Several US infrastructure companies are exploring potential involvement in the construction of a gas pipeline linking Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Bechtel emerging as one of the most prominent interested parties. Representatives of the US construction giant have recently been in Bosnia and Herzegovina to assess the commercial and regulatory conditions for possible participation in the project.
Bechtel’s delegation was received shortly after arrival by US Chargé d’Affaires John Ginkel, who also held meetings with executives from another US firm, AAFS Infrastructure and Energy. Both companies are holding talks with political leaders and government officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina to examine the framework for developing the so-called Southern Gas Interconnection.
The planned pipeline would connect Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia’s gas network via a route running from Zagvozd through Posušje, enabling access to the LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk. The project is widely viewed as strategically important for diversifying gas supply routes and strengthening regional energy security.
Bechtel, which employs around 50,000 people, is considered the second-largest construction company in the United States, after Turner Construction, and has extensive experience in large-scale energy and infrastructure projects worldwide. By contrast, AAFS Infrastructure and Energy is a relatively new company, established in 2025, but has already drawn attention due to its perceived links to the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Momentum around the Southern Gas Interconnection increased this week after the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina took initial steps to revive the project. Progress had previously stalled shortly after the entity’s parliament adopted the relevant legislation in January 2025.
The deadlock emerged when the HDZ BiH party refused to cooperate on a model that would place the project solely under the responsibility of Sarajevo-based BH Gas, a company in which Croat representatives do not participate. With US mediation now in play, an alternative model is under discussion under which a private US investor would develop the project and receive a long-term concession, potentially lasting at least 30 years, to operate the pipeline.