Alstom, a global leader in sustainable and green mobility solutions, has announced that it has secured a major contract to boost the capacity of the Innovia automated people mover (APM) system at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

Under this, Alstom’s responsibility includes the design, engineering, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of a full system upgrade of Jeddah’s International Airport Terminal 1 People Mover, including four additional state-of-the-art Innovia APM cars, to be added into the current fleet of 10. 

 

The project will also feature an upgrade to the signalling and communication systems, the implementation of platform screen doors, cybersecurity enhancements, and the establishment of a new Operation Control Room, it stated. 

 

The move is seen as a significant step in the kingdom's preparations to accommodate the airport's projected passenger growth, which is expected to surpass 100 million by 2030.

 

"The enhancement of the Innovia APM system is a crucial element in enriching the transit experience at King Abdulaziz International Airport, a bustling gateway influenced by the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030," remarked Mohamed Khalil, the Managing Director of Alstom in Saudi Arabia.

 

This significant upgrade will be instrumental in accommodating the increased passenger volumes resulting from the nation's active promotion of tourism and the modernisation of visa protocols," noted Khalil. 

 

"Alstom's mission to bolster the Jeddah Airport Company's (Jedco) operational efficiency shines through this project, reinforcing our pledge to be a resilient, long-term partner in the region's remarkable evolution," he added.

 

According to Khalil, the project will draw on Alstom’s global in-house expertise in integrated railway systems.

 

The APM cars are equipped with Cityflo 650 CBTC solution, which has been designed to meet the most stringent safety, reliability, maintainability and availability requirements. The existing fleet will be retrofitted with the latest Motion Recording Video systems, he stated. 

 

Since 2020, King Abdulaziz International Airport has utilised the Innovia APM system, under a full operation and maintenance contract with Alstom. 

 

This marked the introduction of Alstom’s over 50 years of expertise in automated people mover design, construction, operations, and maintenance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2022, Alstom and Jeddah Airports Company (Jedco) entered into a new five-year contract for the operation and maintenance of Jeddah Airport’s APM system.-TradeArabia News Service