The Argentine experience travels to Ecuador and Uruguay

Corporación América is experienced in the management of 33 airports within Argentina and as the Company is focused in sharing said experience with Latin America, they have recently opened a tremendous terminal in Uruguay, and are about to start constructing a Green-building feature airport in Ecuador. They also own one of the best terminals in the world in Guayaquil.

In 2009 Corporación América introduced the new Carrasco International Airport to the world, a work requiring a 200 million dollar investment with a capacity to serve more than three million passengers a year, 150 percent above the figures recorded in 2008 and almost the very number of the total local population (3.3 million based on 2006 gathered data).

The building has been designed by the Uruguayan – Argentinean architect Rafael Viñoly, author of smart constructions in many continents, and who is known for his design of ‘light-space-strength’ projects.

The total surface area of the new terminal is 45,000 square metres, divided into two levels: the ground floor for passenger arrivals and the first floor for departures. It also has eight simultaneous use gates for remote boarding and four fixed bridges for travellers disembarking.

The building has four telescopic Bridges and 44 check in locations, fitted with CUTE (common use terminal system). The ground floor has three baggage conveyor belts, 24 Migrations desks (12 for Arrivals and 12 for Departures), 1,200 parking lots (which doubles the current space) and 100,000 square metres for the new shopping platform.

The new Carrasco International Airport is a perfect combination of technology, design, security and comfort. Located 18 km away from the city of Montevideo (Capital City), it is one of only two airports in the country serving International connections throughout the whole year, and so it is the gateway for a large number of visitors.

In this way, the smart airport is ranked as a new and important Mercosur (South Cone Common Market) hub and is coherent with the air security operations. The recently completed works have been successful in the following areas: promoting accessibility, integration and collaboration of the various means of transportation, improving the region’s environmental capacity, planning new infrastructure options and elaborating and applying new profitable technical solutions.

The new terminal is a modern infrastructure for storing and processing merchandise and housing a new corporate two-story building for logistics activity related companies (air companies, customs agents, carriers, etc. amongst others).

The facilities have an 11,700 square metre surface area, which doubles the current surface area. This will allow us to absorb traffic of 45,000 annual tonnes.

The cold store is three times larger. Every deposit has its respective cold store and the exports one has retractile dock shelters at the sectional gates for loading vehicles approaching. The docks have a lifting hydraulic platform system opposite to them.

TCU SA started business in March 2004 as a consequence of a Concession process of the main country airport terminal. It processes around 115 thousand load dispatches annually, consisting of goods of an average 25 thousand tonnes, at a value of around 1,300 million dollars.

However, we cannot talk about Uruguay without mentioning Laguna del Sauce Airport, which has been obtained in order to develop new investment plans, increasing the air station capacity and consolidating its presence in Uruguay.

This airport concession, which will be effective up to the year 2019 and includes its Free Shop, will be CASA’s second presence in the neighbour country.

Within Corporación América’s present framework, the construction of José Joaquín Olmedo de Guayaquil (Ecuador) Airport cannot be left aside; this work started in October 2004 and was opened in July 2006 with an investment of 90 million dollars. The air terminal occupies 50,000 square metres, which allows for an annual traffic of five million passengers, and doubles the capacity from 2006.

Besides the attractiveness of this building, the technology is avant-garde and meets the air control international organisation’s requirements. In parallel, its exclusive VIP lounges are considered some of the best in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Company is proud of Guayaquil Airport Terminal (Tagsa, a partner of Corpor ación América), as it is one of the best in the world and holds second best position compared to other Latin American airports, behind Cancun Airport. This recognition is not the first Guayaquil Airport has been awarded; in 2007 and 2008 the Ecuadorian airport reached the top position for Latin America; this arises from a survey undertaken by Airports Council International (ACI) on a world assessment of air terminals.

This year the ‘Corporación’ has put in place a new ‘green building’ initiative, which takes care of the environment. This is a unique project in one of the world’s most significant natural fields.

This Airport will be an example of what can be done for the future and the environment within every natural context. The architecture will express a simple line and climate response performance, a low environmental impact and a landscape recovery.

The features of this new type of building will be the following: bio environment design, low energy consumption, no air conditioning, natural lighting and ventilation, efficient use of water, water recycling, use of efficient appliances, rain use and also sustainable materials will be applied.

In order to succeed in efficient ventilation, the Baltra breeze will be taken advantage of, which will be controlled to provide natural air conditioning. Also, the sun’s rays will be the source of lighting. Light colour ceilings and panels will help reflect radiation within the building and solar collectors will be installed to heat water and generate power.

At this moment, Corporación América is making progress with the earth movement works for the topographic survey.

The whole project will be started by the end of October and continuous environmental inspections will be performed throughout the whole construction stage in order to guarantee the stability of the ecosystem.

Special mechanisms will be used throughout the works so as to decrease the dust generation level. Also, some of the machines used will be replaced by labour force and the elements for cement and concrete mixing will have no chemical products.

Baltra terminal is used by 300,000 passengers and with this new project they will be able to enter the Galapagos National Park; a World Heritage Site (UNESCO), as well as to have the opportunity to observe a unique and sustainable ecosystem and a special-feature tour destination.

Among the above project goals, there is the LEED Certification, which recognises sustainable ecological buildings with a low environmental impact.

About the author

Ernesto Gutiérrez is CEO at Corporación América, a Multinational Holding made up of Argentine capital which has control over Argentina’s airport sector amongst other business, through AA2000. It also owns airports in Uruguay and Ecuador, within the Latin American Region.

Having over 5,000 employees and an annual turnover amounting to 950 million dollars, Corporación América’s fundamental basis is the value of the human force, procurement and transfer of knowledge, commitment to the environment, seeking efficiency and quality, training, respect for cultural traditions and an entrepreneurial social liability.