The Hindu Business Line : Box transhipment terminal: Kochi Port calls meeting

KOCHI Port Trust has called a meeting on January 27 with the short-listed bidders for building an international container transhipment terminal at the port.

"This will flag-off the negotiations with the bidders on the draft concession document," a senior Shipping Ministry official told Business Line. Kochi Port Trust officials are expected to clarify issues relating to the scope of the project and the terms and conditions of the bid to the short-listed bidders, he said.

Kochi Port Trust has received requests for qualification (RFQs) from 14 private operators for developing the Rs 2,000-crore project.

These include P&O Ports, PSA Corporation Ltd, Maersk-Sealand, Zim Israel Navigation Company, Port Customs & Free Zone Company, Jebel Ali (the parent company of Dubai Ports Authority), International Container Terminal Services, Dubai, Adani Group, United Liner Agencies India Pvt Ltd (a J M Baxi Group Co), Associated Container Terminal Ltd, Delhi (a CSX Group entity), Larsen & Toubro, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd- Punj Lloyd consortium, A B Cursetjee & Sons, ACT Shipping Ltd and Paul Abrao Agencies Pvt Ltd.

Out of the 14 who had submitted their RFQs, ACT Shipping and Paul Abrao Agencies Pvt Ltd are set to be disqualified for not complying with the financial criteria for bidders. The port trust has asked for clarification on the financial position of these two bidders before taking a final view on their disqualification, the official said.