Algeria’s Anesrif has awarded a $262m construction contract to a consortium led by the China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

The CRBC-led consortium includes China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Algeria’s EPE SNTP.

The contract covers construction work for the Bouchegouf-Souk Ahras-Drea railway section, with a total length of 121 kilometres (km). It is scheduled to be completed in 32 months.

This contract is the latest example of Chinese companies undertaking major projects in Algeria.

MEED reported in January this year that Algeria had selected a team of Beijing-headquartered China Railway Construction Corporation and local contractor Cosider Travaux Publics for a contract to build a 575km railway line.

The line will connect the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine in Western Algeria’s Tindouf Province with the national rail network at Bechar.

The project will facilitate transporting materials from the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine to industrial centres and ports along Algeria’s national rail network.