The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is all set to bid out the second phase of the New Container Terminal (NCT-2) in this free port in February next year, pending the completion of advertising requirements to formally start the bidding process.
The agency announced earlier that it is inviting shipping lines and port operators to bid for the operation and management of NCT-2, which has a cargo-handling capacity of 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
However, SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza clarified on Friday that the Port Commercialization project would have to wait until after formal bidding notices are published in international and national publications.
"This requirement somewhat deferred the bidding process, but this is necessary because we want to ensure that international players are duly informed so that they could participate," Arreza said.
"We're going to announce as soon as possible when bid documents would be available. Most probably, that will be by February next year," he added.
According to the SBMA Project Management Office, which was supposed to hand out bid documents to interested parties starting December 9, it has received a lot of inquiries from foreign embassies and global port operators after news on the NCT-2 bidding came out.
"This is very good news to the SBMA, but regrettably the bidders would have to wait awhile until the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) for Port Commercialization completes this particular requirement," Arreza said.
The NCT-2 has 14 hectares of newly constructed container yard, a 280-meter long newly constructed wharf, two units of 53-ton quay gantry cranes, as well as related buildings and equipment.
The contract for the NCT-2 operation and management (O&M) would be effective for a period of 25 years, with an option to renew the agreement for another 25 years. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
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