KINGSTON, Jamaica – Engineers and project managers of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) on hearing their name recently received the prestigious “Award for the Project of the Year 2013” presented by the Jamaica Institute Engineers (JIE) at their Annual Awards Dinner and Gala.

This is a significant milestone for CHEC being the first award received by the company’s Caribbean and Latin America division since opening its doors for business in April 2010 for the start of the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP).

“We are truly honoured to receive this top award from our colleagues at the JIE as it shows appreciation for our contribution to the infrastructure development of Jamaica.” said Zhongdong Tang, CHEC’s regional manager and project manager for the JDIP.

“We achieved this goal through our partnership with the Government of Jamaica and the efforts of the diligent workers that committed themselves to this project?”

The 187.6 metre long Westmoreland Bridge connecting the townships of Richmond, Highgate and others to the Junction Road in Georgia, St Mary was completed in August 2013 much to the appreciation of the many commuters who formally had to travel hours more to reach their destination on the other side of the Wag Water River.

The newly designed bridge with six spans, supported by seven piers and a superstructure made of prestressed, post-tensioned concrete T/Girders is the longest one of this type in Jamaica. It replaces the Old Westmoreland Bridge which was permanently damaged by Hurricane Gustav in 2008 and has a life span of 75 years.

The bridge was constructed at a cost of USD$18 million with the National Works Agency as their client.