Vizag port appoints Rotterdam Maritime, TCS as consultants

Visakhapatnam Port is engaging Rotterdam Maritime Group and Tata Consultancy Service as consultants to prepare a perspective business plan for the port.

The move follows the shipping ministry's advice to all the major ports in the country to appoint international experts for preparation of business plans. Accordingly, Vizag port invited expression of interest from reputed consultants.

In response to the global tenders, 12 consultancy firms, including some foreign companies, submitted their bids to the port.

After technical evaluation, the port shortlisted seven firms "� Netherlands-based Ecorys Nederlands BV Limited, Rotterdam Maritime Group, Singapore-based Arthur D Little Asia Pte Limited, Germany-based Rogge Marine Consulting GMBH, US-based The Comell Group Inc, Jocobs Babtie Consultants (India) Private Limited and PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited "� for opening price bids.

Among the seven consultancy firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers was the L-1 bidder ($3,42,000) and Rotterdam Maritime Group was the L-2 bidder ($3,60,000) in terms of price bidding.

But as per the method of selection criteria, basing on weightage of 80:20 for technical and financial evolution, the Rotterdam Maritime Group got 90.07 points out of 100 and stood as L-1 bidder in terms of technical qualification, port sources told Business Standard.

Hence, the port technical team invited the Rotterdam Maritime Group for talks to reduce the price.

"After negotiations, Rotterdam Maritime Group agreed to do the work for $3,42,000," they said.

Rotterdam and Tata Consultancy Services jointly submitted their bids to do this consultancy work.

Rotterdam Maritime Group will prepare the action and business plan for the next seven to 15 years for Vizag port, and will submit its report within one year.