Finance & Funding

A Danish company, Femern, is submitting documents for the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, an immersed tunnel that will connect Germany with Denmark. The project is expected to cost in the order of €5.5 billion to construct. An 18km immersed tunnel will link the islands of Fehmarn and Lolland. Fehmarn Island is already connected with Northern Germany’s mainland by a bridge, while Lolland is already connected by a tunnel and bridges with Zealand, a link that runs via the island of Falster

Two major highway concessions are being opened for tender in Brazil. The deals are for two, 30-year concessions worth some US$5.43 billion. The tenders cover the widening, maintenance and operation of some 2.028km of highways. The tender process is being handled by Brazil's national ground transport agency, ANTT. The largest tender is for 1,177km of highway and including BR-060, BR-153 and BR-262.

A report published by HSBC suggests that global infrastructure-related trade growth will double worldwide economic expansion and will triple in size by 2030. The report also suggests that Brazil and Mexico will drive the rise in imports and exports of infrastructure-related goods in Latin America, according to Business News Americas. HSBC said that between 2013 and 2030, infrastructure-related trade looks set to grow at an average of 9%/year. It will also see a rise in its share of overall merchandise trade

In Brazil the tender process is opening for the BR-060 highway. The BR-060 highway will be a substantial project as this is a 1,176km route connecting Brasilia with Goiania. The deal also includes the BR-153 and BR-262. Some 45% of the route with be dualled. Other highway tenders being opened shortly will be for the BR-163 and BR-040.

A report from the European Court of Auditors has highlighted the high cost of building roads in Latin America. The report states that it costs seven times more to build roads in Latin America than in Europe. The study compared 24 road projects across Europe and Latin America that were carried out between 2000 and 2013. Each km of road costs around US$116,000 in Germany, $164,000 in Greece, $215,000 in Spain and $218,000 in Poland on average. This compares to $2 million in Mexico, between $800,000 and $1 mil

Auction specialist Euro Auctions claims that market interest in secondhand equipment continues to rise. The firm reports strong demand for secondhand machines at its recent sales. At the firm’s three day event in Leeds in late August, almost 4,000 lots went under the hammer, the highest number sold at their Leeds auctions to date, achieving over £26.6 million. A large volume of stock had to be turned away and the cut-off date for stationary equipment was also earlier than previous auctions. In addition the

More than 300 invited customers and guests attended the grand opening of Liebherr’s new sales and service centre in Miami, Florida. The new state-of-the-art facility will serve as a major hub for Liebherr’s maritime cranes division and will further strengthen business relations with Central and South America and the Caribbean region.