The Hindu Business Line : Ripley set to clinch berth at Haldia dock

RIPLEY & Co is all set to clinch the O&M (operation & maintenance) contract for berth number 5 of Haldia dock. The dock authorities had invited bids for the contract a few months ago following Steel Authority of India Ltd's (SAIL) decision to withdraw from the berth and shift the operation to a new berth (4A). Several other firms such as International Seaport Haldia Private Ltd, J.M. Baxi & Co, K.C. Thapar & Co, South India Corporation, among others, had also bid for the job.

SAIL had acquired the berth number 5 as early as 1991. The lease agreement expired in 2000, but the public sector steel giant was allowed to continue by way of temporary extensions. SAIL, finally, withdrew from the berth in the first week of February 2004.

Ripley & Co, it might be noted, was active in the berth number 5 even when it was under SAIL's control. The company had been acting as the contractor for SAIL, mainly to handle imported coking coal and other items, and accordingly employed about 140 people to undertake operation. Ever since SAIL withdrew from berth number 5, these people continued to be on the payroll of Ripley, according to dock sources.

Meanwhile, dock authorities have awarded the contract for supplying two RMQCs (rail mounted quay cranes) to McNally Bharat, which has teamed up with Konecranes of Finland for the purpose. The cost of the equipment is estimated at Rs 40 crore and the delivery time 15 months.

The bid to acquire four RTGs (rubber tyred gantries), which will be needed to facilitate the operation of ship-to-shore gantries, however, has been delayed as the dock authorities have to wait till the Indian Ports Association has short-listed the bidders. The validity of the present short-listed bidders will expire by March 31. It is hoped that IPA's revised list will be ready within a month or so. The dock authorities will invite bids once the revised list is ready, it is learnt.