July date for new port tenders in Israel

Although the location of the new facilities has yet to be announced, each port will cost US$1bn to construct under the build, operate, transfer (BOT) process, which allows a private company to build and operate each port for a predetermined period before transferring the assets to the state.

International companies were invited to submit pre-qualification tenders earlier this year, the review of which is expected to be completed by the end of June, at which time those companies meeting the minimum requirements will be invited to submit full proposals.

Announcing the decision, Yisrael Katz, Israel’s transportation minister, said: “I decided to end the situation in which militant unions take advantage of the power in their hands and get privileges at the expense of the general public”.  He added that the “militant committees won’t have a veto to prevent competition”.