Chile Announces US$14 Bln In Infrastructure Investment Opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 (Bernama) -- The Chilean Foreign Investment Committee under the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism has announced a slew of substantial foreign investment projects in the infrastructure sector. In a statement on Monday, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said these projects include the retender of the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. The current 823,000 m2 terminal will have an additional 375,500 m2 of remodelling and terminal expansion with an estimated investment of US$500 million and the capacity to handle over 29 million passengers by 2030. The El Tepual Airport (PMC) at Puerto Montt is also up for retender but details remain unconfirmed at present. Matrade said the Chilean government is also building a new cargo terminal for the port of Puerto Montt for general and bulk cargo ships to ease congestion at the present facilities. The call for bids and award for the estimated US$50 million project is expected by the second half of 2012 with operations to start before end-2015. Plans are also underway for the expansion of Terminal 2 Espigón, Port of Valparaíso, it said, adding, the estimated investment is between US$325 million to US$391 million including equipment. Matrade said the announcement also includes work on five hospitals including the existing Antofagasta Hospital estimated at US$251 million. Four other new hospital buildings, all on a BOT basis, are also in the works at a total estimated investment of US$1,071 million. The Transandino Central Railway (Aconcagua Bioceanic Corridor) is also being built to reduce congestion on the present Los Libertadores Pass. The estimated investment is US$3.3 billion with anticipated benefits of US$13,000 million and 80 million tonnes of freight annually. Matrade said Santiago’s subway will also see two new lines carrying 120 million passengers a year at a cost of US$2,800 million while the state-owned railway, Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE,) is also undertaking infrastructure expansion and upgrading works to the tune of US$260 million. Matrade said various roads and highway concessions are also available. According to Matrade, the Foreign Investment Committee is also seeking input into a number of initiatives subject to feasibility studies. These include the US$640 million Santiago-Valparaíso Region Railway Connection, the Municipal Civic Center and underground parking facilities in Calama, two public buildings in Iquique and Valdivia, the improvement of the Valparaíso-Viña del Mar Transport System, Coastal Route at US$384 million and the Bicentennial cable car at US$32 million. As closing dates for bids and contract periods for the various projects differ, Matrade advises interested Malaysian companies to contact it for further information. -- BERNAMA