Global management, engineering and development firm, Mott MacDonald, is to lead a site study, design and masterplan for a new international airport in Costa Rica on behalf of the Centro American Corporation of Air Navigation Services (COCESNA).

The new metropolitan airport in Orotina, Alajuela is scheduled for completion in 2026 as part of the modernisation and growth of air transport in the country.

The project consists of technical, environmental and financial advisory, as well as airport development planning including traffic forecasting, infrastructure layout and terminal design. At the end of the 12-month project, Mott MacDonald will provide COCESNA with the infrastructure plans and associated financial requirements to develop the new airport.

During the signing ceremony for the project, the President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, recognised Mott MacDonald’s extensive global experience. He also expressed satisfaction that a company with such a long track-record of participating in some of the world’s biggest airport infrastructure projects, such as Heathrow and the new Istanbul airport, is leading the project.

Horacio Rossi, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “The new airport will be a significant development for Costa Rica and support economic growth in the region. The additional capacity will enable an increase of international flights, benefitting both export and tourism.”

“Our experience consulting on Mariscal Sucre International Airport gave us specific expertise in developing new airports on greenfield sites, as well as relocating a country’s main airport due to existing site expansion constraints. We are delighted to lead an integrated team on this project, which includes FSA, Enroute and Gensler,” Horacio added.

Masterplanning Costa Rica’s new airport builds on Mott MacDonald’s growing aviation presence in South America. The consultancy delivered technical, commercial and management services over 10 years during the development of Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador. Opening in 2013, the airport has created a new international gateway into Ecuador and received many international awards, including two UN sustainability honours.