Contractors are still waiting for the invitation to participate in the prequalification process for the second phase of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port project, according to industry sources.

One source said: “Over recent weeks, new senior officials for ports in Kuwait have been appointed and that has caused some of the momentum of the project to disappear.

“It is going to take some time for the new officials to settle into their roles and to have the capacity to make the needed decisions.”

It is now uncertain whether the invitation to prequalify will be issued before the end of the year, sources said.

Kuwait’s Mubarak Al-Kabeer port project is estimated to be worth a total of $5bn and has stalled for years after significant investment during its first phase.

Phase one of the project cost $1.2bn and was completed in 2014.

The second phase of the project is expected to be worth KD120m-KD130m ($390m-$425m), according to industry sources.

The first phase of the project included site levelling and the development of a marina, quay walls, berths, a navigational terminal and port buildings.

The port is not operational because the phase one works did not include vital equipment such as cranes.

Phase two of the project will include installing equipment that will allow the port to start operations.

The full scope for phase two of the project is expected to include:

• Construction of loading and unloading facilities
• Construction of quay walls and reclamation
• Construction of container yard and back of the port
• Infrastructure works
• Construction of buildings
• Construction of container terminal
• Construction of associated facilities
• Installation of safety and security systems

Most of the budget for phase two of the project will be used on procuring and installing port equipment.

According to sources, a total of KD90m-KD100m ($290m-$325m) is expected to be spent on port equipment.

Kuwait ramped up its efforts to push ahead with the project after meetings between Kuwaiti and Chinese officials in May.

The meetings were held in Kuwait and were attended by Kuwait's Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdullah Al-Yahya, the ambassador of China to Kuwait, Zhang Jianwei, and several other officials from the two sides.

During one of the meetings, it was announced that Kuwait had signed an agreement with China to manage the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port.