New Puerto Plata cruise ship terminal tender contested
The director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom), Victor Gomez Casanova, has spoken up in favor of the construction of the new cruise ship terminal in Puerto Plata. The winners of the recent tender had announced recently in international travel press that President Danilo Medina would make the announcement of the winners of the tender at the end of July 2018. However, there has not been an announcement from the Medina administration. The results of the tender are contested in court.
Meanwhile, Gomez of Apordom, the government entity that organized the tender, said the new terminal would generate 6,000 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs and that the cost would be upwards of US$100 million. He said that the terminal would make it possible for three cruise ships to dock at the same time. He said Royal Caribbean, MCC Norwegian, Virgin Cruises and Disney Line have announced an interest in sailing to Puerto Plata.
Gomez told the press that the winning company is Puerto Plata Port Investment that was created in November 2017 with a capital of RD$100,000 to participate in the tender. The company is associated with ITM MX,V.B. Promociones turísticas Mahahual, S.A. de C.V and Mauricio Hamui Hilwani. The companies are related to tourism port operations in Costa Maya, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Mexico and Roatan Island in Honduras.
The Procurement Agency (DGCP) has questioned the tender, in its note DGCP-2018-001666, dated 25 April 2018, when it notified the Dominican Port Authority should desist from offering technical assistance to the company in regards to the tender, as reported in Hoy.
The winning bid submitted by Puerto Plata Investment was contested by Aja Internacional, claiming that there were irregularities in the tender process.
The terminal would be the second on the north coast. A first, a Carnival Cruise investment, is operating in Maimón, 20 minutes away from the city of Puerto Plata. The new terminal would be located walking distance from many of the leading attractions of the city of Puerto Plata.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Sep 6, 2018
Category: DR News |