Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry has put back the bid deadline for the marine works contract at its new port on Bubiyan Island by one month until 22 November to give bidders more time to prepare.

The ministry has extended the tender several times before. The previous closing date was 18 October, which replaced a 16 August closing date. The original deadline was 28 July.

The design-and-build contract covers the construction of a container terminal, four berths and a 1,300-metre-long quay wall, plus port buildings and utilities, digging and soil improvement works, and site levelling (MEED 24:6:09.

The prequalifiers are: the local United Gulf Construction Company with South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company; a consortium of the local Combined Group Contracting Company with Turkey’s Tadamon Company and STFA Marine, and Belgium’s Jan de Nul; Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction Services with the local Mushrif Trading & Contracting Company; and Kuwait Arab Contractors with Egypt’s Arab Contractors.

The ministry is also preparing a tender for dredging works at the port. The two tenders are a sign that work on the project is about to accelerate after three years of slow progress.

The ministry originally planned to open the port in 2010.