Five companies shortlisted to build Bulgaria-Greece pipeline

Five companies and consortia have been short-listed to file bids in a 145 million euro ($165.65 million) tender to design and build a gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Greece, data from the company overseeing delivery of the project, ICGB, showed.

The selected bidders should file their offers next month to build the 182-km (113-mile) pipeline aimed at transporting mainly Azeri gas to Bulgaria and reducing its almost complete dependence on Russian gas supplies.

Some 11 companies filed initial bids.

A consortium between two Bulgarian construction companies and Italy’s Bonatti, a joint venture between Germany’s Max Streicher and Greek Terna as well as a consortium between French Spiecapag, a unit of Vinci, and Bulgarian Trace Group were allowed to file bids.

Greek company J & P AVAX and a tie-up between China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering and Greece’s Aktor were also admitted to file bids for the pipeline Sofia hopes to become operational in 2020.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova Editing by Frances Kerry)