According to the minister, who was this Monday at the inauguration ceremony of the new administrative boards of the Ports of Lobito and Luanda, the opening of the bids for the international tender of the Multipurpose Terminal "is on the verge" of being held.
The award will result in the entry into operation, at the Port of Luanda, of a private international entity of reference, "the top ten in the management of port terminals," with strong financial capacity, "but above all with quality and operational efficiency," to promote and enhance "the port 'hub' of Luanda, in the context of the West African coast.
The deadline for submitting bids to the public tender for the concession of the Multipurpose Terminal of the Port of Luanda, which had a deadline of 30 March, was extended to 29 May due to the state of emergency imposed to contain the spread of the covid-19 pandemic in the country, reported last week Jornal de Angola.
The public company Porto de Luanda reported last January having received eight proposals from Angolan and international companies.
For the Port of Luanda, the minister said that the Single Port Window Project is also being developed, which should be extended to all national ports.
The governor stressed that it is a tool, which will allow to follow, on one hand, more closely the activity of all national ports, "but above all facilitate the life of all those who operate with these important companies, seeking to simplify the processes.
The holder of the Transport portfolio stressed that the task of facilitating the processes will be done through the use of technologies, which will reduce bureaucracy, the use of paper and manual intervention, "for a more efficient, agile and transparent provision of services".
In statements to the press, on the fringes of the act, the minister stressed that a new path is being opened for port companies, stressing that the project comes under some corrective measures and better alignment with the objectives of the executive for this sector.
"The idea is necessarily to ensure that Angola actually takes advantage of its technical positioning at the maritime port level and that we are able to enjoy this wealth that is at our disposal," he said.
The Multipurpose Terminal at the Port of Luanda is a port infrastructure dedicated to the simultaneous operation of general cargo and containers, it has a 610-metre quay, a depth of 12.5 metres and has an area of 181,000 square metres with the capacity to handle 2.6 million tonnes per year.
Companies interested in participating had to provide proof of paid-up equity not less than the equivalent of USD 25 million and an average annual turnover of the last three fiscal years not less than the equivalent of USD 100 million.
The Multipurpose Terminal will be under private management for a period of 20 to 25 years.
