ANI awards 4G highway concession to Chinese-Colombian consortium

Colombia has awarded the final project in the second wave of the country's 4G highway concession program to the Chinese-Colombian consortium Autopistas Urabás.With this decision, China Harbour Engineering Company became the first ever Chinese firm to win a contract in the ambitious infrastructure program.

Autopistas Urabás will expand, improve, rehabilitate and operate the Autopista al Mar 2 concession, covering approximately 245km of highway in Colombia's Antioquia department, the ANI said in a release.

The consortium Urabás is comprised by China Harbour (30%) and Colombian firms SP Ingenieros (30%), Pavimentar (25%), Unidad de Infraestructura y Construcciones Asociados (10%) and Termotécnica Coindustrial (5%), national infrastructure agency (ANI) informed.

Investments in the works are set at 1.3tn pesos (US$423mn) and cover stretches between the following towns and municipalities: 18km of new lane between Uramita and Dabeiba; improvement to 31km between Uramita and Cañasgordas; rehabilitation of 109km between Necoclí and El Tigre; and rehabilitation of 46km between El Tigre and Mutatá.

One detour road, 27 tunnels and 22 bridges will also be built.

The 25-year concession period is expected to demand opex of around 1.2tn pesos, according to tender document addendums.

The nine concessions in the second wave o the 4G program, which included the Autopista al Mar 1 contract, represent a combined investment of 15tn pesos.