KUALA LUMPUR: Engineering and project management consultant HSS Engineers Bhd (HEB) has made its first inroads into Bangladesh by securing a railway consulting contract in the country.
HEB's associate company, HSS Integrated Sdn Bhd (HISB) and joint venture partners Oriental Consultants Global Co Ltd, Japan (OCG) and EGIS Rail S.A, France (EGIS) signed a contract agreement with Bangladesh Railway to provide consulting and technical services for the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded railway connectivity improvement preparatory facility project in Dhaka.
HEB executive vice-chairman Tan Sri Ir Kuna Sittampalam said this milestone represents the first-fruit for the HEB since the signing of the company's preferred partnership with OC Global in July last year.
"This contract places us on the global map in terms of engineering consultancy expertise alongside other experts.
"The scope of services is well within our skillsets in the urban transport space, particularly in mass railway networks, and we are proud to bear the Malaysian flag in such a prestigious undertaking funded by the ADB," he said in a statement today.
Kuna said HEB's orderbook of RM1.6 billion gives the company earnings visibility for the next five to eight years, paving the way for positive momentum in the future.
HISB's scope of services within the OCG-EGIS-HISB joint venture, valued at US$833,400 (approximately RM3.6 million), will include the preparation of feasibility studies, detailed designs, cost estimates, and business plans for Bangladesh Railway.
Given the rapidly-growing freight and passenger transport demand in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government, together with the Asian Development Bank, initiated the capacity augmentation programme of Bangladesh Railway in terms of line capacity, the safety of operations, maintenance improvements and operating cost savings.
The primary objectives of the technical assistance are to complete all necessary preparatory tasks, including feasibility study, detailed design, and preparation of tender documents, along with other related preparatory works for the readiness of 11 sub-projects for implementation.
The 30-month contract is expected to contribute positively to HEB's earnings in the financial year ending 31 December 2023 till 2026.