Brazil HSR, an update

[bikkuri bahn]

Brazil restarts high speed rail tender

17 December, 2012 | By Mark Hansford

 

Brazil’s National Transportation Agency (ANTT) has reopened bidding on its mooted £13bn Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo high speed rail line.

 

The firm selected to operate the line will no longer have to build it, after no bids were received when the contract was last up for grabs in July 2011 despite the bid deadline being repeatedly put back from the original 29 November 2010 date.

 

Firms were unwilling to take on construction risks: the high speed line is technically challenging with the route including 90km of tunnels and 108km of bridges. The contract structure was also tough, with the concessionaire only getting 35 years to recoup costs from an anticipated six or seven years of construction. The concessionaire was expected to take on all risks, including construction costs, operations, demand and revenue. Regulation to safeguard the public interest demanded that the winning bidder would be the one that offered to charge the lowest fares.

 

complete article:

http://www.nce.co.uk/news/transport/brazil-restarts-high-speed-rail-tender/8640261.article

[to2leo]

Hmm, I think it will probably be a manufacturer who is willing to take losses in order to showcase its product...

[Eisenbahn]

Hi Bikkuri bahn

 

When I saw your post I reread the one you did on this topic back in August.  It should not suprise anyone there were no bids. Almost everything about the original  request for Tender was unrealistic to the point of being delusional. The time frames were too tight, the vendor was bearing all the construction and operating risk but with Government set ticket prices, financing would need a money tree or printing press. (perceptive forum members will discern I dont really have a strong opinion on this).

 

Even though there is now a new bid request with different requirements, it is likely the same Government people are still running the project. Potential bidders will be very wary of dealing with them.  It has all the warning signs of a project that will fail and pity help the  winning vendor that sinks in the quagmire when it does.

 

Its a shame really. Brasil's economy has boomed. They have developed their own hitech industries, eg Embraer Aircraft. Having a High Speed Rail trunk from Panama to Cape Horn would bring huge benefits to South America. A High Speed line in Brasil would be a good a place as any to start.

 

By the way Bikuri bahn, I couldnt read the article  on this you posted, that website required membership & a signin.

 

cheers...Eisenbahn

[bikkuri bahn]

Try a google keyword search, you can probably access it through that.

 

Yes, the terms were/are onerous.  I find it amusing that the South Korean press periodically comes up with quotes that "Korean companies are leading for HSR in Brazil" and the like.  Either they know something everybody else doesn't, or they're being played by the Brazilians.

[Eisenbahn]

No, a Google search didnt get me into the article but took me to the same spot as your forum reference. Never mind.

 

From a Korean perspective , exporting their High Speed Train technology to Brazil would be a good fit to benefit Korea.  Korea developed expertise in building their own high speed line over difficult terrain including tunnels. They modified the French TGV  train technology beyond recognition. Korea will have to continue to invest in their own train development ,and having their  train technology in another country will help them share development cost of new technology. A rail  track construction project would be an export market for Korean steel.

 

China is probably in the best position to fund the project  and build/supply  the train sets from a Chinese factory.

 

All of this probably turns on Brazil's inability to pay for all the rail, highway and other  infrastructure they want/need to cope with their rapidly expanding economy and the high expectations of their citizens.

 

it is always interesting to watch which  country will be next to start building High Speed Rail.  Curiously the English language countries (Eg US UK Canada, Australia NZ) have been slow to move. India and the countries in the Burma-Singapore-Vietnam 1000mm gauge triangle would all benefit from HS rail....but when?

I am hopeful that India will embrace HS rail next, and in a big way but I wonder if they will do it in standard gauge or their own broard gauge.