The Hindu Business Line : Techno-economic proposals invited for Vizhinjam port

THE Kerala Ports Department has invited techno-economic proposals from those who have expressed interest in the project for the development of Vizhinjam port into an international container transhipment terminal.

The department had received 11 EoIs for the project in response to its invitation with March 31 as deadline. Earlier, it had also held an investors' meet to let the prospective bidders have an onsite feel of the project.

Department officials said the proposals would be received till July 31. Prior to that, a pre-bid meeting will be held some time in June to provide an opportunity to the investors to seek last-minute clarifications and other details on the project.

Those who have expressed interest in the project include four foreign entities, prominent among them being Dubai Ports International and the National Port Authority of South Africa. Besides, domestic companies such as L&T Ltd., Gammon India Ltd., Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. and IL&FS and Hili consortium figure in the list.

The officials informed that the department would soon enter into a memorandum of understanding with Mumbai-based Eeco for the establishment of a recreation harbour at Alapuzha. The company will take up the work as a joint venture with a Belgium group.

In the case of Azhikkal port, the officials said that the department had asked the Sharjah-based Universal Petroleum to expedite the process of submitting the detailed techno-economic proposal. Though four companies had initially expressed interest in the project, three of them had later backtracked leaving the Sharjah company as the lone bidder in the fray.

As for the Beypore port, the officials admitted that there had been some delay in completing the evaluation of the proposal put up by Parisson group. They hoped to sign a build-own-transfer agreement with the group shortly.