WORLD NEWS
2013
Matexpo 2013
September 4 – 8, 2013
Kortrijk, Belgium
Bauma Africa 2013
September 18 – 21, 2013
Johannesburg, South Africa
International Construction
Equipment Congress
September 19 – 20 , 2013
Istanbul, Turkey
BICES 2013
October 15 – 18 , 2013
Beijing, China
International Construction
Economic Forum (ICEF)
November 20 – 22, 2013
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Excon 2013
November 20 – 24 , 2013
Bangalore, India
MS Africa & Middle East
December 9 – 12, 2013
Cairo, Egypt
2014
Intermat Middle East
January 14 – 16, 2014
Abu Dhabi, UAE
World of Concrete
January 21 – 24, 2014
(Seminars 20 – 24 January)
Las Vegas, US
ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014
March 4 – 8, 2014
Las Vegas, US
SMOPYC 2014
April 1 – 5, 2014
Zaragoza, Spain
DIARY DATES
7
july-august 2013
international
construction
RUSSIA
Vinci has won a contract to construct the new Dynamo Moscow
stadium, 5 km northwest of central Moscow. The US$ 1.5 billion project
involves the construction of a new 27,000-seat football stadium, a 12,000-
seat multi-purpose indoor arena, 30,000 m
2
shopping centre, multiplex
cinema and 730 underground parking spaces on the site of the old Dynamo
Stadium, which was closed for demolition in 2008. The scheme is scheduled
for completion in 2017.
SOUTH AFRICA
Collusion settlement
A group of 15 contractors active
in South Africa has agreed to
pay fines totalling ZAR 1.46
billion (US$ 145 million) for
anti-competitive behaviour. The
penalties were agreed with South
Africa’s Competition Commission
under its Construction Fast Track
Settlement Process, which was
launched in February 2011.
The 15 contractors named in the
settlement were, Aveng, Basil Read,
Esorfranki, G Liviero, Giuricich,
Haw & Inglis, Hochtief, Murray &
Roberts, Norvo, Raubex, Rumdel,
Stefanutti,
Tubular,
Vlaming
and WBHO. Fines ranged from
ZAR 155,850 (US$ 15,400) for
Esorfranki to more than ZAR 300
million (US$ 30 million) for Aveng,
Murray & Roberts, Stefanutti and
WBHO.
The commission said it found
more than 300 cases of bid-rigging
on projects concluded after 2006.
Schemes finished before this cut-off
are beyond the prosecutional reach
of South Africa’s Competition Act.
It added that anti-competitive
behaviour among contractors
included holding meetings to
divide markets and agree margins,
the submission of artificially high
tenders to favour competitors (cover
pricing) as part of market sharing
agreements and the payment of
a ‘losers fee’ by the winner of a
contract to cover others’ bidding
costs.
Competition
commissioner
Shan Ramburuth said, “In
revealing the extent of collusion
in the construction industry, the
Commission’s fast track settlement
broke up existing cartels and created
awareness of collusive practices
in the industry. Embedding a
competitive culture will be critical
to bringing down the costs of
future infrastructure investments
and will incentivise firms towards
innovation and efficiency in future
projects.
Henry Laas, CEO of Murray &
Roberts said, “After an exhaustive
process, we have finally reached
settlement with the Commission.
The investigation and its subsequent
burden on our reputation have
weighed heavily on our employees
and stakeholders. To the best of
our knowledge, there is no anti-
competitive conduct present within
the group and the Board and
management continue to set the
vision for and commitment to a
morally and ethically sound culture
within Murray & Roberts.”
NICARAGUA
Panama
Canal
alternative
The Nicaraguan Congress has
approved a law to allow a Chinese
company to construct and operate a
trans-oceanic canal. The agreement
could see Hong Kong Nicaragua
Canal Development Investment
Co. (HKND Group) construct the
US$ 40 billion canal over a ten-year
period and then operate it for up to
a century.
The law was passed by 61 votes to
25, with one abstention in the face
of public protests. The project has
not been subject to a public tender
and has been criticised as a loss of
Nicaraguan sovereignty.
The route of the canal has not
been finalised, but it would be likely
to make use of Lake Nicaragua in
the west of the country near the
Pacific coast. However, in order to
reach this from the Atlantic side, at
least a 100 km route would have to
be excavated.
In other news, the Honduran
government
has
signed
a
memorandum of understanding
with China Harbour Engineering
Company (CHEC) to build Pacific
and Atlantic ports, linked by rail
lines as a further inter-oceanic trade
link. The cost is put at US$ 20
billion.
Guatemala has been looking into
a similar scheme, which would see
two ports linked by a new 390 km
high-speed rail line, with gas and oil
pipelines running alongside it.
