The Hindu Business Line : Shipping Ministry examining potential bidders’ demands

New Delhi/Chennai, May 6 The Shipping Ministry is examining demands of Indian shipping firms and other domestic firms regarding qualifying norms set for the container terminal at Ennore port, the bidding process for which is currently on.

The shipping firms had called for providing due credit to shipping experience in the request for qualification (RFQ) application.

Some large engineering and construction firms have also approached the Ministry asking it to change the norms so that financial bids are invited from all players meeting some basic qualifying norms. The model RFQ has set new norms wherein financial bids would be invited from five-six applicants only.

“Given the present norms, in an Indian context where infrastructure building experience is relatively new, multinational companies are likely to benefit. Why don’t they invite financial bids from all those that qualify instead of limiting the competition,” asked an industry representative interested in participating in the project.

When contacted, Government sources said, “We have received representations and are examining the issue. However, no decision has been taken as yet (on whether the norms would be changed).”

DATES EXTENDED

In fact, Ennore port has now extended the date of submitting the RFQ document till May 20 from April 30. The development of a container terminal at Ennore is attracting huge interest among developers with as many as 55 companies — top global shipping companies, financial investors, port terminal operators and infrastructure players — purchasing the RFQ document and attending the pre-bid meeting.

The companies include NYK Line, CMA CGM Global (India), Neptune Orient Lines, APL, Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone, Neptune Orient Lines, IDFC Projects, Balmer & Lawrie, Gammon Infrastructure Projects, Larsen and Toubro ECC division, Ashok Leyland Project Services, Maytas Infra Ltd, DP World, IL&FS Maritime Infrastructure Company Ltd, Macquarie Capital, ABG Infralogistics Ltd, Hindustan Construction Company, Adani Group, Emirates Trading Agency LLC, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, and Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd.

The Rs 1,300-crore container terminal will have a quay length of 1,000 metres and a capacity to handle around 1.50 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units). The terminal will be built on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis for a concession period of 30 years, and designed to facilitate berthing of at least 8,000 TEU capacity vessels. The licensee of the terminal has the option to consider the terminal design to suit the future ultra large container ships. Initially, the port will provide (-) 15 m water depths at the berths.

CHENNAI PORT

Incidentally, the Chennai Port Trust, which is constructing a Rs 3,000-crore mega container terminal to handle 4 million TEUs a year under BOT, is also following the same model RFQ. The Chennai port handled 11.28 lakh TEUs in 2007 - 08. DP World currently operates a private terminal, and PSA-Sical will run a competing terminal from mid-2009. The last date for submitting RFQ-related queries is May 16 and the pre-application conference and site Inspection will be held on May 21.

More Stories on : Shipping | Shipping

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page