Mexico ready to start building Tehuantepec isthmus rail corridor

Mexico has awarded contracts to five bidders to begin the rehabilitation of the interoceanic rail line that will cross the Tehuantepec isthmus, the country's narrowest stretch between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The contracts, which divide the rail line into five stretches, are worth a combined 3bn pesos (US$164mn). However, the total cost of the multimodal corridor, which also includes other infrastructure works, was recently estimated at 214bn pesos by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). 

BNamericas reported on January 29 that the stretches would be tendered in a couple of weeks, hoping to begin construction on February 3 and conclude the projects in November 2020. 

The winning companies were recently published on Mexican procurement website CompraNet, while the independent agency in charge of the projects had awarded the contracts on February 4. 

A consortium formed by La Península Compañía Constructora, Grupo Diamante and Caltia Concesiones won a contract worth 940mn pesos. 

Another contract was awarded to Construcciones Urales con Regiomontana de Construcción y Servicios for 913mn pesos and companies Comsa Infraestructuras and Grupo Constructor Diamante will team up to deliver works specified under their 637mn-peso contract. 

Meanwhile, Ferro Maz, Constructora Torres y Asociados Janus and Chiñas Constructores secured a contract to the tune of 284mn pesos for several other works. And Construcciones y Maquinaria SEF walked away with a 291mn-peso contract. 

Although there is existing railway infrastructure for the interoceanic train, the companies will have to add up to 200km of new rail line from the Medias Aguas municipality in Veracruz state to the Salina Cruz municipality in Oaxaca state.

Lenght	Stretch	Companies	Capex
146km	Ubero - Mogoñé	La Península Compañía Constructora, Grupo Diamante and Caltia Concesiones	940mn pesos
146km	Aguas-Ubero	Construcciones Urales con Regiomontana de Construcción y Servicios	913mn pesos
146km	La Mata-Colonia Jordan	Comsa Infraestructuras and Grupo Constructor Diamante	637mn pesos
146km	Colonia Jordan-Salina Cruz	Ferro Maz, Constructora Torres y Asociados Janus and Chiñas Constructore	284mn pesos
	Mogoñé-La Mata stage 2	Construcciones y Maquinaria SEF	291mn pesos

The interoceanic train is one of AMLO's seven priority projects and part of his plan to boost economic development in the poorer south part of the country.

Besides the train, the Tehuantepec isthmus corridor also includes the construction of highways such as the southern Oaxaca bypass, the modernization of two connecting ports and the modernization of the existing Oaxaca airport, among other projects.

The project consists of three stages, according to a study released by the senate last year. 

The first stage involves the construction of a 300km rail line for an electric train that will connect the Coatzacoalcos port in Veracruz state with the Salina Cruz port in Oaxaca state.

In comparison to the Panama Canal, which has a traveling time of eight hours to cross the continent, the Tehuantepec isthmus corridor would connect the coasts in just three hours and it would be able to transport passengers and up to 300,000t of cargo per day.

The second stage comprises the modernization of the Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz ports and the construction of new ports. 

The third stage will incorporate the local communities of Oaxaca and Veracruz into the project.

(Photo: INEGI)