Several Companies Dispute Port of Bahia Blanca Dredging Tenders
Several groups, including Jan De Nul and a consortium made up of Van Oord and Marine Contractors BV, are disputing two separate maintenance dredging projects at the Argentinian Port of Bahia Blanca, one of the country’s key ports. It handles large grain, oil and fertilizer exports. According to port administrator Consorcio de Gestión del Puerto de Bahía Blanca (CGPBB), the groups made offers for both the 27-month and the 30-month maintenance dredging project. Interested groups for both tenders are Sudamericana de Dragados S.A., Gidrostroy Argentina S.A., Dredging International NV, Boskalis International BV Sucursal Argentina and the consortium made up of Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors BV Sucursal Argentina. The first tender, known as tender No. 3, aims to remove sediment near the turning basin to recover the needed channel depth. The project is expected to last 27 months and be done in two phases. It may also be extended for a further eight-month period. Companies disputing this specific tender are Cia Sudamericana de Dragados S.A., Gidrostroy Argentina S.A. and a consortium of Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors BV Sucursal Argentina. The second tender, also known as tender No. 4, has a 30-month timeline, with the possibility of a 12-month extension period. It aims to recover undisclosed depths of the main access channel between kilometers 4 and 80, using trailing suction hopper dredges. This tender also requires dredging of the access channel of Base Naval Puerto Belgrano. Tender No. 4 drew Cia. Sudamericana de Dragados S.A., Gidrostroy Argentina S.A., Dredging International NV, Boskalis International BV Sucursal Argentina and the Van Oord Dredging-Marine Contractors BV Sucursal Argentina consortium. Both tenders are expected to be awarded by October 2019. CGPBB said the two dredging projects will allow the Port of Bahia Blanca to welcome larger cargo vessels. Last year, a consortium made up of Jan de Nul and Boskalis was awarded a maintenance dredging contract for the same Port of Bahía Blanca. At the time, the company aimed dredging works to reach a 3 feet over depth, creating a buffer in order to provide several months of draught certainty.
