The area between Milazzo, Merì and Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto is preparing to host theMediterranean Intercontinental Airport. According to Fabio Bertolotti, CEO of the proposing company “La Sciara Holding LTD & Partners”, the inauguration and the first flight could become reality within 30 months, if the process proceeds smoothly.
The bureaucratic process and Project Finance
The company has already filed the technical and administrative documentation to formally start the Project Finance. Here are the steps involved:
- Documentation presented: Feasibility plan, environmental report, location and route plan are already being examined by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
- Next steps: It is estimated that it will take approximately 9 months to obtain the green light from ENAC, ENAV and the Sicilian Region.
- The announcement: A public tender will follow in which the proponents will have the right of first refusal. From the conclusion of this phase, the works could be completed in just two years.
A single hub: Cargo and intercontinental flights
The project aims for a specificity that differentiates it from the airports of Palermo, Catania and Reggio Calabria:
- International Hub: It will target passengers from the Americas, Asia and India, intercepting a high-potential tourist flow.
- Goods Logistics: It will be the only port of call Cargo of Southern Italy (from Rome downwards), positioning itself as a point of reference for nations such as China, interested in fast routes for moving goods.
The numbers of the project
The work promises to be a real airport citadel:
- Flight Infrastructure: A track beyond 4,000 square meters.
- Services and trade: An outlet with over 320 shops and restaurants, a 400-room 5-star hotel, a medical clinic and a veterinary clinic.
- Investment: The estimated cost is 1.2 billion euros for the airport, to which they are added 450 million euros for a dedicated photovoltaic system.