Mexico’s Navy to Launch Transisthmic Corridor Project Tenders

Mexico’s Navy will have the duty to launch tenders regarding the repair of railroads and development of bridges that make up part of the Transisthmic corridor, one of the key infrastructure projects of López Obrador’s presidency.

The Navy is to launch four tenders to restore over 700km of railroad and develop over 600 crossings and bridges along two railway lines that will be linked to the Transisthmic project, which should be fit to move both passengers and products. 

The railroads to be upgraded are the FA line, which consists of 328km of rail going from Coatzacoalcos to Palenque and would be connected to the Mayan Train, as well as line K, which is 459km in length and will connect Ixtepec and Hidalgo City in Chiapas. In the future, this line is expected to go to Central America, too. The project also includes various bridges. 

Under the instruction of the president, the company Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec (FIT), of which the government is the main shareholder, will become part of the Navy in the following weeks. In this regard, the Navy will have to manage the two railway lines that are tendered by FIT. 

The General Direction of Port Promotion and Management, the body in charge of the tenders, will develop them further and invite at least three participants. So far, nine companies are allowed to participate: Operadora CICSA, Grupo Mexico Transporte, ICA, Mota Engil, Contrucciones Aldesem, GAMI Ingenieria e Instalaciones, Regiomontana de Construccion y Servicios, COMSA and Constructora y Pavimentadora VISE.  The works are scheduled to start in May 2022. 

The perceived militarization of construction has become a thorn in the side of the country’s private sector, particularly for infrastructure companies. The Mexican Chamber of Construction (CMIC) emphasized the need to audit major projects carried out by these military engineers, arguing that private companies have the same capacity to develop and construct projects.