GUPC Consortium with Jan De Nul in pole position for Panama Canal


      

The GUPC consortium of which Belgian construction and dredging company Jan De Nul forms part is in pole position for a multi billion dollar contract in Panama.
The consortium scored highest on the technical evaluation and delivered the best price proposal for one of the most prestigious hydraulic engineering projects in the world.

GUPC – Grupo Unidos por el Canal – had the “best value” proposal.
With the offer of US $ 3.12 billion the consortium did not exceed the Panama Canal s allocated price of US $ 3.48 billion.
The construction of the 3rd set of locks is the most important part of the of the Panama Canal expansion project.

This mega project is one of the largest and most prestigious hydraulic projects of the last decennia.
The works include the construction of 6 lock chambers.
Each of these lock chambers has a similar size to the ‘Berendrecht lock’ in Antwerp, Belgium, at this moment the largest lock in the world.
The project will take 5 years and create more than 6000 jobs.
During that period 40 million m³ soil will be excavated and 5 million m³ concrete will be poured.

The project will allow larger vessels to sail between the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean trough the Panama Canal.
Once completed, the capacity of the Panama Canal will be increased with approximately 50 %. Because the consortium had the best technical score as well as the lowest price, it is expected to be awarded the contract in the coming weeks.

The consortium consists of Spanish constructor Sacyr Vallehermoso, the Italian builder Impregilo, Belgian company Jan De Nul and local construction company Cusa.

Works are expected to start early 2010.

Source: Jan De Nul Group, July 2009