ACP selects Dredging International bid

“The selection of Dredging International is a critical next step in the creation of the new lane. This is a solid, top-tier global dredging firm with the know-how and equipment we need to commence the job at hand and complete it on time and within budget,” said ACP executive vice president Engineering and Programme Management, Jorge Quijano.

Dredging work at the Pacific sea entrance is expected to begin during the third quarter of 2008. The project will widen the Canal’s approximately nine-mile-long navigation channels to a minimum of 715 ft and deepen them to a maximum of 51 ft Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS).

The ACP released its RFP for the contract on August 30, 2007, and received bids from three leading international dredging companies. Dredging International’s bid of US$177m was the lowest, and was selected ahead of rival bids by Jan De Nul N.V/Van Oord, also of Belgium, and Boskalis International of the Netherlands.