Major operators vie for mega container terminal

Leading terminal operators including APM Terminals, CMA-CGM, DP World, ETA and ICTS have shown interest for the proposed Rs 3,686-crore mega container terminal at the Chennai port.

The pre-application conference on request for qualification (RFQ) for the fresh RFQ was held on January 21, 2009. Of the 39 firms that procured the RFQ documents, 24 firms have participated.

These include APM Terminals, CMA-CGM, DP World, ETA, ICTS, Gammon Infrastructure, IL&FS, Navayuga, GVK, Soma Enterprises and Concor.

The port had also decided to extend the bid submission date, which would enable more foreign players to participate in the process. The new date for the submission for the bid document would February 18, 2009.

Meanwhile, the RFQ which has been re-invited from December 15, 2008, had revised the project cost to Rs 3,686 crore as compared with the earlier Rs 3,100 crore.

Of the total amount, Rs 561 crore will be invested by the port administration towards dredging, navigational aids and tugs while the remaining Rs 3,125 crore will be invested by the operator.

The port had completed technical and financial feasibility studies and appointed the transaction advisor. The port trust is waiting for environmental clearance for the project.

The port trust had also taken up two quarries near Tiruttani, near Chennai from the state government to supply stones for breakwater construction.