April 1 - Washington-based CG/LA Infrastructure has released a listing of the top 100 global strategic infrastructure projects for 2010, totalling nearly USD550 billion.

Many of these projects represent key opportunities for logistics suppliers or project cargo operators as well as heavy lift providers to make bids for vital contracts.

The list, published on the firm's website, names the leading sectors as: water/wastewater, airports, surface transportation, ports and logistics, new infrastructure/renewable generation, urban mass transit, oil and gas, electricity generation and transmission, high speed rail and strategic projects.

In 2009, the leading sectors were underwritten by five-year economic expansion powered by the ports and logistics, and energy generation sectors as governments worldwide released funds to stave off economic catastrophe. 

This year's focus will switch to projects focusing on water/wastewater, new infrastructure/renewable generation, and high speed rail and urban mass transit projects, says CG/LA Infrastructure.

CG/LA's team spends nine months each year identifying the top 100 global projects, and then brings those projects together for presentations and discussions with world-class experts in finance, engineering/construction, equipment and technology and public policy to ensure that the best projects go forward as rapidly as possible.

Working to the Top 100 Global Project list, the leadership forum focuses on infrastructure hotspots, particularly the USD170 billion in projects from the BRIC countries - Brazil (USD34.8 billion); Russia (USD21.7 billion); India (USD34.5 billion); and China (USD72.8 billion). 

In terms of regional representation: North America (primarily the US) makes up USD89.2 billion; the Middle East totals USD100.9 billion; Asia (excluding China and India) is USD76.9 billion; Latin America (excluding Brazil) makes up USD29.5 billion; and Africa adds an additional USD32.2 billion.