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TIL, Eurogate, ICTSI & Ballore Group express interest in new ports
The Israeli transportation ministry has confirmed that four global terminal operators have entered the race to operate the two new container ports being developed to rival the country’s existing state-owned facilities.
Terminal Investments Limited (TIL) of the Netherlands, Philippine operator International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), Germany’s Eurogate and France’s Ballore Group have all expressed an interest in the new ports, according to the government agency.
“Port reform is in full swing,” said Yisrael Katz, Israel’s transportation minster, told Haaretz.
“We have received four good proposals from global companies ready to come to Israel.”
The four terminal operators will now be assessed as part of a pre-qualification period before they are asked to submit their formal bids early next year.
The Israel Ports Company (IPC) issued an international tender on a build-operate-transfer basis for Ashdod’s Southport terminal and/or Haifa’s Bayport terminals in July. The government hopes that the new terminals will provide much needed competition to state-owned ports and bring down the price of the country’s imported goods.
Built on reclaimed land, the terminals, expected to cost as much as US$1 billion each, will feature container handling facilities to accommodate Triple-E class vessels, quay walls measuring 1,600 metres and berths with a depth of 17.3 metres. The IPC expects construction works on the new terminals to begin next year. Commercial operations are scheduled to start in 2019.
