Finance & Funding

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Hrvatske autoceste – a state-owned company in charge of the construction, maintenance and tolling of Croatia’s motorways – have signed a loan of up to €250 million. The EBRD’s sovereign-guaranteed loan will come in two tranches. The first €200 million will be used to refinance a portion of HAC’s sovereign-guaranteed debt falling due in 2016. The remaining €50 million will finance operational and efficiency improvements and may serve as a

A shortage of funds could affects Brazil's road infrastructure plans. The country’s national department of transport infrastructure, Dnit, may have to halt activities in 2016 due to a lack of funds. Dnit manages the maintenance of existing roads in Brazil but has already had to suspend road paving and expansion works throughout the country due to a lack of finances. Unless further funds are found, Dnit will only be able to finance projects until August 2016. Dnit saw its budget for 2016 set at US$1.76 billi

Construction of a major 47km highway and sea protection dike development in Manila has been thrown into doubt after no bids were received for the US$2.65 billion contract. Philippines media report that the Department of Public Works and Highways declared the auction for the six-lane Laguna Expressway Dike Project a failure after the three pre-qualified bidders didn’t submit bids. The pre-qualified consortia were Trident Infrastructure and Development consortium – consisting of SM Prime Holdings, Megaw

A Russian-Chinese joint venture Amur-Heilongjiang has been set up for construction of a road and rail bridge across the Amur River. The project, worth around US$275 million, will connect the Russian region of Blagoveshchensk, located at the confluence of the Amur and Zeya Rivers in the far east, and the Chinese province of Heihe. according to the Kommersant newspaper. The 2.2km bridge, expected to be open by 2020, was proposed in 2007 by Valery Solomonovich Gurevich, the vice-chairman of Russia’s Jewi

Lebuhraya Borneo Utara of Malaysia has awarded a highway construction contract valued at US$422 million to a 30:70 consortium comprising Dhaya Maju Infrastructure and Hock Seng Lee (HSL). Under the contract, the consortium is required to undertake related works for Phase I of the Pan Borneo Highway, according to a report by the New Straits Times newspaper. Works includes upgrading the Batang Rajang Bridge and construction of roads between Sungai Kua Bridge and Sibu Airport as well as between Julau Jun

The German Government's new transport investment strategy will see increased spending until 2030. The Ministry for Transport says that the emphasis will be on renovating existing infrastructure, instead of building new projects. Around 70% of investment will be for renovation and improvement projects, compared to 56% in the previous transport strategy. The plan is worth a total of €264.5 billion, an increase of €91 billion over the previous plan, with 49.4% targeted at road projects, 41.3% for rail and 9.3%

South Korean firm Hyundai is looking for a new partner to join the consortium that will construct Chile’s Chacao Bridge. The project has been planned for some years, having been cancelled once previously, and will connect with Chiloe Island, replacing the current ferry service. The new partner for the consortium would take the place of Brazilian firm OAS, which is currently embroiled in legal difficulties due to an ongoing investigation in Brazil. The aim is that a new partner could buy out the 49% stake in

Mott MacDonald Construction reports that the £56 million Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme - FARRRS - in Doncaster, UK, has been completed and open. Mott MacDonald provided Doncaster Council with the majority of pre-construction services on the project. Planning for a link connecting the south of Doncaster to Junction 3 of the M18 started over a decade ago. The first phase, known as Great Yorkshire Way, comprises 1.5km of new dual carriageway and 3km of single carriageway. It also includes