Kolkata Port Trust got a lukewarm response to its fresh tender to invite a contractor in place of ABG-LDA that ran Haldia Bulk Terminals (HBT) at Haldia port, sources said.
The Port Trust has extended deadline for submitting tenders for the third time since it was announced on November 9. The deadline, which was initially set for December 3, was later rescheduled twice to December 17 and December 31.
According to a senior Port Trust official, interested bidders have now been instructed to submit their tender documents by January 11.
Following HBT’s decision to exit from Haldia port (berths 2 and 8), the port authorities re-tendered the contract for operations at those berths at Haldia dock complex. The re-tendering was done despite the Port Trust not having formally terminated the contract with HBT.
The official said that four companies had shown interest so far and some of them had requested that the deadline be extended, citing delay in preparation of legal documents.
The official also did not confirm submission of tender documents by any of the four companies so far.
The Port Trust is currently fighting a battle at the Calcutta High Court against HBT, seeking compensation from the company for forcefully terminating a 10-year contract.