A consortium that includes Italy’s Webuild Group, South Korea’s GS Engineering and Construction and Australia’s Plenary Group, Clough Group and Service Stream, has been selected as preferred bidder by the Australian Rail Track Corporation for a €3.3bn design-and-build contract.
In a public-private partnership, the Regionerate Rail team will develop the 128km Gowrie-to-Kagaru section of the Inland Rail project, a 1,700km freight network that will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The consortium’s role includes the construction of a 6.2km tunnel through the Great Dividing Range, which will become the largest diameter freight tunnel in the southern hemisphere.
Regionerate Rail’s public–private partnership contract also includes a 25-year maintenance phase following completion.
Pietro Salini, Webuild’s chief executive, said: “We are proud of Webuild’s involvement in Inland Rail, especially on the most technically complex section of the project. Our reputation continues to strengthen in a country that is one of the most demanding markets in terms of quality and expertise required.
“As a group, we have been in Australia since the 1970s. We have gradually expanded our activities in a number of states, from Western Australia to New South Wales, from Victoria to Queensland.”
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