The Hindu Business Line : Third box terminal project — JNPT gives 30 days' time to bidders to fill gaps

THE Board of Trustees of Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which met on Tuesday to consider the technical bids for the Rs 1000-crore third container terminal project, has decided to play it safe by giving the five bidders in the race 30 days' time to "fill up any deficiencies" in their bids.

Tuesday's board meeting was held against the backdrop of the allegations that some of the bids, especially that of Maersk-Concor consortium, did not meet some of the conditions prescribed for the technical bids. In fact, the port has sought legal opinion from a former Additional Solicitor General on the validity of the three bids submitted by Maersk-Concor, United Liner Agencies-Hamburg Port Authority and CMA-CGM-CSX World Terminals consortia.

The bids of the other two parties in the race — Port of Singapore Authority-Bombay Dyeing and Marubeni-Evergreen— are said to be in conformation with the stipulated conditions.

All attention was on the board's verdict on the bid submitted by the Maersk-Concor combine in the wake of the allegations of a rival bidder that its "joint and several liability" declaration was deficient. This has, however, been denied by Maersk, which has made it clear that "we have accepted the licence agreement in totality without any conditions".

The ULA-led consortium's bid has come under scrutiny as it submitted the bid despite the last-minute walk out by another partner CDC Capital — it has sought time to replace the partner.

Against this background, a section in shipping circles feel that the port could go in for a re-bid. "I think that too much as already happened (during the bidding process) and it merits a case for a re-bid," Mr. Jimmy Sarbh, Director, P&O Ports, told Business Line.