Press release The POMa MiniMeTrO® in CairO Press release - The POMa MiniMeTrO® in CairO 2|3 hubert Jean Magnon-Pujo souchal hassan Chief executive POMa Chairman rashed Officer for egis rail of the Board Chairman of ehCaan Working on the first MiniMetro® in the Middle East and Egypt, the cradle of civilisation, with its exceptionally Cairo International Airport is one of the most dynamic Africa has been as much a source of pride, as it has rich history and architecture, is a mix of modernity airports in Africa, enjoying a privileged geographic been an honour for Egis Rail, the urban and railway and tradition. This country is open to the world and location at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the engineering branch of Egis. Through this engineering has always been an important transit hub for trade. Middle East. contract, Egis Rail had the privilege of working closely We at POMA, as well as our partners, are proud to Aware of this competitive advantage, Cairo Airport with the client, from the start of the project. We have have built this MiniMetro® and to have participated Company (CAC) and Egyptian Holding Company for had the opportunity to accompany and advise the client in the development of Cairo International Airport Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN) have spent the throughout the project process. with such innovative and durable equipment — the last few years implementing a development strategy First, Egis Rail undertook the feasibility studies, first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa. Our which aims to significantly enhance the travelling conceptual design, and the preliminary design followed teams of engineers and technicians imagined and experience for passengers using Cairo International by the tendering phase for the Design Build and Operate designed an installation that is dedicated to public Airport, providing them with high quality facilities contract that was awarded to POMA. transportation, providing one-of-a-kind comfort throughout their journey. Egis Rail was then asked to supervise the “turnkey” and silence, thanks particularly to Air Levitation The MiniMetro® project built by POMA is the cornerstone part of the MiniMetro® project. Egis Rail relies on the technology, with the carriers gliding on a cushion of in CAC’s strategy — propelling Cairo International Airport Egyptian engineering company NECB for civil works air. From building to commissioning the Cairo Airport into the very exclusive circle of the most advanced construction. All aspects of the construction were MiniMetro®, POMA Group teams illustrated with brio airports in the world. By connecting the different airport monitored, from supervising the construction of the their professional ethics, availability and reliability facilities, the MiniMetro® provides users with integrated foundations to the close follow-up and monitoring of in all circumstances in order to bring this project to services for parking, travel, transit, shopping, and the transit system tests. Throughout this second phase, fruition. And our mission at Cairo International Airport accommodation — making the airport a regional hub. human and social interactions between the client (Cairo continues since POMA is now ensuring the operation The MiniMetro® solution was chosen for its Air Levitation Airport Company), the engineer (Egis Rail) and the and maintenance of the MiniMetro® with qualified, technology since it provides Cairo International Airport Contractor (POMA) were the key to the success of this local teams whose trustworthiness and motivation I with the quality, availability, reliability, and high-tech MiniMetro® project. wish to commend. Together with the French company image required by the upscale position of the airport. Egis Rail, representing our Egyptian client, we were able Completing this MiniMetro® project in an effervescent egis — a subsidiary 75% owned by the Caisse des Dépôts and 25% by to combine our individual skills and expertise to make context of political transition was a challenge that the iosis Partenaires (“partner” executive and employee shareholding) French engineering a strong example of success. On CAC, POMA and their partners met brilliantly. — is an engineering and consulting group working in the fields behalf of everyone at the POMA Group, I wish to thank of transport, urban development, construction, industry, water, environment, and energy. in the road and airport sectors, the group our Egyptian friends for entrusting us with this project is also involved in project financing, turnkey-contract projects, and assure them of our commitment to this partnership and facility operations. With 12,000 employees, including 7,400 in for the years to come. engineering alone, and a turnover of €858 million in 2011, the group is present in over 100 countries and has around 50 offices all over France. Press release - The POMa MiniMeTrO® in CairO 4|5 POMa – CairO – eGYPT On May 15, 2012, a first in the Middle East: the MiniMetro® March 2009 with the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry for at Cairo International Airport in Egypt, built by POMA, a total of 75 million Euros. The contract also includes opened to travellers. Cairo International Airport, five years of maintenance and operation services. In second largest African airport behind Johannesburg May 2012, after two years of work, POMA delivered an (South Africa), has a capacity of 22 million passengers innovative MiniMetro® that is at the heart of the Egyptian A single track that doubles in the crossing zone. (estimation for 2013 ) and is now equipped with an airport’s extensive development strategy. This strategy Automatic People Mover (APM1) comprised of two includes renovating and extending the second airport innovative, 170-passenger trains, which connect two terminal (TB2), adapting installations for the Airbus terminals, the carpark and shopping centre, and transport A380 and increasing the capacity of the cargo hub. Cairo Cutting-edge technology: 8.5 million passengers per year. International Airport is strategically located between This POMA innovation is indeed remarkable given that it Asia and Africa — on the road between the Mediterranean air cushioned carriers uses Air Levitation technology. This process brings genuine Basin, India and China. Reinforcing the airport’s capacity innovation to the world of ropeway transportation. Speed, means opening the way to greater economic development. (air levitation) silence, comfort and availability combined with methods The MiniMetro® illustrates ground-breaking expertise in The MiniMetro® by POMA revolutionises the world of transportation that respect the environment, all meet the specifications smooth mobility, created by POMA. thanks to air cushioned carrier technology (Air Levitation). This of this MiniMetro® innovative system has proven to be one of the best solutions in The MiniMetro® construction contract was signed in 1 APM: The APM is an entirely automated, driverless shuttle. The Cairo APM shuttles are hauled by ropes. sustainable mobility. Little noise, few vibrations, and no bearing noise ensure optimal comfort for passengers. This technology enables the carrier to glide along the track with almost no friction — reducing energy Technical data consumption during the trip. • 1.8 km between terminals T1 and T2/T3, with stops A single track that doubles in the shopping centre and carparks. in the crossing zone • One-way travel time: less than 5 minutes environment • Transport capacity: 2,000 passengers per hour The MiniMetro® by POMA is firmly established in the era of sustainable development. and per direction. This is a ropeway transport system, where each carrier is equipped with a drive unit installed • Carrier frequency: every 5 minutes. on the ground. The absence of on-board motors considerably reduces the weight of carriers to • Two 170-passenger shuttles hauled by ropes be hauled. This system, together with the absence of friction of carriers gliding on air cushions, • Air cushioned carriers (Air Levitation) globally reduces energy requirements during operation. • Compartmentalised carriers to separate passengers All other sources of pollution (dust due to wear, smoke and any other nuisance) are also in transit from those who aren’t. eliminated. • Speed: 13.5 m/s, 50 km/h Press release - The POMa MiniMeTrO® in CairO 6|7 Operation and maintenance Cairo International Airport has contracted POMA to operate and maintain the MiniMetro® for 5 years. Operation and maintenance service is organised to ensure operation 18 hours a day, every day of the year. A Franco-Egyptian POMA team of 20 people is permanently appointed to the installation. Two French POMA employees live in Cairo and supervise the team. air cushion technology an efficient, innovative, and safe procedure. Each train produces a thin cushion of air on which it glides. function, each train is equipped with three fans when The air is produced by fans installed in each carrier frame. only two are required for operation. If one of the air Thus, the carrier hovers over the flying surface — a smooth cushions should fail to function, the airflow would be surface, usually made of concrete. The absence of contact automatically regulated and operation would be ensured when hovering offers exceptional comfort with no vibrations until maintenance became possible. If emergency braking is and greatly increases the lifespan of the gliding surfaces. triggered, the air cushion function is bypassed and the train Easy to access, carrier and equipment maintenance is settles onto lateral