Finance & Funding

A new road and viaduct project is planned for Bizerte in Tunisia. The project will be paid for through a loan worth €123 million agreed with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The project includes building a 9.5km road section and a 2km viaduct that will span the entrance to Lake Bizerte. Once the link is in place it will help reduce congestion as well as exhaust pollution close to Bizerte. The existing bridge is no longer able to meet traffic demands but the new structure will feature two lanes in either

Construction work on the Central Section of Russia’s Western High-Speed Diameter (WHSD) in St Petersburg is complete, with some small detail work now being finished off. The WHSD connects the Southern, Central and Northern sections of St Petersburg and will open to traffic at the end of December. VTB Capital was a key participant in funding the construction of the Central Section and is a major shareholder in the consortium that will operate the entire WHSD route.

Modest growth in transport construction is predicted in the US in 2017 by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). According to a report by ARTBA chief economist, Dr Alison Premo Black, total transportation construction and related market activity is expected to grow 1.3% in 2017, driven largely by increases in highway and bridge private construction activity supporting residential and commercial developments. In 2017, the market is expected to reach US$247.8 billion, up from $244

A loan from the China Exim Bank will help pay for a new road project in Kenya. The loan is being offered to Kenya’s Government and is worth US$227.2 million, around 46% of the sum required for the whole 472km road project. The project is being handled in three phases, with this loan being sufficient for the first 192km stretch that will connect Kibwezi with Kitui, running through Mutomo. This first section will be constructed by Chinese contractor Sinohydro. The second stretch of the project will measure 16

Funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will help with the construction of a new tunnel as well as road links in Nepal. The US$168.56 million funding package comes in the shape of a loan to Nepal’s Government. This will be used to pay for the construction of a 2.5km tunnel that will link Nagdhunga with Naubise. The loan will also pay for the 7km of road on either side of the tunnel. The project is due for completion in 2022 and will fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Roa

A budget of US$8.97 billion has been set as the limit on borrowing for India’s highways development programme for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The financing agreement has been made by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), acting through the country’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This substantial budget comes in spite of fewer projects being awarded as well as less financing having been secured during 2016. In the April to October 2016 the NHAI awarded contracts for 2,330km of highways.

The tender process for four major toll road projects in Indonesia will commence during 2017. The Indonesian Government is partnering with the World Bank to handle the four projects. The new Bali toll road will improve transport links in Bali, while the construction of the Tegal-Cilacap toll road will provided a much-needed new link in Central Java. Also being planned are the Jogya-Bawen toll road and the Sukabumi-Ciranjang-Padalarang toll road. Indonesia’s Toll Road Regulatory Agency is working on costings

Financing has been secured for a project to help reduce chronic congestion in Angola’s capital, Luanda. The project calls for the upgrade of Corimba Boulevard. Netherlands-based bank ING will deliver the key portion of financing, US$483.4 million, for the project, which will be used for dredging works as well as reclaiming land along the coast. This portion of the project is being handled by the firms Urbeinvest Projectos Imobiliarios and Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors. Meanwhile the road construc

Construction machine sales are strengthening around the globe. A report from the SaMoTer-Veronafiere Outlook reveals that 7,551 construction machines were sold in Italy over the period from January-September 2016. This represents a gain of 32% from the same period in 2015 and a further increase of 37% is estimated in Italy for the two-year period 2017-2018. Worldwide the first nine months of 2016 saw sales around the world of 496,500 earth moving machines, a drop of around 5,000 less (1%) compared to th