Skip to main content

Brazil’s budget cuts threaten the Santos-Guaruja immersed tunnel

August 18, 2015
Adjustments to Brazil's budget could pose a threat to the planned immersed tunnel between Santos and Guaruja in Sao Paulo state, local media reported.

Sao Paulo state had put the project out to tender and had verbal support from the national treasury to borrow up to US$2 billion to finance the project. However, because of the economic crisis, this support has not materialised.

The tunnel would by 1.7km long, carry six lanes of traffic and be at an estimated depth of 35m.

Out of $918 million needed for the tunnel, Brazil's national development bank BNDES had already approved $269 million while the state of Sao Paulo had committed $258 million, leaving a $373 million gap. Sao Paulo state has half the resources needed already but it will not go ahead with the project until all the funds are available, local media reported.

Out of five consortia that presented a commercial proposal, four are prequalified: ISG Interligacao Santos-Guaruja, made of 1339 Andrade Gutierrez, 3086 Daewoo and CR Almeida; Nova Travessia, made of Constran, Ing E Mantovani and Piacentini Tecenge do Brasil; Tunel Santos-Guaruja, made of 1305 Odebrecht, Queiroz Galvao, 1511 OAS and Strukton; Sigma, made of J Malucelli Construtora de Obras, Grandi Lavori and 7809 Salini Impregilo; and Construtor Tunel Santos-Guaruja, made of Camargo Correa, 2717 Ferrovial Agroman and Carioca Engenharia.

Sao Paulo’s state highway agency 2529 Dersa has produced a video of the proposed submerged tunnel.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Odebrecht plans to use US contract to boost world turnover
    April 24, 2012
    Brazilian Construction company Odebrecht says it aims to use revenues generated from its new US road construction contract and further potential Stateside work to boost its global turnover. The company’s new US$45.8million contract involves the renovation of the Sam Houston Tollway between Route 59 and Route 288 in the southern area of Harris County, Texas. The US market currently accounts for 1% of Odebrecht's turnover in the construction sector but the firm is also keen to win other Texas contracts, a
  • Foreign investors eye expansion into Russian road-building industry
    March 18, 2016
    The Russian road sector looks set for international investment - Eugene Gerden writes Amid the ongoing recovery of the Russian economy from the effect of Western sanctions, foreign investors are considering accelerating their activities in the Russian road building industry. In recent months the establishment of joint ventures with local road building companies has become no longer as profitable for foreign investors as it was in the past. As a result the majority of foreign investors are considering
  • Volvo moves mountains in Portugal
    June 8, 2015
    Volvo Construction Equipment is opening up the remote Portuguese regions of Duoro and Trás-os-Montes for development through one of the largest road tunnels in the Iberian Penninsula. The Túnel do Marão project takes in Portugal’s sixth largest mountain, the Serra do Marão. At a height of 1,415m above sea level, it presents a major obstacle between the country’s second city Porto, located on the coast, and Vila Real near the Spanish border, even since the construction of the winding IP4 highway, built in t
  • JCB feel Brazil-liant after landing US$96.4mn tender
    May 15, 2012
    JCB has won one of the biggest single tenders in its history with an order for more than 1,000 machines worth over US$96.4million from the Brazilian Government. The UK-headquartered company beat off competition from other major global manufacturers to secure the deal for the fleet of backhoe loaders, which will be used to improve the road infrastructure in the country. The first 114 of the 1,016 backhoes have now been delivered and the keys to one of the first machines handed over by Brazilian President Dil