News

Work on a key bridge link in Bangladesh is to be financed by a loan provided by Malaysia. The Bangladesh Government and Malaysian Government have signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of Padma bridge.

Plans for a new highway connecting the African nations of Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi are gathering pace. The project is likely to cost up to US$600 million to complete and will provide a key trade route between the nations, with the economies of Malawi and Mozambique in particular need of development, while Zambia's copper mining industry will benefit from the link.Some $23 million will be required to construct the first section of the road forming the Nacala Corridor.

China has opened the world's longest bridge over water, the 41.58km Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, which is said to have cost well over US$2 billion to build. It links the eastern port city of Qingdao to Huangdao Island across Jiaozhou Bay and is 4km longer than the previous longest bridge over water, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, USA. Opened in June, 2011 after four years of construction, the link is expected to carry some 30,000 vehicle/day and will reduce travel time by 30 minutes, although it is o

The authorities in France intend to reduce risks for road users on the country’s new highways. Research reveals that significant numbers of accidents occur when drivers fall asleep at the wheel. Plans to deal with this safety problem include installing rumble strips that would alert drivers should they stray from each lane.

The new Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe)/HCME European Parts Depot has been officially opened. At the Oosterhout facility, southern Netherlands, the guest of honour was Hitachi Construction Machinery president Michijiro Kikawa, who gave a speech to other guests at the ceremony, among them Mitsuhiro Tabei, president of HCME. He then presented representatives from the parts depot with a special Japanese maple tree, which was planted in front of the building. In his address, Mr Kikawa emphasised the imp

The authorities in France intend to reduce risks for road users on the country’s new highways.

A SENIOR American manufacturing association figure has renewed his call for Congress to pass a Highway Bill – after a 90-day extension of the US federal surface transport programme was agreed by the House of Representatives. Speaking as president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and on behalf of US equipment manufacturers and the I Make America campaign, AEM president Dennis Slater said: "It has been 911 days and eight extensions since the last highway bill expired.

Well known in the compaction field, BOMAG continues to raise its profile in the paving sector with the launch of another new machine, the BF300 paver. This model replaces the earlier Marini-developed BF331 and is said to be a combination of the best German and Italian engineering as well as sharing some features with the BF600 series launched by BOMAG during last year. Developed for the 7-8tonne class the BF300 is versatile and manoeuvrable and has a transport width of just 2.5m, even including its mounted

Work is on schedule for a new tunnel for the Corridor Vc highway in Bosnia and Herzogovina. The link will be from Drivusa to Kakanj and is due for completion in February 2014. The project is worth some €62 million. The contract is being carried out by Slovenian firm Primorje.

The UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has appointed the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) to deliver an extended Trade Mission to Brazil for as $US5 billion infrastructure and mining development project. The CEA will deliver a UK Information Share Fair and extended Trade Mission to Brazil to promote an opportunity for UK manufacturers and service providers. The $S5 billion project is for a new open pit iron ore mine in the north east of Brazil together with extensive infrastructure developments to improv

A survey carried out by BGL, Germany’s association of road cargo transport, logistics and waste disposal, BGL, says that safety technology is cutting accidents. The survey results show that driver assistance systems fitted to trucks can cut the risk of the vehicles being involved in accidents by some 26- 4%. According to BGL, the survey shows that firms in the sector should install these systems sooner rather than later, given the long term benefits, rather than waiting until they are legally required.