Four international ports operating companies have submitted their candidacy in the prequalification stage of the tender for operating the Bay Port in Haifa and the South Ashdod Port. They are Dutch company Terminal Investment Ltd. (TIL), the world's largest port operator, and a subsidiary of Switzerland's MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA; Germany's Eurogate AG, an operator of container terminals in Europe; Philippine's International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and China's Shanghai International Port (Group) Co.
The companies that pass the prequalification stage will enter the request for proposal (RFP) stage. The winner will plan, finance, and build the port's operating areas, including electricity, water, and communications infrastructures, and buildings. It will also procure the operating equipment, such as cranes and vehicles.
"Construction of the new ports is going ahead at full speed. Two new ports will be built at the same time. The public good will be the only determining factor. There will be competition, efficiency, and the freedom to choose the service provider," said Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz.
"The company is ready to meet the country's needs and is working hard on the new ports' projects," said Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. CEO Shlomo Breiman. "In addition to moving forward in the tender for the new ports' operations by international companies, which will bring high international standards of operation and service, we are moving ahead in the tender to choose the contractors which will build the ports. The tender is in the specifications proposal stage. We're also collecting the rocks for the breakwaters and manufacturing the concrete blocks to protect them, in order to begin construction when the order is given."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 10, 2014
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