Sky-ways, a consortium selected as the preferred bidder in early May, has signed the contract for the electronic system to toll trucks under concession in Belgium.

The sky-ways consortium, of which STRABAG holds 24 % and T-Systems 76 %, will be paid through contractually specified availability fees. STRABAG's subsidiary EFKON will deliver, install, operate and maintain over a period of twelve years the enforcement software and system technology for the satellite tolling of Belgian's primary road network.

The Belgian state expects the tolling of trucks ≥ 3.5 tonnes to provide annual revenue of € 700-800 million. The system will work via GPS and trucks will have to carry an appropriate machine to be charged automatically.

STRABAG is contributing public-private partnership expertise and concession know-how, as well as many years of experience in the structuring and timely implementation of large infrastructure projects. As a STRABAG group subsidiary, EFKON AG will deliver the entire system technology - the so-called enforcement technology: This includes the software for the enforcement control centre, the technology for 40 stationary enforcement sites, the equipment for 40 mobile enforcement vehicles, and the delivery of 22 portable enforcement units.

T-Systems International GmbH is a global supplier of satellite tolling systems. The subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom developed the world's first tolling system that functions on the basis of satellite positioning. This system is operated in Germany by Toll Collect, covers 12,500 km of German roads, and stands out for its high level of reliability of 99.9 %. Belgacom is the nominated subcontractor to deliver telecommunications and data centre services. The Belgian telecommunications company possesses valuable local experience with regard to ICT services (information and communications technology) in Belgium.

The installation of the system, its trial operation, and the full and complete implementation are scheduled for an 18-month period beginning in July 2014. Tolling will start in 2016. Operation and maintenance by the STRABAG Group has been agreed up to 31 December 2027.