Official inauguration in the port of Antwerp, Belgium of the Liefkenshoek Tunnel, built by VINCI in a joint venture

Credit Infrabel & Bart Van Tricht

9 December 2014 - 7:30 pm - Projects update and handover - Belgium

Infrabel, the Belgian railway infrastructure manager, today officially inaugurated the Liefkenshoek rail link, set to open to traffic on 14 December 2014.

The project establishes an additional link between the two banks of the Escaut estuary in the Port of Antwerp, currently Europe's second-largest port, to accommodate an increase in goods traffic and free up capacity on the suburban rail lines to decongest the road network.

The works, awarded to the LocoRail joint venture and accounting for a total investment of €840 million, were carried out under a public private partnership (DBFM contract). The LocoRail joint venture bringing together CFE (25%), VINCI Concessions (25%) and BAM PPP–PGGM (50%) is responsible for financing, designing and building the infrastructure and then maintaining it for a period of 38 years. Financing is provided by the EIB (European Investment Bank) and six commercial banks: Bayern LB, Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING, Banco Santander and Société Générale.

The design-build contract was awarded to the LocoBouw joint venture made up of MBG, CEI-De Meyer, VINCI Construction Grands Projets and Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau. The work covers tunnel infrastructure and technical installations in the 16.2 km tunnel, which includes a 4.27 km cut and cover, a renovated existing tunnel (Beverenspoortunnel) and a double bored tunnel with a length of nearly 6 km. The highly complex project got under way in 2008 and was completed on schedule in July 2013. Tests were carried out on the line in 2014.

 

About VINCI
VINCI is a global player in concessions, energy and construction, employing 280,000 people in more than 120 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, we are committed to operating in an environmentally, socially responsible and ethical manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. Based on that approach, VINCI’s ambition is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, partners and society in general.