BN Americas reports that the Panamanian government is preparing to cancel the tender for the design and build of the 5.3 kilometer long tunnel under the Panama Canal.

According to the report, after cancelling the tender run by Panama Metro, the government is planning to give the US$300m contract directly to the Korean consortium of HPH which is comprised of Hyundai E&C, Posco and another Hyundai company.

The Koreans are already the contractors for building the Metro 3 extension project to which the new tunnel will be a part of. The overall Panama Metro Line 3 project is overseen by the consortium led by the Korean Hyundai at a cost of $ 2,844.09 million.

What is interesting is, on 13 August 2021, the Panama Metro had awarded for $9 million contract for the basic design and detail of the tunnel for the crossing of the Panama Canal on line 3 of the Metro to Técnica y Proyectos, S.A. (Typsa) and Louis Berger LAC S. de R.L.  This itself was after a lengthy process whereby the tender process was suspended by the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGCP) after a claim by the Aecom-Sener consortium that their experience had not been taken into consideration. What will happen to that design contract? Will it also go to HPH?

More information at BN Americas:

https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/panama-set-to-cancel-tender-for-us300mn-metro-tunnel