None of the four pre-qualified companies presented offers to build and operate the terminal in El Salvador, putting an end to a story fraught with problems and mistakes.
The unfortunate result of the tender of Puerto de La Union is no surprise to businesses, in whose opinion the project was poorly managed and badly planned from the beginning. Competition from other ports in the region, lack of "...
Although it seems hard to believe, the Autonomous Port Executive Committee of El Salvador has, for a fifth time, postponed the date for submitting bids in the tender for the concession of the port.
EDITORIAL
The fifth postponement of the date for submission of bids in the tender for the concession of Puerto La Union, El Salvador, raises doubts about the actual feasibility of this ambitious project by the Executive Port Commission (CEPA).
For the fourth time since the project was announced, the Autonomous Executive Port Commission has extended the deadline for submission of tenders for the dredging of the harbor, this time to April 14.
With this new change and there are now four months of arrears since the date originally chosen for bids, which was December 2, 2014. The new date is now April 14, and the authorities of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) are expected that this will be the last time this process is lengthened.
An announcement has been made that the Autonomous Executive Port Commission will extend the consultation period for pre qualified companies until January 23, 2015 and the receipt of bids until December 23rd.
The concession of the "white elephant" project in El Salvador is still behind schedule. As before, when it was put back until October, the Autonomous Port Executive Committee has confirmed that, at the request of the pre qualified companies, the deadline for consultations and for receipt of bids for the concession of the port will be extended.
The Autonomous Executive Port Commission of El Salvador is now considering extending the deadline for pre-qualified companies to complete the consultation process for bidding in the concession.
The never ending story continues...
Initially submission of bids was planned for December 2 but now they are considering giving another 15 days to 4 pre-qualified firms in order to respond to queries about the process and so that they are better able to present "... their final offers in the best way."
Only two of the four companies pre-qualified so far by the Autonomous Executive Port Commission have requested the tender documentation to bid for works at the port.
Of the four companies invited to participate in the tender for the construction of Puerto La Union, two are European, one Chilean and one Filipino. Although the period to collect documents began on September 4, so far only two have applied for them.
The company that emerges as the winner will undergo a further approvals process which has an agenda with undefined timeframes, therefore it remains unclear when operations will begin.
The Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) announced that on Thursday, September 4 it will be receiving bids from companies interested in the the port of La Union project, and although they said they hope that the work will be awarded in early 2015, a schedule has not yet established specifying when the port will begin operating.
The plan is to improve access to the port, equipment and facilities for the movement of loads, and increase the depths of the three piers.
The Autonomous Executive Port Commission of El Salvador (CEPA) will develop a renovation plan for the port of Acajutla (Sonsonate) with $8.1 million of its own funds and $22 million from external sources.The port renovation plan was approved in July by the board.
Grupo Calvo and Corporación Salvadoreña de Inversiones are discussing the installation of a shipyard in the Pacific port of La Union, El Salvador.
The infrastructure, which would allow boats be kept dry in order to be cleaned, repaired or have their keels scraped etc, could be constructed in less than five years through a public private partnership deal.
The Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, has passed a law granting the concession for ‘La Union’ port.
A press release from the Presidency of the Republic of El Salvador reads:
The president passed on Wednesday, October 5, 2011, the "Law on the concession for the multi-purpose port specializing in containers, Phase I, the port of Central American Union", approved with 71 votes in the Legislative Assembly on 8 September.