Reports say more than 30 local and international players have bought the bid documents for India's new deep-water port development at Vizhinjam.
The $1.3 billion public-private partnership project near Thiruvananthapuram in the southern Indian state of Kerala aims to create a new international container transshipment hub.
Indian officials want Vizhinjam, which has a natural draft of 20 metres, to rival Sri Lanka's port of Colombo for Indian cargo and compete with another deep-water transshipment terminal slated for Vallarpadam Island near Kochi, also in Kerala state.
According to Lloyd's List, interested parties include APM Terminals BV. and PSA International Pte. Ltd. along with domestic players Reliance, Larsen & Toubro and Gammon India.
According to L Radhakrishnan, the Ports Secretary in the Indian central government and chief executive of Vizhinjam International Seaport which is the agency set up to run this project, the bids will be evaluated by the end of the year with the winner announced soon afterwards.
Radhakrishnan said construction work could begin by early 2009 with the first phase coming on stream by mid 2011.
“Vizhinjam port will be developed in three phases; the first phase of construction is due to be completed in 26 months from the date of award of the 30-year build, operate, transfer concession,” said Radhakrishnan.
Vizhinjam is expected to be to handle 8,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit) ships by the time the first phase is complete.
“By end 2012, when all three phases are complete, vessels of 12,000 TEU will be able to call at the terminal which will have a handling capacity of 5.3 million TEUs per year,” added Radhakrishnan.
This is the second time bids have been called for the Vizhinjam project. The bid from the first winner, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), was rejected by the government because of security concerns.
The new deadline to submit bids is December 15.
The $1.3 billion public-private partnership project near Thiruvananthapuram in the southern Indian state of Kerala aims to create a new international container transshipment hub.
Indian officials want Vizhinjam, which has a natural draft of 20 metres, to rival Sri Lanka's port of Colombo for Indian cargo and compete with another deep-water transshipment terminal slated for Vallarpadam Island near Kochi, also in Kerala state.
According to Lloyd's List, interested parties include APM Terminals BV. and PSA International Pte. Ltd. along with domestic players Reliance, Larsen & Toubro and Gammon India.
According to L Radhakrishnan, the Ports Secretary in the Indian central government and chief executive of Vizhinjam International Seaport which is the agency set up to run this project, the bids will be evaluated by the end of the year with the winner announced soon afterwards.
Radhakrishnan said construction work could begin by early 2009 with the first phase coming on stream by mid 2011.
“Vizhinjam port will be developed in three phases; the first phase of construction is due to be completed in 26 months from the date of award of the 30-year build, operate, transfer concession,” said Radhakrishnan.
Vizhinjam is expected to be to handle 8,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit) ships by the time the first phase is complete.
“By end 2012, when all three phases are complete, vessels of 12,000 TEU will be able to call at the terminal which will have a handling capacity of 5.3 million TEUs per year,” added Radhakrishnan.
This is the second time bids have been called for the Vizhinjam project. The bid from the first winner, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), was rejected by the government because of security concerns.
The new deadline to submit bids is December 15.