State-run, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has opened the bidding for over P3 billion projects for proposed dredging and offshore installation to aid marine navigation in Manila.
These involve three projects including the construction and offshore installation at Manila Bay, which approaches phase II worth P1.459 billion; the proposed dredging of Pier 19, North Harbor Manila, worth P454.6 million and the dredging of Pasig River Mouth to El Codo and Malacañang Pontoon Wharf, South Harbor, Manila worth P928 million.
An invitation to bid posted on the PPA website said the proposed project in Manila Bay is expected to be completed in 165 days from the receipt of notice to proceed.
The prebid conference is scheduled for December 3 and the bid opening is set for December 15.
For the dredging projects, the pre-bid conference is scheduled on November 28, while the bid opening is set on December 11 for the project in North Harbor Manila and December 12 for the dredging of Pasig River.
These two dredging projects are expected to be completed in over a year or 495 days from the receipt of the successful bidder’s notice to proceed.
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend the activity.
PPA has allocated a P16 billion budget for the expansion and modernization of major port projects in the country over the next four years, or about P3.5 billion to P4 billion yearly
As of the end of September this year, PPA generated a total revenue of P20.06 billion, which is 6.67 percent higher than in the same period last year which is mainly attributed to higher service and business income, and income from other sources and regulatory income.
PPA data showed the country’s cargo volume increased by 7.3 percent in the first nine months of the year to 218.28 million mt from 203.5 million mt in the same period last year driven by 8 percent and 5.8 percent growth in foreign and domestic cargoes respectively.
Container traffic volume has increased by 3.5 percent to 5.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from January to September this year, from 5.53 million TEUs in the same period last year.
As of September, this year, passenger traffic improved by 10 percent to 60.5 million passengers from 54.8 million passengers in the same period last year.
