News sources in mid-January said that Carmelton, franchise holder for Israel’s Carmel Tunnels project in Haifa, was about to publish a US$100M international tender for excavating the two 5km long road tunnels.
Reports said that Carmelton is expected to work with more than one company in parallel to expedite the works and that China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Züblin amongst others were interested in bidding for the works that will be bid as a build-operate-transfer contract.
Speaking last year when he signed a franchise agreement with the Minister of Finance and Carmelton for the financing, construction and operation of the tunnels, Minister of Transport Meir Sheetrit commented that, “by employing the PFI or BOT methods, rapid implementation at a superior price is assured”. Brave words when considering that when it acquired the concession in 1997, Carmelton comprised Ashtrom, Dragados, Property & Development and FIBI, yet following delays to the planned construction start in 1999, Dragados, Property & Development and FIBI all pulled out and were replaced by Housing & Construction Holding Company Ltd..
Carmelton hopes to begin construction this year, which could see the tunnels entering revenue service by 2010.
