Procurement News Notice |
|
| PNN | 4292 |
| Work Detail | In the last few months the National Port Authority has seen massive turnaround ranging from the port operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week; purchase of essential marine crafts resulting to a huge improvement in services for the first time in as many centuries and now embarking on major infrastructural projects to provide ease of movement within the port. The improvement started with the introduction of Aid to Navigation at the Port of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County where the feeder port also commenced operations for 24 hours before the Freeport of Monrovia was the next step in gradual changes at various ports around the country. Besides, the improvement in operational hours at the various ports, the National Port Authority is taking the resuscitation process a step further by improving the physical infrastructure at the port and also the purchase of marine crafts. Internal road project The NPA has embarked on the construction of internal roads which will enable the smooth movement of commuters and machines at the port of Monrovia. As part of the road project, the Port is looking to construct up to 2.4km which will help to ease the transportation tension at the port and also help the fast turnaround of containers. Like other parts of the country, during the rainy season, the port of Monrovia is usually flooded creating constraints for the movement of commuters and machineries in the port. With the completion of the 2.4km internal road, it will help modernize the port, as well as help enhance the free movement of containers during the 24 hours operations. In early 2016, the port embarked on the construction of rigid pavement, drainage, sidewalks and streetlights within the Freeport of Monrovia contracting the services of a Liberian based construction Company, ADI Contractors, Inc with a project costing around US$1.7 Million. Completion set for 2017 The Site Engineer of the ADI Contractors, Forh Nimley told FrontPageAfrica during a tour of the construction site recently that the project will be completed and dedicated by May 2017. The construction of the roads and drainage within the port comes in the wake of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf request to the management of the Port to pave internal roads to ease movement. During the commissioning of Aids to Navigation and Contingency Fuel Unloading Facility at the Freeport of Monrovia on Thursday, May 19, 2016 when the Liberian leader officially cut the ribbon to the facility, she called on the management of the port to work towards improving infrastructure within the port. President Sirleaf during her statement specifically called on the Port Management to pave the internal roads. Modernizing the Port David F. Williams, Managing Director of the NPA says the President request is a genuine one and as such the pavement of over 2.4 kilometers of road within the Freeport of Monrovia has commenced. The ongoing road construction project, Managing Director Williams says is also part of the NPA’s Management modernization plan to resuscitate the Liberian Port Sector. The designated unpaved roads, drainage, lights and sidewalks within the port are currently being re-constructed. Environmental, Hydrological, Topographic Survey-Mapping as well as a standardized concrete pavement design and parking facilities are key components of the technical assessment or study that preceded the implementation of the Freeport Road Project. The project which is in consonance with the Government of Liberia priority development agenda, when completed, will not only enhance trade and commerce, but will fully address the perennial safety hazard, flooding incidences, congestion and potential liability issues that have hampered the port’s facilities for years. Kuwaiti Fund to rehabilitate Sinoe Port Managing Director Williams disclosed that in 2013, the National Port Authority management through the Government of Liberia entered into a loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund for funding to rehabilitate the Port of Greenville in Sinoe County. He said under the terms of that loan agreement, funding was allocated for the Navigational Aids, Marine Crafts, Cargo Handling Equipment, Institutional Support and Contingencies among others. The NPA Managing Director said Management concluded the contracts for the supply of marine crafts (tug boats, pilot boat and patrol boat) with SMIT Lamnalco. “The sale of these vessels to NPA from SMIT Lamnalco is one more feature in the modernization efforts of the Port Authority of Liberia to fulfill the President’s Agenda for Transformation,” he noted. Speaking on the issue of tugboats NPA MD Williams said the two tugs boat Lamnalco Waxtail and Lamnalco Waxbill have sailed from Tukoradi and are currently at Abidjan, saying the Vessels will sail on September 20, 2016 for Greenville Port—scheduled to arrive October 20, 2016. “All the applicable surveys as per the classification society rules have been completed, NPA personnel (Captain Willie Sumo and Engineer Robert Fayiah) will arrive in Abidjan on September 10, 2016 to sail with the vessels,” he said. Both the pilot boat and Patrol boat (Smit Qasim and Oloma) will be shipped as cargo to Monrovia on September 15, 2016 and SMIT Lamnalco will deliver the boats in Greenville on September 20, 2016 after the necessary clearances are arranged by NPA. He noted that Smit Qasim and Oloma will sail on their own keel from Monrovia to Buchanan and the next day from Buchanan to Greenville. Processes leading to the Kuwait Loan notes started in May 2012 when the Ministry of Finance now Ministry of Finance and Development Planning wrote the NPA informing the port about the Kuwait Fund Technical Mission to Liberia. From 2012, the process had gone a long way including the solicitation of bids for competent companies to carry out the project and by July 2015 – Bid evaluation was completed. By September, the first bids were cancelled because quotations from each bidder far exceeded budget and NPA started new bid announcements after negotiating with Kuwait Fund and it was agreed that the scope be reduced. Procurement process was restarted and the NPA announced that all required processes (Liberia law and terms of the loan were to be followed to the letter. Greenville port to go international As part of the NPA plans, the Port of Greenville is expanding in terms of investment opportunity in partnership with concessionaires including Golden Veroleum, EOI partnership, logging Companies. The process is expected to lead to significant increase in vessel traffic and the procurement of the Marine Crafts, i.e. tugboat, and pilot and patrol boats is expected to facilitate the movement in and out of Vessels (ocean going) and crew operating at the Port of Greenville. Patrol boat, for the patrol of Security in and around the harbor basin and surrounding to deter illegal swimmers and criminals attempting to enter are all part of the project in order to make the port international and ensures it operates under ISPS policy. The Pilot Boat is for the movement of crew to the Tugboat sometimes aids smaller or feeder vessels entering the Port or can be used in case of SOS by Vessels passing through or even accident in the Port. A tub the NPA says is important for the purpose maneuvering vessels in and out of the port, simple because the vessels need to be guided through the entrance channel either going to berth or leaving the berth. Apart from the safety aspect of the vessel and the port, the National Port Authority says it will benefit from the financial payments for the use of the tug. The NPA has seen massive improvement in operations over the last few months and the process according to the port managing Director is expected to take the port to a standard comparable with other ports in the West African region. |
| Country | Burundi , Eastern Africa |
| Industry | Construction |
| Entry Date | 03 Sep 2016 |
| Source | http://www.frontpageafricaonline.com/index.php/news/1853-national-port-authority-commences-2-4km-internal-road-project |
