Baggage Handling System. CPK opens bids in tender process
Two bidders have submitted offers in the tender for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the Baggage Handling System (BHS) for the CPK Airport. This important procurement procedure is being conducted through a competitive dialogue process. The efficiency of the baggage system directly impacts luggage waiting times, the ease of passenger transfers, and overall passenger comfort.
Bids in the tender for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the Baggage Handling System (BHS) for CPK Airport were submitted by: BEUMER Group Poland and Vanderlande Logistics (formerly Siemens Logistics). Each bid consists of three net amounts: one for the supply and installation of the BHS, expressed in euros, and two for the maintenance and servicing of the system – the basic part covering five years, and an optional extension for a further five years – both expressed in Polish złoty.
In the case of BEUMER Group Poland, the expected net remuneration for the supply and installation of the BHS is €198 million, while maintenance and servicing for the basic period is PLN 116 million, and PLN 123 million for the optional contract extension. In the case of Vanderlande Logistics, the respective amounts are: €115 million, PLN 97 million, and PLN 93 million net.
Both bids fall within the investor’s anticipated budget. The tender committee has begun the process of verifying and evaluating the proposals.
In April, three entities were invited to submit bids in the procedure. Since then, the contracting authority has responded to nearly 300 questions. All prospective contractors are based in the EU and have been participating in the competitive dialogue launched by CPK in 2024.
Often referred to as the “heart” of an airport, the baggage handling system at CPK will occupy approximately 80,000 square metres within the terminal building. The total estimated length of the conveyor belts for baggage transport is over 13 km. The BHS at CPK Airport will be based on ICS (Individual Carrier System) technology, which involves transporting luggage in trays. This system allows for easy, modular expansion in line with growing air traffic and the evolving needs of the terminal.
The scope of this contract includes the development of the detailed design, delivery and installation of equipment, commissioning of the system, testing, as well as subsequent operation and maintenance.
The prospective contractors were admitted to participate in the competitive dialogue following a detailed verification process, including an assessment of their experience. One of the conditions for participation was the successful commissioning of a BHS at an airport with a capacity of at least 30 million passengers annually within the past 25 years.
The invitation to submit bids was preceded by a technical dialogue with potential contractors, during which optimal solutions were developed regarding the specification of the contract and its technical and legal terms.
An inefficient baggage system is one of the major infrastructural bottlenecks at Chopin Airport, which is nearing the limit of its capacity. The long-term capacity of the terminal at Chopin Airport, constrained by limitations in the baggage sorting area, is only 1,800 departure and 2,200 arrival luggage items per hour – equivalent to the capacity of no more than seven wide-body Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
In June, CPK received the construction design for the bus station adjacent to the CPK Airport terminal. In the near future, the investor expects favourable opinions from the State Fire Service regarding the passenger terminal and railway station. Once received, the master architect will be able to deliver the final construction documentation for those facilities as well.
In May, CPK launched a competitive dialogue procedure to select the general contractor for the CPK Airport passenger terminal – the largest tender planned by CPK this year.
At the same time, design documentation is being prepared for the runways, taxiways, aprons and some airport access roads. Work is also underway on the documentation for supporting facilities, including the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), the air traffic control tower, and buildings for the Airport Fire Service.
In January this year, the Mazovian Voivode issued the location decision for CPK Airport. The company is now preparing applications for construction permits for the terminal, railway station, and some of the supporting infrastructure, including the Airport Fire Service buildings.
According to the updated schedule, CPK Airport is set to open by the end of 2032 – in parallel with the launch of the High-Speed Rail section between Warsaw and Łódź, which is currently in advanced stages of design, land acquisition, and – in the Łódź area – construction.
