Transforming Dublin Airport

Steel Erection Begins At T2

The first elements of the steel frame for Dublin Airport’s new passenger terminal T2 were erected today (March 31 2008).

Workers have started to build the steel frame of the new T2 baggage hall at the northern end of the construction site, close to Dublin Airport's existing passenger terminal. The start of steelworks is a major milestone in the construction of the €395 million new terminal and marks the beginning of a new phase of the project.

“This is another hugely significant step on the road to delivering T2 on time and on budget,” said Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) Chief Executive Declan Collier. “This project is the cornerstone of a €2 billion investment programme to radically improve the passenger experience at Dublin Airport and I am happy to see it progressing on schedule,” Mr Collier added.

Construction work on T2 started last October and is due to finish in late 2009. The new terminal will open to the public in April 2010, following a rigorous testing and commissioning phase. About 250 people are currently building T2 and that number will rise to more than 2,000 at the peak of construction.

About 10,500 tonnes of steel will be used for T2 – which is twice the amount used in Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London.  About 80% of the steel for T2 is coming from reclaimed sources. British company Watson Steel is supplying the steel from plants in Yorkshire and Lancashire and has already produced about 25% of the T2 order. Watson is the main steel contractor for the Olympic Stadium in London and also supplied the steel for the Emirates Stadium. 

The cost of the overall T2 project, which also includes a new boarding gate area known as Pier E, a new energy centre and an upgrade of the airport’s internal road network, is €609 million.

March 31, 2008