Strong interest in building new Chile-Argentina tunnel link

Interest is strong in the proposed tunnel linking Chile and Argentina. Some 37 companies have shown expressions of interest in the US$1 billion Agua Negra road tunnel. This includes 22 consortia and includes Latin American firms such as Panedile, Techint, Camargo Correa, Jose Cartellone. It also includes the Chinese firms China Railway Construction Corporation, China Railway Bureau Group, China State Construction Engineering Corporation and Sinohydro Group. Daewoo, Hyundai Engineering and SK Eng & Construct
October 30, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Interest is strong in the proposed tunnel linking Chile and Argentina. Some 37 companies have shown expressions of interest in the US$1 billion Agua Negra road tunnel. This includes 22 consortia and includes Latin American firms such as 2429 Panedile, Techint, Camargo Correa, 1390 Jose Cartellone. It also includes the Chinese firms 6590 China Railway Construction Corporation, 890 China Railway Bureau Group, 5711 China State Construction Engineering Corporation and 5544 Sinohydro Group. 3086 Daewoo, 5739 Hyundai Engineering and SK Eng & Construction from South Korea are also interested in the project. A bi-lateral body, Ebitan, is administering the applications, which have come from firms in Brazil, China, Italy and Korea, as well as local companies in Argentina and Chile according to Business News Americas. A list of prequalified companies is being released while the tender process is set to open in early 2014. The link will feature twin tunnels nearly 14km long connecting Argentina's San Juan province with Chile's Coquimbo region (region IV). The tunnel is of enormous economic importance to both Argentina and Chile and will help transport and trade between the two countries. The new tunnel will be able to carry traffic that presently has to use either another tunnel, or a dangerous mountain pass that is often closed in poor weather and is not suitable for heavy vehicles. As well as the twin tube tunnel itself, the project also includes upgrades to some 50km of roads in Region IV that will lead to the portal. Work will also be required to improve an airport in Region IV and improve routes 41, 43 and 45 in the region. Construction of the Agua Negra tunnel will be challenging however as both portals are at altitude, which poses severe limitations on the performance of both personnel and equipment. Winter weather conditions can be tough and access to the portal areas can be tricky in poor weather, which will further add to the challenges the construction team will face.
Road Structures

Related Content

  • Tunnels and bridges, improving Argentina's major road link
    May 2, 2012
    A road improvement plus tunnel and bridge building contract in an area once inhabited by dinosaurs in northern Argentina, is a small but key part of an ambitious project to complete a road that will eventually link the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Latin America - Adriana Potts reports. Remote, rough and spectacular are words that come to mind when describing the mountains of Ischigualasto in Argentina's northern province of San Juan This is the only place in the world where an undisturbed sequence of rock
    Read More
  • Talks held between China and Argentina for infrastructure funding
    December 12, 2013
    Talks have been held in Beijing between Chinese companies and Argentina's Finance and Federal Planning Ministry. Argentina Is keen for Chinese firms to be involved in 15 infrastructure projects worth a total of US$19 billion planned for the South American country. One of the key projects that has been under discussion is that of the Agua Negra Tunnel, which will connect Argentina and Chile through the Andes Mountains. China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) is one of several companies inter
    Read More
  • Chile-Argentina tunnel project to take nine years
    May 3, 2017
    Construction work for the Agua Negra tunnel connecting Argentina with Chile is expected to take nine years to complete. The actual construction work will commence in 2019, although considerable activity will be required beforehand. Building the tunnel is expected to cost in the orders of US$1.5 billion. Much of the financing for the project is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). So far the IADB has given $20 million to Argentina and a further $20 million to Chile to pay for the nec
    Read More
  • Chile-Argentina tunnel project moving ahead
    June 26, 2014
    So far 18 companies have been registered as eligible for tenders in the Agua Negra Tunnel project, which will link Argentina with Chile. The tender process is commencing for the project in the second half of 2014. The new tunnel will provide a better alternative to existing routes connecting the two countries through the Andes Mountain range at present. One of the existing routes is through a high mountain pass, which is frequently blocked due to poor weather while being unsuitable for heavy vehicles. The o
    Read More

Highlighted Content