oakajee tenders to be in by 9 may 08

FROM ABC PERTH WEB SITE

Oakajee guidelines laid down
Posted February 27, 2008 19:02:00

The State Government has completed the building guidelines for the construction of a deep water port at Oakajee, 20 kilometres north of Geraldton.

The port will be privately built and is expected to cost one-and-a-half-billion ollars.

Two companies are competing for the work, Midwest Corporation and Murchison Metals.

They have until May to submit their proposals.

The Planning and Infrastructure Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, says the successful bidder will have to provide third party access to the port.

"We're designing this in much the same way as we have facilities in the Pilbara, where new players can come along, and indeed even the government at some subsequent stage can come along, and build an additional berth," she said.

Oakajee Port and Rail, which is a joint venture between Murchison Metals and its financial backer Mitsubishi Development, has welcomed the announcement.

The O-P-R Chief Executive Chris Eves says the company is ready to deliver the project.

Midwest Corporation's infrastructure partner, Yilgarn Infrastructure, says although the timeframe for submitting the proposal is short, the company is well placed.

The Yilgarn Chief Executive Andrew Carter says it's a positive announcement.
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from: The West Australian

Construction of Oakajee port to start next year

27th February 2008, 13:45 WST

Construction of a $1.5 billion port at Oakajee in the Mid West is expected to start next year and be operational as early as 2012, as part of plans to open up the region’s iron ore industry.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today announced that the two parties interested in building the port would be asked to submit tender proposals by May 9, with a preferred proponent to be named by June 30.

The two consortia involve the Chinese Government-backed Yilgarn Infrastructure and Japanese-backed Murchison Metals.

The successful party will construct and control its own berth at the port, and provide necessary common-use infrastructure – such as a channel, breakwater and turning basins – which will be transferred to the State and be managed by the Geraldton Port Authority.

It will also be entitled to charge third parties for accessing the common-use infrastructure for capital use.

The evaluation criteria for the successful party will be based on commercial framework and financial capacity, legal commitment, engineering, project management and operations and approach to social and environmental issues.