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Saturday, January 23, 2010
Government of Kosovo announced the winner of new Highway Morine - Prishtine - Merdare
Reported by Kushtrim Mehmetaj in Prishtina, Republic of Kosova
The Government of Kosovo (GoK) has approved the decision of Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee notifying that American - Turkish consortium Bechtel & Enka is the winner to build the highway Vërmicë - Prishtinë - Merdare (Corridor - Route #7 in the map below, other routes are subject to future developments). Minister of Transport and Post - Telecommunications (MTPT), Mr Fatmir Limaj made public this decision at the GoK's meeting, on 18 of January 2010. Minister Limaj further explained that two companies have been qualified, Bechtel & Enka and Strabag but, the Steering Committee evaluated that the bidder with highest evaluation marks and with which negotiations to sign the contract should start is Bechtel & Enka.
Bechtel & Enka was suggested also from the consulting company "Evroshed". Inter-Ministerial Committee recommended GoK to approve the Evaluation Technical and Financial Report prepared by "Evroshed". GoK, is now negotiating the terms and conditions of the contract to sign it with the winner of the tender, Bechtel & Enka.
Seven worldwide companies were competing to get the tender (Alpine - Austria, Bechtel & Enka - US/Turkey, Makyol - Turkey, Pizzaroti - Italy, Porr - Italy, Strabag - Austria and Terna - Greece). Bechtel& Enka's financial offer to build the highway was the more attractive, 600 Million Euro comparing to Strabag which was at 1 Billion Euro.
The highway will be built respecting highest international constructing standards in terms of not only safety but also driving performance. It represents by far, the biggest project management investment so far in Kosovo during the last decades. Highway will be about 118 km long. Based on approximate calculations, it was mentioned by the Government officials that one kilometer of the highway in average will cost from Euro 7.5 Million to Euro 8 Million. Accurate length in meters and costing will be made at the end, when highway is completed entirely.
The highway will be 28 meters wide; it will have 4 traffic lanes for fast driving at 3.75 meters wide each, two lanes of 3 meters wide each for slow traffic and the green field in the middle at 4 meters wide. About 37.7 km of the highway will be building upon existing road. Bechtel & Enka suggested alternative scenario by skipping 3 tunnels and 20 bridges at a length of about 20 km, therefore highway will have a slight change as indicated in the following scheme. This skip is assumed to save costs of about Euro 400 Million. Prishtina International Airport will be
directly linked with this highway; also the highway will have access to other highways to be built in future in the direction to of Peja and Skopje.
The highway will be build in two phases; first phase covers 60.7 km, to be completed within 24 months and the second phase, about 27 km plus the existing lane upgrades, to be completed at additional 12 months from the moment contract is signed. Minister further announced that highway will be completed within 36 months and will cost about Euro 800 Million, based on the calculations (length x cost/1 km). The highway first will begin from Kosovar - Albanian border toward capital of Kosova, Prishtina and will move on toward Kosovar - Serbian border at the second phase. The winner company is obliged to contract to local construction companies about 40% of the entire project works.
The highway will be funded through a public - private partnership. Details and funding scenarios are not yet final. Several international banks (i.e. US Bank, Deutsche Bank, etc.) expressed their strong interest to participate financially.
Benefits of both highways (Durres, Albania - Morine, Kosovo border till Merdare, Kosovo/Serbian border) are multiple and invaluable, marked in red color in the following map. Both highways, totaling at about 290 km, all brand new respecting high construction standards, will in short future change the entire strategic configuration of large business scale by presenting a 'new business era', not only in the SEE countries but also at a much wider context. Despite the direct benefit for Kosovo, i.e. about 4000 people will be employed in constructing the highway for several years, also cost of transport from and between many countries in the region (from/to Kosovo and/or Albanian harbor) will be a lot cheaper than companies had to pay till recently.
Looking at the map, one would logically come to the conclusion that not only Hungarian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, businesses have better, cheaper and more comfortable access to Durres harbor with the rest of the world. That said, these extra savings will directly affect positively time of delivery, quality, companies profit and end - user sales price of the products and services. New highway also enables Kosovo in getting direct access to other highways being built in the region. It clearly represents an invaluable advantage for the region in terms of movement of people, goods, etc. by increasing drastically trade between countries in the region. Fostered integration process between these countries in the regions is another strategic importance goal that new highway ensures.
For more information, visit www.mtpt.org
This article is mainly sourced from these kosovar dailies: Gazeta Express dated 18 Jan 2010; Koha Ditore and Kosova Sot dated 20 Jan 2010 and earlier presentations from Ministry of Transport and Post - Telecommunications.
The Government of Kosovo (GoK) has approved the decision of Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee notifying that American - Turkish consortium Bechtel & Enka is the winner to build the highway Vërmicë - Prishtinë - Merdare (Corridor - Route #7 in the map below, other routes are subject to future developments). Minister of Transport and Post - Telecommunications (MTPT), Mr Fatmir Limaj made public this decision at the GoK's meeting, on 18 of January 2010. Minister Limaj further explained that two companies have been qualified, Bechtel & Enka and Strabag but, the Steering Committee evaluated that the bidder with highest evaluation marks and with which negotiations to sign the contract should start is Bechtel & Enka.
Bechtel & Enka was suggested also from the consulting company "Evroshed". Inter-Ministerial Committee recommended GoK to approve the Evaluation Technical and Financial Report prepared by "Evroshed". GoK, is now negotiating the terms and conditions of the contract to sign it with the winner of the tender, Bechtel & Enka.
Seven worldwide companies were competing to get the tender (Alpine - Austria, Bechtel & Enka - US/Turkey, Makyol - Turkey, Pizzaroti - Italy, Porr - Italy, Strabag - Austria and Terna - Greece). Bechtel& Enka's financial offer to build the highway was the more attractive, 600 Million Euro comparing to Strabag which was at 1 Billion Euro.
The highway will be built respecting highest international constructing standards in terms of not only safety but also driving performance. It represents by far, the biggest project management investment so far in Kosovo during the last decades. Highway will be about 118 km long. Based on approximate calculations, it was mentioned by the Government officials that one kilometer of the highway in average will cost from Euro 7.5 Million to Euro 8 Million. Accurate length in meters and costing will be made at the end, when highway is completed entirely.
The highway will be 28 meters wide; it will have 4 traffic lanes for fast driving at 3.75 meters wide each, two lanes of 3 meters wide each for slow traffic and the green field in the middle at 4 meters wide. About 37.7 km of the highway will be building upon existing road. Bechtel & Enka suggested alternative scenario by skipping 3 tunnels and 20 bridges at a length of about 20 km, therefore highway will have a slight change as indicated in the following scheme. This skip is assumed to save costs of about Euro 400 Million. Prishtina International Airport will be
The highway will be build in two phases; first phase covers 60.7 km, to be completed within 24 months and the second phase, about 27 km plus the existing lane upgrades, to be completed at additional 12 months from the moment contract is signed. Minister further announced that highway will be completed within 36 months and will cost about Euro 800 Million, based on the calculations (length x cost/1 km). The highway first will begin from Kosovar - Albanian border toward capital of Kosova, Prishtina and will move on toward Kosovar - Serbian border at the second phase. The winner company is obliged to contract to local construction companies about 40% of the entire project works.
The highway will be funded through a public - private partnership. Details and funding scenarios are not yet final. Several international banks (i.e. US Bank, Deutsche Bank, etc.) expressed their strong interest to participate financially.
Benefits of both highways (Durres, Albania - Morine, Kosovo border till Merdare, Kosovo/Serbian border) are multiple and invaluable, marked in red color in the following map. Both highways, totaling at about 290 km, all brand new respecting high construction standards, will in short future change the entire strategic configuration of large business scale by presenting a 'new business era', not only in the SEE countries but also at a much wider context. Despite the direct benefit for Kosovo, i.e. about 4000 people will be employed in constructing the highway for several years, also cost of transport from and between many countries in the region (from/to Kosovo and/or Albanian harbor) will be a lot cheaper than companies had to pay till recently.
Looking at the map, one would logically come to the conclusion that not only Hungarian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, businesses have better, cheaper and more comfortable access to Durres harbor with the rest of the world. That said, these extra savings will directly affect positively time of delivery, quality, companies profit and end - user sales price of the products and services. New highway also enables Kosovo in getting direct access to other highways being built in the region. It clearly represents an invaluable advantage for the region in terms of movement of people, goods, etc. by increasing drastically trade between countries in the region. Fostered integration process between these countries in the regions is another strategic importance goal that new highway ensures.
For more information, visit www.mtpt.org
This article is mainly sourced from these kosovar dailies: Gazeta Express dated 18 Jan 2010; Koha Ditore and Kosova Sot dated 20 Jan 2010 and earlier presentations from Ministry of Transport and Post - Telecommunications.