CALABAR INTERNATIONAL CARGO AIRPORT: ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSE TO MODERN CARGO HANDLING
CALABAR INTERNATIONAL CARGO AIRPORT: ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSE TO MODERN CARGO HANDLING
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Date
1999-09
Authors
UPE, OGBO OBU
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Abstract
Calabar’s rich history and peaceful nature coupled with her good land, sea
and aerial communication system Jed to the United Nations Industrial
Organisation’s (UNIDO) recommendation of the ancient Nigeria colonial capital for
the establishment of the Nigeria premier Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
The promulgation of decree 63 of 1991 by the Federal Military Government
of Nigeria, formalised the birth of the Calabar EPZ project, with the aim of
diversifying the monoproduct nature of Nigeria economy (due to its sole dependence
on a singular export product - oil) by the encouragement of export oriented
industries in the Zone.
To facilitate the effective take-off of the scheme, ancillary infrastructures
such as uninterrupted electric power supply, pipe born water, effective
telecommunication, good road network, a functional rail transport system and an
international cargo airport and a modern sea-port are required.
A total of 152 hactres of land has been developed and an additional 20 hactres
already earmarked for future expansion as the first phase of the project. A good
10km road network and effective communication system and other facilities like
banks, power station, police station, customs, fire service have been completed and
the dredging of the Calabar seaport is in progress. Studies carried out indicated that
the existing calabar international Airport is inadequate to cater for the magnitude of
the anticipated EPZ project. This is due to the inadequacy of the existing Cargo
handling and warehousing facilities requiring expansion of runway and support
facilities.
Due to the presence of air navigational obstacles such as ravines along the
path of the extendable section of the runway and the Airport being situated in a
densely built- up suburb, the siting of a cargo International Airport on a different
site became imperative as stated by the Calabar Master plan.
An accessible and relatively flat site has been recommended at Akamkpa,
35km North of the EPZ Project location. Though the choice of a site is a step towards
problem solving, it is just a chip off the ice berge considering the enormous task of
designing a modern cargo airport.
The prospect of air cargo transport system is of great concern to both the will
be users, airliners and the airport authorities considering the level of security, the
dynamic nature of the aviation industry and the level of mechanization and
automation required. Cargo terminals design requires future forecast of aviation
needs, high level technology involvement in mechanization and Architectural
response to this inevitable future technological changes should be accommodated
uninhibited.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, as a
partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of
Science (M.Sc) in Architecture
Keywords
CALABAR,, INTERNATIONAL,, CARGO,, AIRPORT,, ARCHITECTURAL,, RESPONSE,, MODERN,, CARGO HANDLING