Harbour Centre bags Subic’s naval supply depot

Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI) has won the right to develop, operate and manage the handling and arrastre services of general cargoes, bulk and break bulk cargoes at the naval supply depot and neighboring wharfs in Subic.

Armand C. Arreza, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said no one challenged HCPTI’s offer at the close of yesterday’s deadline for the bidding under a Swiss challenge.

Although the acceptance of HCPTI’s offer would still have to go through final approval by the SBMA board, the joint venture rules automatically gives to the unsolicited proponent a contract should no one challenges its bid. "It will just be a formality."

Arreza said the SBMA will have to wait for the election ban to be lifted for the agency to award the contract.

He added that the Swiss challenge proceedings took 40 days and ended yesterday.

Arreza said Asian Terminals Inc., the publicly-listed concessionaire of the container and passenger terminals of South Harbor, purchased a copy of the terms of reference (TOR) of the bidding but did not give an offer.

Arreza said the other concessionaires in NSD were aware of the bidding but they opted not to participate.

He said SBMA sought for an exemption from the ban but if this is not favorably acted upon, the agency would have to wait for the lifting, which is June 30 onwards, before it gives the notice of award to HCPTI.

Under HCPTI’s unsolicited proposal, it would give a cumulative $32 million in fixed guaranteed payment over the 25-year duration of the contract or $1.3 million a year, plus a 15 to 20 percent share in the revenues. This is on top of the investments to be poured in by HCPTI, which in the first phase alone would amount to P5.5 billion.

HCPTI also committed to charge tariffs of at least 5 to 10 percent below those charged at the Manila ports.

HCPTI said capacity at the NSD is forecast to hit 6 million metric tons in 10 years from the current 1.3 to 1.5 mmt. and up to 10 mmt without additional reclamation.

HCPTI’s offer would make it the single biggest revenue contributor to SBMA coffers, and would replace revenues loss from the pullout of Federal Express.

Tonnage at the NSD will improve particularly with the inclusion of the other wharfs Boton, Alava, Riviera and Bravo, with some of spillover volumes from the HCPTI’s Harbour Centre in Manila.

Phase one involves the redevelopment of the whole NSD and installation of new equipment. BY by IRMA ISIP - malaya.com.ph