The Panama Canal Authority said it received three bids on Aug. 6 from international engineering and construction companies that are competing to dredge and excavate the Pacific Access Channel entrance.
This project represents the last major contract to be awarded in the canal's expansion program. Once completed, the project will allow larger ships to enter the new access channel and reach the new Pacific Locks. The access channel will link the new Pacific locks with the Gaillard Cut, which is the narrowest stretch of the Panama Canal.
The canal authority said it would award the contract to the firm with the lowest-priced bid that meets all of the terms and conditions stated by the tender in its request for proposals.
The contractor will then have a 90-day procurement and mobilization period before receiving the notice to proceed.
The companies that submitted bids and the corresponding bid prices were:
Jan de Nul, $54,550,647; International Underground Corp., $55,329,492; and BKI-MECO, $71,344,784.
The scope of work for the contract will include an estimated 4 million cubic meters of dredging and excavation of the PAC entrance.
The canal authority said it would ensure all of the work meets specific environmental requirements.
The expansion program will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships when completed in late 2014.
This project represents the last major contract to be awarded in the canal's expansion program. Once completed, the project will allow larger ships to enter the new access channel and reach the new Pacific Locks. The access channel will link the new Pacific locks with the Gaillard Cut, which is the narrowest stretch of the Panama Canal.
The canal authority said it would award the contract to the firm with the lowest-priced bid that meets all of the terms and conditions stated by the tender in its request for proposals.
The contractor will then have a 90-day procurement and mobilization period before receiving the notice to proceed.
The companies that submitted bids and the corresponding bid prices were:
Jan de Nul, $54,550,647; International Underground Corp., $55,329,492; and BKI-MECO, $71,344,784.
The scope of work for the contract will include an estimated 4 million cubic meters of dredging and excavation of the PAC entrance.
The canal authority said it would ensure all of the work meets specific environmental requirements.
The expansion program will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships when completed in late 2014.