Chinggis Khaan International Airport Explained

Chinggis Khaan International Airport
Nativename:Mongolian: Чингис хаан олон улсын нисэх онгоцны буудал|size=small
Iata:UBN
Icao:ZMCK
Type:Public
Owner:Government of Mongolia
Operator:New Ulaanbaatar International Airport LLC
Location:Sergelen, Töv, Mongolia
City-Served:Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Image2-Width:250
Pushpin Map:Mongolia # Asia # World
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Mongolia
Pushpin Label:UBN
Pushpin Relief:y
Metric-Elev:y
Elevation-M:1,366
Coordinates:47.6516°N 106.8218°W
Website:ulaanbaatar-airport.mn
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:11/29
R1-Length-M:3,600[1]
R1-Surface:Asphalt concrete

Chinggis Khaan International Airport, also referred to as New Ulaanbaatar International Airport,[2] is the primary airport serving Ulaanbaatar, and is Mongolia's only international airport. It opened on 4 July 2021,[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] replacing Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport.

It is the largest air facility in the country, serving as a hub for all major Mongolian airlines, and is located in the Khöshig Valley of Sergelen, Töv Province, 52 km south of Ulaanbaatar and 20 km southwest of Zuunmod. The airport is connected via highway to Ulaanbaatar, with shuttle bus routes operating to and from various points in the city.[9] It features direct flights to 11 domestic destinations and various international destinations in Asia and Europe.

In 2023, it served about 1.7 million domestic and international passengers.[10]

Name

The new airport was given its current name on 2 July 2020, with the former Chinggis Khaan International Airport reverting to its pre-2005 name of Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport.[11] Chinggis Khaan is a transliteration of the modern Mongolian pronunciation of Genghis Khan.

The airport was referred to by various names during its planning and construction phases, including New Ulaanbaatar International Airport[12] and Khöshig (or Khöshigt) Valley Airport.

History

Ulaanbaatar's former main airport, Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport, established in 1957, is located in close proximity to two mountains to its south and east, so only one end of its runway was able to be used, and was often adversely affected by weather events. The new airport was designed with a capacity of handling up to 1,100 passengers per hour and three million passengers per year,[13] with cargo capacity set at 11,900 tons.[14] [15]

Its development was majority funded by a Japanese government (JICA) soft loan (93%), with the rest provided by the Mongolian government.[16]

Development

Initial planning for the airport was done in 2006 with Japanese government assistance.

In May 2008, a 40-year soft loan agreement at 0.2% interest was signed between the Government of Mongolia and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to build a new international airport.[6] [7] The loan required that the project is to be carried out by Japanese consultants and contractors; however, the materials and equipment the contractors use could be up to 70% from any country. Between 2009 and 2011, Azusa Sekkei and Oriental Consultants Joint Venture made the design and bid documentation for the airport. In 2011, a call for bids was announced for the construction of the airport, with the Mitsubishi-Chiyoda Joint Venture (MCJV) successful in the technical bidding. An extended price review and contract negotiation were completed on 10 May 2013 when the main construction contract was signed between MCJV and the Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia.[8]

The final amount of loans from the Japanese Government for the development of the airport totaled, to be paid over forty years.

Construction and opening

The groundbreaking ceremony was on 22 April 2012,[17] [18] with initial construction starting with a site flood-protection scheme. Other works under way included the construction of the electric power line from Nalaikh.

Main construction lasted from May 2013 to April 2020.[19] The concrete pouring work for the control tower started on 13 September 2013. On 29 January 2014, the airport's electric substation construction was completed and connected to the Mongolian central grid.[20]

Construction of a six-lane, 30 km-long highway to Ulaanbaatar started in May 2016,[21] and ended in 2019.[22]

While the initial opening date was slated for December 2016,[23] the bulk of construction only ended in 2017. Opening of the airport was repeatedly delayed to 2018,[24] 2019,[25] [26] 2020,[27] and 2021.[28] These delays were related to contract negotiations regarding the operation and ownership of the airport, the construction of the highway to Ulaanbaatar, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia.

Operations at the airport started on 4 July 2021, with an inaugural flight to Tokyo operated by MIAT Mongolian Airlines, flying Ulaanbaatar-Narita-Ulaanbaatar with a Boeing 737.[29] [30]

In July 2024 Nippon Koei was contracted to perform an assessment regarding the expansion of the airport.[31]

Operations

Governance

Chinggis Khaan International Airport is managed by New Ulaanbaatar International Airport LLC,[32] which is responsible for the airport's operations until 2036.[33] It was formed as a partnership between two companies: Japan Airport Management LLC (owned by Mitsubishi Corporation, Narita International Airport Corporation, Japan Airport Terminal, and JALUX), and will hold 51% of the company, while Khushigiin Khundii Airport, funded by the Government of Mongolia, owns a 49% stake.[34] JALUX manages the airport's retail businesses.

Traffic and statistics

Annual statistics!Year!Domestic passengers!International passengers!Domestic aircraft movements!International aircraft movements!Domestic cargo (tonnes)!International cargo (tonnes)
2022[35] 333,805618,9608,8195,33424.212,869
2023[36] 419,0141,312,17310,3109,65417.98,555
Top international routes by passenger count, 2023!Destination!Passengers to!Passengers from
Seoul-Incheon288,436283,778
Istanbul69,341 71,233
Beijing-Capital64,527 59,421
Tokyo-Narita50,546 48,162
Frankfurt36,354 34,606
Top domestic routes by passenger count, 2023!Destination!Passengers to!Passengers from
Khanbumbat (Oyu Tolgoi)178,431 178,398
Ölgii5,9807,096
Khovd5,811 5,504
Mörön5,436 5,595
Dalanzadgad4,254 4,409

Airport overview

The airport covers an area of 104,200 m2. It has one runway with a length of 3600m (11,800feet) and width of 45m (148feet). It also contains a 3339m (10,955feet) (23m (75feet) wide) parallel taxiway, two rapid taxiways, and three exit taxiways.

Passengers

The airport's passenger terminals have an area of 25300sqm with arrivals on the first (ground floor) and departures on the second floor.[37]

Cargo

The cargo terminal has an area of 3750sqm, with the airport having a yearly cargo capacity of 11,900 tonnes. It also contains separate facilities for the import/export of dangerous, high-value, and refrigerated goods.

Ground transportation

The airport is connected to Ulaanbaatar by highway, and is approximately 50km (30miles) from the city center. Shuttle bus services, taxis, and private vehicles are the modes of transport.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Ulaanbaatar International Aiport [sic] in Mongolia . Chiyoda Corporation . 4 July 2021.
  2. Web site: "Улаанбаатар Хотын Олон Улсын Нисэх Онгоцны Шинэ Буудал Барих Төсөл"-ийн Танилцуулга - Зам, тээврийн хөгжлийн яам. 2021-07-17. mrtd.gov.mn. mn.
  3. News: J . Bolor . 3 July 2021 . Нийслэлийн 4 цэгээс шинэ нисэх буудал руу нийтийн тээвэр үйлчилнэ . Montsame . 3 July 2021 . montsame-july-3.
  4. Web site: Японцы построят в Монголии аэропорт (АвиаПорт) . Feb 18, 2019 . АвиаПорт.Ru.
  5. http://www.altaiinter.info/news/?id=27808 Новости
  6. Web site: Japan ODA Loan for Mongolia . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130319221147/http://www.jica.go.jp//english/news/jbic_archive/autocontents/english/news/2008/000054/index.html . 19 March 2013 . 2 May 2008 . JICA.
  7. News: Mongolia starts to build new int'l airport . China Daily . 26 August 2012.
  8. http://economics.gogo.mn/news/116305 gogo.mn
  9. Web site: Shuttle bus . 2023-06-03 . en.ulaanbaatar-airport.mn.
  10. Web site: 2023 ОНЫ ЖИЛИЙН ЭЦСИЙН ТЭЭВЭРЛЭЛТИЙН МЭДЭЭ . 13 Jan 2024 . Mcaa.gov.mn.
  11. News: M . Anudari . New airport in Khushigt Valley named after Chinggis Khaan . 4 July 2021 . Montsame . 2 July 2020 . en.
  12. Web site: Project Web Site. MCAA. 24 January 2013. 5 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131005151657/http://nubia.mn/. dead.
  13. Web site: New Chinggis Khaan International Airport opens . 2021-07-17 . Montsame News Agency . en.
  14. Web site: New Ulaanbaatar International Airport (UBN) opens . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418074408/https://magnificentmongolia.com/mongolia/news/1-latest-news/272-new-ulaanbaatar-international-airport-opens.html . 2023-04-18 . 2021-07-04.
  15. Web site: Терминалын үйл ажиллагаа . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201204041442/https://www.ulaanbaatar-airport.mn/terminal-operation . 2020-12-04 . 2021-07-17 . www.ulaanbaatar-airport.mn.
  16. Web site: Mongolia's New Gateway . 2024-01-23 . OC Global . en-US.
  17. Web site: Construction Begins on New Airport. Mongol Messenger. 22 April 2012.
  18. Web site: New Airport Started. Infomongolia.com. 22 April 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120426221019/http://www.infomongolia.com/ct/ci/3866. 26 April 2012.
  19. Web site: 2021-07-02. "Чингис хаан" олон улсын нисэх буудал Ням гаригт нээлтээ хийнэ News.MN. 2021-07-17. News.MN - Мэдээллийн эх сурвалж. mn.
  20. Web site: New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Project. Feb 18, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20140201215713/http://nubia.mn/964/. February 1, 2014. dead.
  21. News: Б. Манлай. Фото: Хөшигийн хөндийн ХУРДНЫ замыг барьж эхэллээ. 22 August 2017. 2016-05-06. Ikon.mn.
  22. News: E . Onon . Шинэ нисэх буудлыг Улаанбаатартай холбосон тууш замын хөдөлгөөнийг нээжээ . 4 July 2021 . 17 Sep 2019.
  23. News: Kh . Altanzagas . БҮТЭЭН БАЙГУУЛАЛТ: Шинэ нисэх буудлын өнгө төрх . 4 July 2021 . 11 Feb 2014.
  24. News: Танилц: Онцлох бүтээн байгуулалт буюу Шинэ Нисэх Буудлын ажлын явц. Б. Бямбасүрэн. 21 Aug 2017. 4 Jul 2021. Ikon.mn.
  25. News: B . Ariunzaya . Шинэ нисэх буудал ирэх долдугаар сард ашиглалтад орно . 4 Jul 2021 . 18 Dec 2018.
  26. News: Reuters . Mongolia delays launch of $500-million airport until 2019 . Reuters . 4 January 2018 . en.
  27. Web site: Д.Мягмарсүрэн: Хөшигийн хөндий шинэ нисэх буудал 2020 онд бүрэн ашиглалтад орно . iToim.mn . 4 Jul 2021 . 22 May 2019.
  28. News: B . Munguntamir . "Шинэ нисэх онгоцны буудлыг долдугаар сарын 4-нд нээнэ" . 4 Jul 2021 . News.mn . 10 June 2021.
  29. News: New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Opens . 2021-07-04 . 2021-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183603/http://magnificentmongolia.com/mongolia/news/1-latest-news/272-new-ulaanbaatar-international-airport-opens.html . dead .
  30. Web site: Lee. Will. 2021-07-06. Mongolia's Newest Airport Opens for Operations – AirlineGeeks.com. live. 2021-07-17. AirlineGeeks.com – LIVE. LOVE. AVIATION.. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210706115437/https://airlinegeeks.com/2021/07/06/mongolia-s-new-airport-has-launched/ . 2021-07-06 .
  31. Web site: Assessment on Chinggis Khaan International Airport Expansion Ongoing . 2024-07-05 . MONTSAME News Agency . en.
  32. Web site: 2021-07-04. "Чингис хаан" Олон улсын нисэх буудлын анхны нислэгийн ёслолын арга хэмжээ боллоо. live. 2021-07-17. nubia-llc.mn. https://web.archive.org/web/20210711014625/https://www.nubia-llc.mn/post/70178 . 2021-07-11 .
  33. Web site: Mongolia's New Ulaanbaatar International Airport starts operations. 2021-07-17. www.airport-technology.com. 5 July 2021. en-GB.
  34. Web site: Mitsubishi Corporation - Press Room - 2019 - Participation in New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Operation Project in Mongolia. 2021-07-17. Mitsubishi Corporation. en.
  35. Web site: 2022 . ИНЕГ Статистикийн эмхэтгэл 2022 . 13 Jan 2023.
  36. Web site: СТАТИСТИКИЙН ЭМХЭТГЭЛ 2023 . 4 Jul 2024 . ИРГЭНИЙ НИСЭХИЙН ЕРӨНХИЙ ГАЗАР ИНЕГ.
  37. Web site: Терминалын зураг. live. 2021-07-17. ulaanbaatar-airport.mn. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204013520/https://www.ulaanbaatar-airport.mn/terminal-tuluwlultiin-zurag . 2020-12-04 .