Chinese highway builder submits offer for Romania's Comarnic – Brasov highway, Vinci and Aktor return to bid

Chinese company China Communication Construction, as well as local construction companies Spedition UMB and Tehnostrade, along with foreign construction firms Vinci, Strabag and Aktor, and Impregilo and Salini submitted offers to build the 55-kilometer long Comarnic – Brasov highway. This is Romania's third attempt to build this highway, and two of the companies which submitted bids, Vinci and Aktor, previously gave up on the project. The two won the bid in 2010 but withdrew from the deal, saying Romania did not accept certain clauses, which made it impossible to ensure financing. The deal in 2010 was worth some EUR 4.8 billion, which should have been paid by the state in 26 years, with the highway to be ready next year, in 2014. The two companies have formed an association with Strabag and together filed a new offer for the highway. The companies Spedition UMB and Tehnostrade, both owned by Romanian entrepreneur Dorinel Umbrarescu, also filed offers together, as well as Impregilo and Salini. Apart from the Chinese bidder, none of the companies is a stranger to road infrastructure work in Romania. Aktor for example has been working on several road projects in Romania,including a part of Bucharest's ring road. Spedition UMB worked on the Bucharest – Ploiesti highway and is working on the Timisoara – Lugoj highway project. China Communication Construction specializes in building highways and bridges and had revenues of USD 40.4 billion in 2011. The company recently announced its interest in Bucharest infrastructure projects. The Chinese company's overseas projects include bridges in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sudan, highways and ring roads in Ethiopia, Tajikistan - Uzbekistan.In picture, the Jinan-Qingdao Expressway. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: China Communication Construction's website)