Background

Sofia Airport (SOF) is the 6th largest international airport (2020) in the Central and Eastern Europe region, located 10km east of the center of the city of Sofia. The airport serves 75 destinations in Europe and the Middle East, delivered by 24 airlines, and it serves as the main hub for Air Bulgaria.
The project consists in the handover of the existing airport, including all operations and maintenance services. The project will also support the long-term development strategy that will involve major design and construction activities during the 35-year contract.
A new terminal will be built within the first 10 years of the concession, replacing the old existing terminal whilst ensuring the continued operation of the airport alongside the existing Terminal 2 and the runway built in 2006.
The Concession Agreement was signed in July 2020 with the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport. SOF Connect, the new company set up by Meridiam for the project, officially took over the operations at the airport in April 2021.

Stage:

In Operation

ESG/SDG Key facts:

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)

In Q3 2024, the Permit for use of ground water was renewed by the Danube River Basin Directorate, which is a division of the Ministry of Environment and Water. The same quantity of ground water permitted for use is preserved, despite the reduction in consumption during the previous years. During the design of new open car parks and the development of a concept design
for Terminal 3 and its adjacent transportation centre, it was identified that the quantity of storm water to be discharged in
the nearby Iskar River will increase, and will possibly exceed the permitted quantity. Therefore, a renewal of the permit with
the increased quantity of water will be needed during the construction of the new terminal.

SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) – In Q2 and Q3 2024 the street lighting in front of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3
was replaced with LED lighting.. The technical design is ongoing for the reconstruction of Apron lights and the
installation of LED lighting with a management system with delivery expected by December 2024. The design for the
replacement of pier lighting has been completed, and the tender for implementation is ongoing. The replacement of
lights in Terminal 2 main building is expected to start by end of October 2024. The project for the construction of first 5
MWp PV plant is ongoing with the tender published on the first week of October, Aeronautical study for Plot PV 5 was
accepted from Grantor , Bulatsa and CAA.

SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

SSP, a leading operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, has signed a contract with SOF Connect, to operate 12 outlets across the airport. The Food Court development will include interim solution before the full-scale deployment of top global brands. In August, SOF Connect adopted a Personnel Optimization Process Management Policy to fully comply with lenders’ E&S Standards concerning retrenchment of employees.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

A waste management awareness campaign for airport employees and stakeholders is scheduled for implementation in Q4 2024. The campaign includes five key components: presenting waste management rules during the initial briefings for new employees, developing a video to be publicly displayed in the terminals, publishing a monthly waste management newsletter, engaging a start-up that repurposes waste as resources to showcase its products in the public area of Terminal 2, and including a recycling message with Christmas gifts for employees.

SDG 13 (Climate Action) – In September 2024, Sofia Airport joined the Net Zero Cities initiative of Sofia Municipality. Participating with its decarbonization strategy, SOF Connect signed the Contract for a Climate Neutral City together with 10 other stakeholders in transport, buildings, retail, water management and agriculture. The commitment for climate neutrality of Sofia Municipality and its partners is to reduce the emissions of those sectors by 81% by 2030.