Cleveland Bridge wins massive contract to build hundreds of bridges in Sri Lanka
Posted on February 9th, 2019
Cleveland Bridge has won a major contract to build 250 bridges for rural communities in Sri Lanka, and has secured millions of pounds of in Government support for the project.
The Darlington-based firm, which famously built the Tyne Bridge and Sydney Harbour Bridge, will use its expertise to improve connections between communities across Sri Lanka.
The project will provide 210 permanent road bridges across rural areas of the country. The firm is working with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Economic Development on the scheme, which will help more than 100,000 families access markets and schools.
Businesses will also benefit from the improved infrastructure and it is hoped that the bridges will help alleviate poverty in communities.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has announced that UK Export Finance (UKEF) is providing Cleveland Bridge with £49m of support to allow the firm to build the new infrastructure.
Dr Fox said: Cleveland Bridge demonstrates the value British design and engineering can bring to the world stage. Over the course of the last 100 years UK Export Finance has led the way in delivering innovative finance to help British companies achieve international success across a wide range of industries and countries.
I am delighted that as UKEF marks its centenary year, it continues not only to support the UK’s exporters but also those transformational projects that will have a direct impact on the lives of citizens across the globe.”
Many of the bridges used by locals in Sri Lanka are of poor build quality. Many are only accessible by foot and some are made out of wood.
Cleveland Bridge replaces these structures with its own modular bridges, which are built in the UK and shipped overseas where they are assembled. The company has gained experience in the past on a similar project it carried out in the Philippines.
Don Underwood, commercial consultant at Cleveland Bridge said: We are delighted UKEF has chosen to support this project, and Cleveland Bridge’s continued growth. UKEF’s flexible support is hugely important for our international success, helping us build confidence with our overseas customers and access financing to deliver dynamic projects.”
February 9th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
I am not clear whether this is a gift or it is a loan. If it is a gift it OK, otherwise it is ridiculous.
This was initiated during previous government. I am not sure whether it is the same project or not but those days Cleveland Bridge did not have any job.
Anyway, if these are loans, these are massive frauds.
When I joined RDA Bridge Design office in 1986 after working overseas for 4 years as a young Senior Engineer these work were very simple typical jobs designed by the design office and constructed easily using local technology. It takes long time but that is due to lack of funds etc and Parskaralingam had other priorities under ridiculous Premadasa.
There is not way these little bridges given to a company who has done massive jobs such as Sydney Harbour Bridge. They also supplied steelwork for one of my more recent designs – Dubai Airport Terminal 3.
It is not clear to me whether this is a loan. If it is a loan it will done at a huge cost ( may be 5 -10 times more than our proven local technology).
February 10th, 2019 at 4:02 am
I think these are Baily type of bridges where the pre-fab steel panels are brought to site and assembled quickly. it is only the time that takes to construct the two abutments that matters. they were lately called Mabey-Jhonson bridges. I myself has done few of them overseas.
there was a bridges section under RDA that was transferred to Roads Development and Construction Company, RCDC. I was the head of Design and Production branch there. Mr. Manamperi was the head of Bridges section. they constructed bridges using pre-cast concrete items, some of them at record times. the Gatembe bridge was one of them. It was under previous UNP government of 2003 that organization was scrapped. All successive governments made use of it for political work while most of those who were employed there went overseas. I heard one of the top guys there was employed only to paint the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
British Government do not give any gifts to SL; they will give only trouble. I think these are all deals.
SL government has to do everything on loans at high interest rates. Hence no responsible role cannot be given to local engineers. If at all they recruit one or two, they will be under a Philipino or an African as they do not want our guys to learn the technologies like using software for design of Box Girders etc. I think this happened in Outer Circular Highway; this should be corrected. All foreign contractors should be force to recruit Sri Lankans for top design post and should not be asked to work under other third world engineers.
February 10th, 2019 at 4:20 am
Sorry for a spelling mistake.
Commenting further on the employment of foreigners over Sri Lankan Engineers, this should apply to Indians and Malaysians too. I know our local consultants overlooked local engineers and appointed a Malaysian for the top post in Central Expressway; this should not have happened. GOSL should not downgrade our own engineers in anyway.
February 10th, 2019 at 4:47 pm
@Aloy
I know Manamperi. He migrate to Australia.
Design of Box girder bridges no big deal. Philippinos are far inferior to our engineers.
What takes time is to construct the abutments. Whether steel or precast concrete will not make any difference in time although concrete is much heavier and cranage is more.
This is a huge sham.