Proposals to build new Berbice River Bridge top US$200M
Mar 30, 2025
….Chinese firms dominate bids
The financial proposals submitted to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office for the new Berbice River Bridge project.
Kaieteur News – Firms bidding to design and build the new Berbice River Bridge have submitted financial proposals topping US$200M.
The project, which is being undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works, saw the financial aspect of the bidding process opened on Friday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.
There it was revealed that companies such as China Railway Construction Caribbean Company Limited, China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Limited (Joint Venture); AJM Enterprise, Shandong High-Speed Road & Bridge Company Limited (Joint Venture); China Road & Bridge Corporation; China Railway First Group Company Limited, China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Limited (Joint Venture); and Vishwa Samooja Private Limited out of India are now the only bidders vying for the project.
With no engineer’s estimate provided for the project at this time, according to NPTAB information, the bidders bid between US$200 million and US$465 million to build the new bridge.
Their financial proposals are as follows: China Railway Construction Caribbean Company Limited, China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Limited (Joint Venture) – US $255,872,559.08; AJM Enterprise, Shandong High-Speed Road & Bridge Company Limited (Joint Venture) – US$279,686,679.56; China Road & Bridge Corporation – US $205,888,712; China Railway First Group Company Limited, China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Limited (Joint Venture) – US$266,432,183; and Vishwa Samooja Private Limited – US $465,510,780.
Regarding this project, in 2024, the Public Works Ministry had sought expression of interests (EOIs) for the designing, building and financing of the new Berbice River Bridge.
In October last year, nine contractors submitted bids. They were China Road & Bridge Corporation (China); Ashoka Buildcon Limited (India); China Railway Construction Caribbean Limited (China) in jointed venture with China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Company Limited (T&T); Shandong High-speed Road & Bridge Company Limited (China) in jointed venture with AJM Enterprise; China Railway First Group Company Limited (China) in jointed venture with China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Company Limited (China); Rockey & Son Construction (local); Kalpataru Projects International Limited (India); Vishwa Samudra Engineering Private Limited (India); and Aecon Global Services (Canada).
In January 2024, President Irfaan Ali announced that his government intended to construct a fixed high-span crossing bridge across the Berbice River.
“We are already understanding the future needs of this region. That is why we are accelerating the plans for a fixed high-span crossing bridge across the Berbice River just like the one in the Demerara River,” President Ali said at a sod-turning event held for the US$161 million modern hospital in New Amsterdam. He had initially announced the construction of a new bridge in Berbice in October 2022.
Speaking about the new Berbice River Bridge on numerous occasions, the President had mentioned that it would be built, promising that it would bring significant benefits to commuters and the region’s economy
The structure is expected to mirror the US$260 million new Demerara River Bridge, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by August.
Kaieteur News had reported that Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, during the debates on the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes (Amendment) Bill in December, said that the government has since acquired over 50 properties to cater for the new Berbice River Bridge.
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