An Arabtec Holding  consortium that includes Greek and Turkish firms is on the cusp of securing an estimated $3 billion contract for the expansion of Abu Dhabi's international airport, four industry sources told Reuters.

The group, which includes Turkey's TAV Insaat and Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), have pipped three rival consortia for the lucrative contract to build a midfield terminal building, sources said.

An Abu Dhabi-based source aware of the deal said the TAV-Arabtec group had been chosen but that final details still needed to be hammered out. Meanwhile, a source in the consortium said the group 'had gotten positive signals but no official information had been sent.'     

'They have the lowest bid ... it's likely they will win it,' said a third source, who was involved in the bidding process, speaking on condition of anonymity.

TAV declined to comment. Arabtec and CCC officials in the United Arab Emirates were not immediately available for comment.

An ADAC spokesman said an announcement would be made only once the tender is finalised. Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) had short-listed four groups in February for the general construction contract.

The new terminal will be around 700,000 sq m in size, according to ADAC's website, and is a key part of an ambitious expansion programme at the airport in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.   

The midfield complex will include the terminal building, passenger and cargo facilities as well as duty-free shops and restaurants for a total capacity of up to 40 million people a year. It is slated to become operational in 2017.     

The other three shortlisted groups were Bechtel Corporation-ENKA-Al Jaber Group, Hyundai Engineering & Construction-Kumho Engineering & Construction-China State Construction Engineering Corporation-Al Shafar General Contracting Company and Samsung-ACC-Six Construct.  - Reuters