Turkey-based construction company IC İçtaş Construction, along with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, has taken part in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Long Thanh International Airport project in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

The project is being constructed by the IC İçtaş-led VIETUR consortium.

With the project completion of the first phase of the project, valued at $1.5bn, this consortium intends to complete this phase.

The scope of this project comprises construction of the terminal and equipment installation works within 39 months.

The Long Thanh International Airport project is estimated to employ more than 10,000 staff.

IC İçtaş Construction chairman Fırat Çeçen said: “With this Long Thanh International Airport project, we are bringing our vast experience in construction and management to the Far East. The VIETUR consortium includes leading Vietnamese companies in their respective fields.

“We aim to deliver the first phase of the Long Thanh International Airport project to international standards within 39 months, in close coordination with our local and international partners.

“We also thank the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) for its fair approach and support during the preparation phase. We believe that ACV’s support will play a crucial role in the success of the project.”

Last month, this VIETUR Consortium secured the contract for the terminal development of Long Thanh International Airport.

Initially, the airport will service 25 million passengers and have 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually. Upon completion, the airport is anticipated to service over 100 million passengers per year.