Both global and local cos eye Vizhinjam project
Kerala’s long-awaited dream of a container transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam near here got a boost on Tuesday when nearly 30 interested parties turned up at an investors’ meet organized here under the auspices of the government and the Vizhinjam...
By TNN |
THIRUVANNATHAPURAM: Kerala’s long-awaited dream of a container transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam near here got a boost on Tuesday when nearly 30 interested parties turned up at an investors’ meet organized here under the auspices of the government and the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) ahead of the global tendering of the project.
Those attending the meet included international players like the Dubai Ports World and Maersk as well as a number of domestic companies including Reliance, Jupiter Capital, Adani, L & T and some Kerala corporates like the Muthoot group and Choice group.
The Vizhinjam project, tipped to have an outlay in excess of Rs 4,300 crore, is being re-tendered after the Centre declined to clear the successful bidders of the previous bidding, on security grounds.
VISL CEO and state port secretary Radhakrishnan told ET that the state government had not explicitly mentioned this time that the project was barred for Chinese or Pakistani companies.
Incidentally, no company from either China or Pakistan was among those who attended the investors’ meet on Tuesday, but that does not prevent any corporate from either of the two countries from putting in their bids, it is learnt.
The bids for the project are scheduled to close by end May, and the licence would be awarded by November this year. After financial closure, work on the project is expected to commence by December 2008.
DP World general manager Suresh Joseph said the company was attending the investor meet to consider the project. R L Pai, group senior VP of Reliance, Mumbai said he would not make an official comment at this moment.
The Vizhinjam project will have a 24 per cent equity for the state government, and signifies the state government’s interest in inviting private equity for mega projects.
Those attending the meet included international players like the Dubai Ports World and Maersk as well as a number of domestic companies including Reliance, Jupiter Capital, Adani, L & T and some Kerala corporates like the Muthoot group and Choice group.
The Vizhinjam project, tipped to have an outlay in excess of Rs 4,300 crore, is being re-tendered after the Centre declined to clear the successful bidders of the previous bidding, on security grounds.
VISL CEO and state port secretary Radhakrishnan told ET that the state government had not explicitly mentioned this time that the project was barred for Chinese or Pakistani companies.
Incidentally, no company from either China or Pakistan was among those who attended the investors’ meet on Tuesday, but that does not prevent any corporate from either of the two countries from putting in their bids, it is learnt.
The bids for the project are scheduled to close by end May, and the licence would be awarded by November this year. After financial closure, work on the project is expected to commence by December 2008.
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DP World general manager Suresh Joseph said the company was attending the investor meet to consider the project. R L Pai, group senior VP of Reliance, Mumbai said he would not make an official comment at this moment.
The Vizhinjam project will have a 24 per cent equity for the state government, and signifies the state government’s interest in inviting private equity for mega projects.
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