Projects in Chile open for tender
Matrade: Chilean government announces infrastructure works worth US$14bil
KUALA LUMPUR: Projects worth US$14bil in the Chilean infrastructure sector have been put up for tender.
In a statement yesterday, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) said the Chilean Foreign Investment Committee under the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism had announced a slew of substantial foreign investment projects in the infrastructure sector.
These projects include the retender of the AMB International Airport in Santiago on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.
Matrade said the current 823,000 sq m terminal would have an additional 375,500 sq m of remodelling and terminal expansion with estimated investment at US$500mil and the capacity to handle over 29 million passengers by 2030.
“The El Tepual Airport at Puerto Montt is also up for retender but details are still unconfirmed at present.
“The Chilean Government is also building a new cargo terminal for the port of Puerto Montt for general and bulk cargo ships to ease congestion at the present facilities.
“The call for bids and award for the estimated US$50mil project are expected by the second half of 2012 with operations to start before end2015. Plans are also under way for the expansion of Terminal 2 Espigón, Port of Valparaíso. Estimated invest- ment is between US$325mil and US$391mil including equipment,” Matrade said in a statement.
The announcement also included works for five hospitals including the existing Antofagasta Hospital estimated at US$251mil. Four other new hospital buildings, all on BOT basis are also in the works at a total investment of US$1.07bil.
The Transandino Central Railway is also being built to reduce congestion on the present Los Libertadores Pass. Estimated investment is US$3.3bil with anticipated benefits of US$13bil and 80 million tonnes of freight annually.
Santiago’s subway will also see two new lines carrying 120 million passengers a year at a cost of US$2.8bil while the state-owned railway Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado is also undertaking infrastructure expansion and upgrading works to the tune of US$260mil.
Meanwhile, various roads and highway concessions are also available including 86km of roads between the Elqui and Limari provinces totalling US$204mil, the 31.3km Loa Roads at US$294mil, the Américo Vespucio Oriente urban highway with 13km of extensions, the Nahuelbuta Highway expansion of Road 180 valued at US$222mil, the new urban Santiago-Lampa Highway in north-western Santiago at US$78mil, the US$150mil New Industrial Bridge over the River BíoBío and the 22km Costanera Central Highway valued at US$1.39bil.
The Foreign Investment Committee is also seeking input into a number of initiatives subject to feasibility studies and these include the US$640mil Santiago-Valparaíso Region Railway Connection, the Municipal Civic Centre and underground parking facilities in Calama. Two public buildings in Iquique and Valdivia, the improvement of the Valparaíso-Viña del Mar Transport System and the Coastal Route is valued at US$384mil. The Bicentennial cable car is at US$32mil.
Matrade advised interested Malaysian companies to contact them for further information as closing dates for bids and contract periods for the various projects differed.