Construction companies Astaldi and Max Boegl will build the Cernavoda – Medgidia highway segment in Romania in a contract worth EUR 118 million excluding VAT, according to Romania's Highways Company CNADR. The two companies will work on the 20.5-km highway segment, part of the A2 highway, in addition to another segment for which they won the tender, the Medgidia – Constanta one, which should be ready in 2012. The contract for this segment was worth some EUR 141 million without VAT.

Financing for the highway segment will be covered by the European Investments Bank (EIB), cohesion funds from the European Commission and the state budget.

The Cernavoda-Medgidia segment should be ready in 15 months, with traffic opening expectations set for 2012.

Astaldi and Max Boegl's competitors in the run for this contract were Spedition UMB SRL – Tehnostrade SRL; Vega 93 SRL – Selina SRL – Arcada Company SA – Consitrans SRL; Tehnologica Radion SRL – Lena Engenharia e Construcoes SA – Pro Cons XXI SRL – Via Design SRL; Monteadriano Engenharia e Construcao SA; FCC Construccion – Delta ACM; Aktor SA; OHL ZS AS – Sociedade de Construcoes Soares da Costa SA.

Romania had initially awarded the tender for this project to French company Colas but canceled the contract earlier this year due to stalling works, announcing a new tender would be organized.

Romania's Sun Highway – or the A2 highway – should be fully finished at the end of 2012, according to Transport Minister Anca Boagiu.

editor@romania-insider.com