The deadline for the submission of bids for the privatisation of the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT) in Jamaica has been extended to July 3.

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Mr. Omar Davies, said the extension came as a result of a request for more time by one of the shortlisted entities bidding for the project. The original date for the submission of bids was May 22.

Based on the evaluation of the requests for qualification, three firms were qualified to participate in the RFP. These were:

• the Port of Singapore International;
• the Terminal Ling Consortium: CMA CGM, and China Merchant Holdings International (CMHI); and
• Dubai Ports.

The bidding stage of the KCT Public Private Partnership Transaction began on January 16, 2014. The Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) and the Request for Proposals (RFP) were issued to the three pre-qualified bidders later. The draft Concession Agreement was subsequently issued on February 14.

Site visits by the three bidders were facilitated in February and March 2014.

The Minister stated that by August/September 2014, the provisional preferred bidder should be selected, followed by contract award and signing by October/November 2014.

The Government of Jamaica is seeking to grant a long-term concession to a global terminal operator to operate and expand the KCT through a PPP.

KCT is a regional container transshipment hub with an annual capacity of 2.8 million TEU and an annual throughput of 1.1 million. Further development of the Kingston Container Terminal is expected to facilitate the passage of Post-Panamax container vessels with a nominal capacity of 12,000 TEUs in comparison to the existing Panamax vessels with a capacity of 4,500 TEUs currently transiting the Panama Canal.