Project win

Algeria: A joint venture of two Chinese companies has beaten off stiff competition from seven other consortiums of world-renowned contractors to win work on a US$ 7 billion road scheme in Algeria. The partnership of CITIC Group and China Railway Construction Corporation have been awarded the contracts for the central and western sections of the Algerian East-West Highway Project. Other contractors bidding for the work included Bechtel, Taisei and Bilfinger + Berger.

According to the China International Contractors Association, the deal represents the largest single overseas contracting project won by Chinese contractors. The association's deputy president Diao Chunhe said, “This win shows that Chinese contractors are becoming top global contractors in terms of both technology and bidding tactics.”

The completed East-West Highway will be 1216 km long but 927 km has yet to be constructed. The two contracts won by the Chinese joint venture will see a further 528 km of the highway completed. A contract for an eastern section of the route was awarded to a consortium formed by a group of Japanese contractors.