Amozoc-Perote y Libramiento de Perote

active

In Novembewr 2003, Mexico’s Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) awarded a 30 year contract to build and operate the 103 km Amozoc-Perote highway that runs through the states of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Veracruz to a consortium of seven companies headed by Fabricacion y Colocación de Pavimentos SA de CV (FACOPSA). The Amozoc-Perote highway was part of a short route to Xalapa, capital city of the state of Veracruz. Its construction was expected to directly connect Xalapa to the central region of the country, and offer an alternative route to Veracruz, the country’s largest and most important port. The Greenfield project also included responsibility for the maintenance of the 17.6 km. Perote bypass. Works included expanding the entire highway section to four lanes. In October 2005, ownership of the project company Grupo de Autopistas Nacionales SA de CV changed. The wining consortium (with the exception of FACOPSA) was replaced, as OHL Group joined FACOPSA. The cost of the project was estimated at US$160 million (1,700 million pesos). Project sponsors reached financial closure in October and in November 2005 construction for the 103 km highway began. The project cost was determined in a public tender through which the highway concessionaire was selected. The consortium headed by FACOPSA won the tender by requesting the lowest amount of public funds: US$94.35 million (55.5% of estimated cost). The amount of public funds requested was calculated as the sum of the initial government contribution and the net present value of the subordinate contribution –to ensure debt service of loans used to finance work. According to the tender basis, a trust (Fideicomiso de Infraestructura –FINFRA) in Mexico’s National Bank of Public Works and Services (Banco Nacional de Obras y Servicios Publicos –Banobras) was responsible for providing requested public funds. The consortium headed by FACOPSA was replaced after it failed to secure financing and delays in construction of more than a year. The project was set to start construction on February 2004 and did not start until November 2005. Among the companies that were replaced by OHL were: Fastel, Rostec, GIHM, Grumimex and Construcción y Senalamiento Vial. In October 2009, OHL increases its stake in the concession from 55% to 69%. Info confirmed by Ing. Salvador Lucio - SCT Mexico