• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

VPT plans fresh global tenders for ship unloaders

Amit Mitra

VISAKHAPATNAM, Aug. 28

THE nearly two-year old effort of the Visakhapatnam port to procure two 33-tonne rail-mounted ship unloaders, as part of its infrastructure expansion programme, is likely to gather steam soon, with the port deciding to cancel the existing tenders and, in stead, go in for fresh global tenders.

Authoritative sources told Business Line that the port had decided to cancel the tenders that were opened last month for supply of the unloaders on the ground that the tenders were not ``technically qualified''. The sources said the port was now prepari ng the ground for inviting fresh global tenders.

Four companies _ Tata Material Handling Systems Ltd, Mukand McNally Wellman Ltd, L & T and Chinese major, ZPMC _ were in the race for the order.

The Vizag port had decided to procure the two ship unloaders, estimated to cost Rs. 44.82 crores, in early-1998. After appointing the Ranchi-based Mecon as consultants, it invited global tenders for design, manufacture, supply, erection, commissioning a nd maintenance of two unloaders during the latter part of 1998.

Fifteen firms submitted their pre-qualification bids, out of which seven _ TMHS, Mukand, ZPMC (China), Hyundai Heavy Industries of Korea, Impsa Asia of Malaysia, Samsung Corporation of Korea and Tamrock Voist of Austria-L & T combine _ were shortlisted. However, out of the shortlisted seven, only four firms submitted the tender documents, which were opened on June 14 this year.

The Tender Committee of the port, which met on June 28, rejected three of the four bids,_ those of TMHS, Mukand and L & T, on the ground that they were not technically qualified. While Mukand and TMHS had not submitted documentary evidence of having sup plied at least two grab unloaders of more than 20-tonne capacity during the last five years (as was laid down in the tender schedule), the L & T bid was rejected as during the pre-qualification stage it had teamed up with Tamrock Voist of Austria, which was the lead bidder. ``While in the pre-qualification bid Tamrock was the lead bidder, in the technical bid L & T participated as the lead bidder. As L & T has no experience in the manufacture of unloaders, the bid had been disqualified,'' a senior port official told Business Line.

According to sources, the Tender Committee had observed at its June 28 meeting that ``out of the four firms (in the race), only one bid, that of ZPMC, China, is qualified technically. In view of the fact that only one bidder is qualified, resulting in s ingle tender, it is recommended that re-tendering is done by inviting 2-Cover system without any loss of time.''

The sources said the port accepted the recommendation of the Tender Committee and has also received the acceptance of the VPT Board of Trustees earlier this month. Efforts are now on to invite global tenders for the same contract soon, with the port exp ecting a better response this time.