ADC closes expressions of interest for new Aqaba port

The Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) has formally closed the Expressions of Interest (EOI) phase of the public tender process for its New Port of Aqaba project.

Fifty EOIs were formally registered before the deadline ended on July 10.

ADC's Chief Executive Officer, Imad Fakhoury, said that the quality and geographic spread of the companies that expressed interest in the project was overwhelming. "There is a clear show of interest in the project as signalled by the overwhelming response we got from regional and international firms," said Fakhoury.

The second phase of the tender process for the project, the issuance of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to all formally registered parties took place on July 13. These companies and consortia will need to demonstrate the appropriate technical, financial capability and experience to design, build, finance, operate, and transfer a similar or larger port facility as well as satisfy the port-related regulatory and legal requirements stipulated by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA).

ADC will select a short-list of qualified bidders from the companies and consortia that submit their statements of qualification within the prescribed deadline.

The qualified bidders will then be provided with a request for proposal during the final stage of the process and be invited to submit a formal proposal for the New Port of Aqaba project.

ADC expects that a preferred bidder will be selected and the development agreement negotiated by the end of 2008. The preferred bidder will then have responsibility for building and operating the new port.

The facility will consist of three new, distinct terminals situated on a large basin: a general cargo and Ro-Ro terminal, a grain terminal, and a ferry terminal.

The new General Cargo and Ro-Ro Terminal will be a multi-user, multi-purpose terminal with a potential capacity of two million tonnes per annum (tpa) of break bulk, 400,000 vehicles and 100,000 livestock.

The new Grain Terminal will have a dedicated berth, a storage terminal with truck loading facilities, a bagging plant, and conveyer connections to storage silos. It will handle imports for the Jordan Silos and Supply General Company, private importers, and trans-shipments to other markets.

The new Grain Terminal will be able to handle three million tpa with the addition of a second grain elevator.

The New Ferry Terminal will have an annual capacity of 1.6 million passengers, 10,000 buses, 80,000 trucks and 200,000 cars. In addition to the above, the preferred bidder will also take over the operations of the existing ferry terminal and build a new Marine Services basin, the latter being transferred to ADC upon completion.

The new port is strategically positioned to serve Jordan's captive market, the Levant and the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. In order to leverage new business opportunities, the selected port developer will also be offered industrial land adjacent to the terminal.