Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens Vegvesen) has announced the names of the members of consortia that expressed their interest in RV 555 Sotrasambandet PPP project (the Sotra Connection), the largest transport project in Norway.

At the end of February, the contracting authority announced that there were 4 groups that expressed the interest to finance, build and operate the Sotra Connection.

The following teams submitted their qualifications to authority:

• VINCI Concessions, VINCI Highways, ACCIONA Concesiones and IMPLENIA Switzerland;
• ITINERA, ASTM and IHI Corporations;
• FCC Construcción, Salini Impregilo, SK Engineering & Construction and Macquarie Corporate Holdings Pty Limited;
• China Communications Construction Company, Sichuan Road and Bridge Corporation and Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt.

Three of these companies will proceed to the dialogue and negotiations phase. They will be announced in April. The price offers will be submitted in December 2020, followed by further negotiation and the announcement of the preferred bidder in the summer of 2021. The construction works are expected to start in the fall of 2021. The opening of the road is planned for the end of 2024/25.

The new road system will have a new four-lane motorway, separate lanes for public transport, and pedestrian and cycle paths. The project includes 22 bridges, one suspension bridge, 23 portals and four twin-tube tunnels. When all this is combined in one major contract, the Sotra Connection contract becomes the largest construction contract in Norway so far.