CCECC to Undertake Montenegro's Lutovo–Bioče Railway Rehabilitation Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 5, Montenegro's state-owned railway infrastructure operator Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro (ŽICG) announced the award result for the Lutovo–Bratonožići–Bioče railway rehabilitation project contract. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) won the project with a contract value of EUR 16.0629 million (excluding VAT). The two parties signed the contract on April 17, 2026. The works involve approximately 20 km of railway line on the Montenegro–Serbia R4 rail connection and form part of the infrastructure rehabilitation of the Bar–Vrbnica international railway corridor.

According to the procurement notice, the construction section extends from Lutovo Station at km K369+983.98 to Bioče Station at km K389+940.80, with a total length of approximately 19.96 km. The works are divided into two sections, Lutovo–Bratonožići and Bratonožići–Bioče, and include rehabilitation of the railway superstructure, track renewal and related technical condition improvements, as well as the main-line tracks at Bratonožići Station and Bioče Station. The contractor is required to design and modernize the existing line, with the scope of works covering the line and related station track facilities.

The railway superstructure involved in this rehabilitation mainly comprises track components such as rails, sleepers, fastenings and ballast. After long-term operation, wear of track components, changes in geometric condition and deterioration of ballast performance affect train operating conditions. The project will renew the relevant track structures and improve the technical conditions of the line. As the project is located on an existing operational railway corridor, construction also requires coordination of line closures, train operation organization and on-site work arrangements. The procurement documents adopt a design-and-build contract model and stipulate execution under the FIDIC 1999 Yellow Book contract conditions.

The Lutovo–Bioče section is part of the Bar–Vrbnica railway corridor within Montenegro. The line connects the Adriatic coastal port city of Bar with the direction of the Serbian border and, through the Serbian railway network, leads to Belgrade. The line carries Montenegro's domestic rail transport as well as cross-border freight and passenger services between Montenegro and Serbia, and is also an important railway corridor in the Balkan region linking Adriatic Sea ports with inland markets. This approximately 20 km track rehabilitation, together with maintenance of existing infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels along the line, is included in Montenegro's railway modernization program.

The project is funded by a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan and a European Union Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) grant. Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro disclosed that the overall railway infrastructure modernization program amounts to approximately EUR 80 million, with loans and grants each accounting for 50%. In addition to the approximately 20 km railway rehabilitation from Lutovo to Bratonožići to Bioče, the program also includes repair of 13 steel bridges, rehabilitation of 8 tunnels, and upgrading of railway vehicle maintenance workshop and depot facilities.