Chile-Argentina Agua Negra Tunnel progress

The names of the contractors offering bids for the new Agua Negra Tunnel project connecting Chile and Argentina will be revealed in March 2018. Several firms have already expressed a keen interest in this major engineering project. Contractors that have expressed interest include CRS, a consortium comprising China Railway Tunnel Group and Benito Roggio e Hijos. In addition, Ingenieria y Construccion Sigdo Koppers and OHL are also interested in the project as are the firms Rovella and Condotte. The project
February 16, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

The names of the contractors offering bids for the new Agua Negra Tunnel project connecting Chile and Argentina will be revealed in March 2018. Several firms have already expressed a keen interest in this major engineering project. Contractors that have expressed interest include CRS, a consortium comprising China Railway Tunnel Group and Benito Roggio e Hijos. In addition, Ingenieria y Construccion Sigdo Koppers and OHL are also interested in the project as are the firms Rovella and Condotte.

The project is being overseen by a bi-national commission, set up jointly by the two countries.

Preliminary loans from the IADB will pay for initial works. A loan of US$150 million has been secured for work in Chile with a loan of $130 million for work in Argentina. In all the project will require funding of some $1.5 billion. The project calls for the construction of dual tunnel bores that will both stretch 13.9km. The favoured tunnelling method has yet to be announced. The majority of the tunnel distance, 72% will be in Argentina, with the remaining 28% in Chile.

The new tunnel is expected to improve transport connections between Argentina and Chile. It will also help to deliver a much-needed boost for economic development in the area of Argentina where a portal will be located. Another tunnel is in use at present between the two countries but its portals can be blocked by snow in winter and it is not able to cope with traffic demand. There is also a high mountain pass but that is not suited to use by heavy vehicles and is also frequently inaccessible in winter due to snow.

Finance & Funding

Related Content

  • Agua Negra tunnel between Chile and Argentina
    May 15, 2014
    The current Paso de Agua Negra is the highest border crossing between Chile and Argentina. On the Argentine side, the Agua Negra Pass is located at 4,765m above sea level and 260km from the city of San Juan in the province of San Juan in the north-west of the country. On the Chilean side, the pass lies 229km from the city of La Serena in the Coquimbo region. The pass can be accessed from the Argentine side via National Highway No 150 from the province of La Rioja, which runs for a total of 390km. From the C
    Read More
  • Chile-Argentina tunnel loan for bidding
    December 14, 2016
    Further progress is being made with the Agua Negra Tunnel project, which will connect Chile with Argentina. A loan worth US$40 million is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). This loan will help deliver the bidding process for the project. Several bidders are being pre-qualified for the tender process. Construction of the tunnel itself is expected to take eight ant a half years with the work estimated to cost $1.6 billion. The tunnel will provide a safer and more reliable route than
    Read More
  • New tunnel between Argentina and Chile proves strong attraction for contractors
    November 27, 2013
    Interest is strong in the project to build the 14km tunnel link between Chile and Argentina, with reports stating that 23 firms having expressed an interest in the work. The twin tube tunnel will connect Argentina’s San Juan Province with Chile’s Coquimbo Province (Region IV) and will be constructed in the Andes Mountains. The Agua Negra project is set to cost somewhere in the range from US$800 million to $1 billion, although the exact price of the project has yet to be determined. Some 72% of the link will
    Read More
  • Strong interest in building new Chile-Argentina tunnel link
    October 30, 2013
    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
    Read More

Highlighted Content