Construction under concession of the Amarante-Vila Real highway has been announced. Tenders to be invited in the fourth quarter of 2003. Two alignment options are considered, both with a 5 km tunnel between Campeí£ and rio Ovelha, either a downward single tube or a twin bore. Cost estimated at €320 million and €430 million according to the selected option. 46/02.Notice of concession, deadline 26th June, 2007 for the Marí£o tunnel in Tamega and Douro districts. The contract is for the design, construction, widening, financing, operation and maintenance of the A4/IP4 connection between Amarante and Vila Real (30 km), including the operation, maintenance and widening between the Geraldes and Padronelo interchanges (4 km). The Marí£o tunnel will be 6 km long to link Padronelo in Amarante with Campea in Vila Real. The required investment totals EUR370 million. End of construction is programmed in 2011. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=39800-2007, OJ S 33, or contact Estradas de Portugal, Almada, fax +351 212879000. E-mail concessoes@estradasdeportugal.pt 09/07.Two consortia have been shortlisted to submit their best and final offer for a concession contract to design, construct, widen, finance, operate and maintain the A4/IP4 connection between Amarante and Vila Real (32 km), including the operation, maintenance and widening between the Geraldes and Padronelo interchanges (4 km). The project includes the 2 x 6 km Marí£o tunnel to link Padronelo in Amarante with Campea in Vila Real. The first consortium includes Sacyr Vallehermoso and its Portuguese branch Somague, who proposed EUR346 million. The second consortium is headed by motorway operator Brisa, teaming up with Teixeira Duarte, Alves Ribeiro, Construtora do Tâmega and Zagope, with a bid of EUR375 million.The 30-year concession will introduce a new concept in public-private relationships in Portugal, since the government will pay the concessionaire not only according to the traffic on the motorway but also the availability of the roadway, i.e. lane closures necessary for maintenance. The first section is scheduled to open in 2009 and the full motorway must be operational in 2011. 45/07.The consortium Autopista do Marí£o, formed by Sacyr Vallehermoso's concession arm Itinere, its Portuguese construction unit Somague Engenharia, MSF Concessíµes SGPS and MSF Empreiteiros, has beaten AEDM (Auto-Estrada do Marí£o), a consortium led by Brisa Auto-Estradas de Portugal, in the bidding for the 29.8 km Amarante-Vila Real toll highway concession and the Geraldes junction-Padronelo junction toll-free section in northern Portugal. The EUR425.1 million contract includes the 2 x 5.7 km Marí£o tunnel. The concession's terms include a requirement for 50% of the debt used to pay for the construction and operation of the tunnel to be paid off during the 30-year lifetime of the tender. Visit www.portugal.gov.pt, www.somague.pt and www.msfsgps.ptThe Ministry of public works and transport started the awarding process on 1st April and the two finalists have ten days to express issues on the proposed award. After this time frame, the government will award the concession contract definitively this month. The concession is for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a new toll highway named Tíºnel do Marao. Construction will commence in 2009 and the road will be opened in 2012. 15/08.