Melbourne Airport Airside Storage Expansion
Melbourne Airport engaged our team to provide project management services for the airside storage expansion project.
The safety-led capital works project supports the secure storage of approximately 650 unit load devices used across the airfield. The works included demolition of an existing asphalt area, construction of two reinforced concrete slabs, installation of a new Unit Load Device (ULD) racking system, perimeter security upgrades, a new sliding gate and lighting upgrades.
Our role covered project management across stakeholder and authority approvals, planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover. This included leading procurement of the civil works contractor and racking manufacturer and installer, as well as managing the civil and structural design consultant contract.
The challenge
Melbourne Airport is a major operating aviation environment, with ongoing growth and long-term development planning requiring safe, efficient and well-coordinated airside infrastructure works. Projects in this environment need to consider operational continuity, airfield safety, stakeholder interfaces, authority approvals and compliance requirements.
The existing Ground Support Equipment (GSE) area needed to be upgraded from an asphalt area previously used for operational rolling stock into a more secure and purpose-built storage area for ULDs. The project required civil works, structural design, racking installation, perimeter fencing, gate installation and lighting upgrades to be delivered as an integrated package.
The challenge was to coordinate multiple contractors, consultants and airport stakeholders while maintaining safety, managing approvals and keeping the project focused on operational outcomes for the airfield.
Our approach
Our project managers coordinated the project through planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover. This included stakeholder and authority approval management, procurement planning, contractor coordination, contract administration and delivery oversight.
RPS led procurement of the civil works contractor and the racking manufacturer and installer, while also administering and managing the contract for the civil and structural design consultant. This helped align design, construction methodology, procurement timing and site delivery requirements.
During delivery, our team supported the sequencing of demolition, slab construction, racking installation, perimeter fence upgrades, sliding gate works and lighting upgrades. This practical project management approach helped maintain focus on safety, statutory compliance and readiness for operational use.
The result
The Delta GSE ULD racking expansion project provides Melbourne Airport with a more secure and organised storage solution for approximately 650 ULDs used across the airfield.
The new reinforced slabs, racking system, perimeter security upgrades, dual-panel cantilevered sliding gate and lighting improvements support safer and more efficient ground operations. The works also help enclose the GSE area during adverse weather conditions, supporting operational resilience in a live airport environment.
For Melbourne Airport, the project supports practical airside safety and operational improvements. For RPS, it demonstrates our ability to manage aviation capital works through planning, procurement, construction and handover in complex, high-operational-pressure environments.
