Victoria Port expansion project being tendered -rupee value drop a problem

The Seychelles Ports Authority is tendering out the main aspects of the Port Victoria expansion project and civil works which covers the south half of the port, said a top officer of the Ports Authority.

Port Victoria, which is currently 270 metres long, will be extended by an additional 330 metres to accommodate two boats measuring up to 250 metres in length at the same time. Space will also be made for the installation of two mobile cranes for loading and unloading of ships, storage yards and warehouses.

The project was approved by the Cabinet in 2017 and had secured funds for up to $41million –$35 million from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) and a grant of $6 million from the European Union (EU).

The Seychelles Port Authority said it expects the recent drop in the value of the rupee against the main foreign currencies to impact the cost of the project. The Authority’s chief executive, Ronny Brutus, said although the financial agreements provides for certain adjustments, the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the total cost of the port expansion.

“We are asking the companies which are expressing interest in the project to also include the construction materials component by detailing where they will source these and at what cost,” he said.

Brutus added that the Authority is also working with local construction material providers for those produced locally such as crusher dust and aggregate.

“We are seeing how they can start stockpiling these materials for the project, so that when we start it does not have a great impact on availability for other uses in the country,” he said.

The project involves upgrading and rehabilitating the port which has over the years become deteriorated and congested and in some areas dangerous for continued operations.

Source: SNAT