Mumbai Port Trust has extended the deadline for submission of financial and technical bids for its Rs.1,200 crore offshore container terminal project, to 10 February 2006.  The earlier deadline, extended thrice, was 9 January 2006.

This follows the delay in security clearance to Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) by Indian intelligence agencies, on grounds of HPH's Chinese connections.

The Prime Minister's Office, according to reports, had cleared three entities with Chinese connections -- HPH, Evergreen Marine and Hua Wei -- to participate in Indian infrastructure projects, in December 2005. Meanwhile, Indian intelligence agencies cleared Evergreen Marine's proposal on 6 January 2006.

Larsen & Toubro has bid for the offshore container terminal project along with HPH, and is amongst the twelve bidders shortlisted. L&T has also tied with HPH for the second container terminal of Chennai Port Trust.

HPH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, has earlier bid for JNPT's third container terminal project, but was barred from participating. 

Also See:

Hutchison, Evergreen likely to get nod to bid for Mumbai Port project (03-Dec-05)

Addendum on 11 February 2006

Mumbai Port Trust has extended the deadline for submission of financial and technical bids for its Rs.1,200 crore offshore container terminal project, to 28 February 2006.

Addendum on 2 March 2006

Mumbai Port Trust has extended the deadline for submission of financial and technical bids for its Rs.1,200 crore offshore container terminal project, from 28 February 2006 to 15 March 2006.

Original news date 10 January 2006

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