal’s role within the wider airport expansion programme.

Programme Context And Timeline

Terminal 2 forms the first major phase of the $4 billion Damascus International Airport redevelopment, with construction already underway. Key milestones include:

• Terminal 2 opening, targeted before Hajj season (approximately May 2026)

• Terminal 1 redesign and upgrade, completion by end of 2026 (initial capacity lift to 6 million passengers)

• Terminal 3 development, phased rollout to 16 million then 31 million total capacity

• Additional scope, 50 km airport access road, new five‑star hotel, free zone, electronic gates

• Financing component, $250 million aircraft financing for Syrian Airlines

The MEP works must align with these aggressive timelines while coordinating with civil works, architectural fit‑out, and operational readiness activities.

Strategic Importance

The Damascus airport programme represents Syria’s largest infrastructure investment to date, signalling strong international confidence in post‑conflict reconstruction. The project aims to:

• Restore and expand Syria’s primary international gateway

• Support economic recovery through aviation, trade, and tourism

• Create over 90,000 direct and indirect jobs across construction and operations

• Position Damascus as a regional aviation hub with modern facilities

Elegancia MEP’s involvement demonstrates Qatar’s growing role in regional infrastructure export, leveraging expertise developed on Qatar’s own mega‑projects to high‑profile international assignments.

Construction Opportunities

While Elegancia MEP handles the core MEP and ELV scope, the wider Terminal 2 and airport programme creates opportunities in:

• Civil and structural works for terminal buildings, stands, and hotel

• Architectural fit‑out, retail concessions, and passenger processing areas

• Airside infrastructure, aprons, taxiways, lighting, and navigation aids

• Baggage handling systems, people movers, and commercial facilities

• Utilities, power generation, district cooling, and water treatment

• Road and access infrastructure connecting the airport to Damascus

The scale and profile of the overall concession suggest multiple phases of specialist packages will follow the current construction activity.

Writer’s Opinion

Elegancia MEP’s appointment for Damascus Terminal 2 illustrates the paradox of Middle East aviation infrastructure, where technical excellence meets extreme political and operational risk. The company brings genuine Qatar‑level airport systems expertise to a project that demands precision under intense schedule pressure, but the real test will be whether Syria’s institutional capacity can support the BOT model through to sustained operations.

For contractors, the $4 billion envelope offers a genuine opportunity, but only for those who can navigate security logistics, payment certainty, and supply chain reliability in a high‑risk reconstruction environment. Success here could unlock Syria’s wider reconstruction pipeline; failure risks becoming another cautionary tale of ambition outpacing delivery capacity.