Chinese firm China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) said on Friday it has completed installing of air traffic management system (ATMS) stations in five out of six locations in South Sudan.
Jia Zhijie, Project General Manager of the Air Traffic Management System Engineering Project in South Sudan being undertaken by CHEC, said they have completed construction of two main ATMS stations in Juba, Wau town of Western Bahr el Ghazal, and also three substations in Raja County in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Kapoeta County in Eastern Equatoria and Bor in Jonglei states.
He disclosed that the revamping of the remaining ATMS station in Malakal has been slowed down due to insecurity, adding that it is expected to be complete in mid-September when they expect to handover to the government for operation and maintenance.
“ATMS is a vital and very important project for South Sudan, it will grant South Sudan’s government control over it’s airspace and national defense security,” Jia told Juba Echo in an interview in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
“The project will provide air traffic management, communication and navigation, surveillance, navigation information, meteorological services and flight information processing services,” he said.
Jia noted that the ATMS project will also boost non-revenue collection through the over-flying fee.
“The operation of the project will increase non-oil revenue and promote the development of South Sudan. It will provide numerous job opportunities and also promote the social and economic development of South Sudan,” he said.
The center station of the ATM system is located around the Juba International Airport.
He said when the entire project is complete in mid-September; CHEC and the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority will enter into the operation and maintenance phase for a period of more than 10 years.
CHEC will also assist to train the experts from Civil Aviation Authority who will provide maintenance services at the facility along with their Chinese counterparts.
The ATMS project that commenced in June 2020 is a 200 million U.S. dollar concessional loan project to South Sudan, channeled through the Export-Import Bank of China.
The project comprises the construction of the Juba ATM center, new Air Traffic control tower and operation building, surveillance system, navigation system, communication system, and the civil engineering and supporting facilities such as meteorological facilities, calibration flight test, and personnel training.
