Work on Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort (NASDAQ:OMAB)’s nearly $30 million new passenger terminal at the Acapulco Airport has commenced. The ground breaking ceremony for the project was graced by the Governor of the State of Guerrero, Héctor A. Astudillo, alongside other high profile state officials.

The delegation from Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort at the inauguration ceremony was led by CEO Porfirio González and Board Chairman, Diego Quintana. The Mayor of Acapulco also attended the groundbreaking event for the new Acapulco Airport terminal.

According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort, construction of the new airport terminal will cost Ps547 million or $30 million. The construction work is expected to run for nearly two years.

When completed, the new airport terminal building is expected to have space of 18,800-square-meters. The building will be in three levels and a mezzanine floor will be included.

The terminal will have a capacity to handle 1.3 million domestic and international travelers every year. Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort said that the terminal will have capacity for future expansion. There will be three passenger jetways at the terminal, six boarding gates and separated arrival and departure flow. OMAB added that the ramp area of the terminal will have three aircraft contact positions and six semi-contact positions. In addition, there will be six remote contact positions.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort said in a press release that the new passenger terminal will be a modern facility and the company wants to emphasize operating efficiency. That will include sustainable building design and energy-saving fittings among others.

The construction of the new terminal is not expected to affect normal operations of the airport. But when completed in the back half of 2018, the terminal should enhance the operations of the Acapulco Airport.