Abu Dhabi Ports has extended the deadline for the submission of technical offers for the contract to build a second container terminal and additional quay wall at the Khalifa Port to 29 August.

The original submission date was 22 August.

Commercial offers for the contract are due on 18 September.

Companies that are expected to bid for the contract include:

• Afcons Infrastructure (India)
• Bam International (Netherlands)
• China Harbour Engineering Company (China)
• National Marine Dredging Company (UAE)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Van Oord (Netherlands)

The scope of work for the contract entails deepening the main channel and basin from 16.5 metres to 18 metres as well as the construction of 1,000 metres of quay wall. The work is expected to be completed in mid-2018.

The new container terminal will be operated over a period of 35 years by China’s Cosco Shipping Ports. The contract, signed in September last year, is renewable for five years.

The preparatory work for the terminal is currently being undertaken by Abu Dhabi-based National Marine Dredging Company.

Once completed, Terminal 2 is expected to add 2.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to the port’s existing container capacity.

Abu Dhabi Terminals will continue to operate the port’s Terminal 1.