France's Krebs & Compagnie and Italy's Snamprogetti have submitted bids for a turnkey contract to build a fertiliser complex at Port Qasim. The client is the local Fauji Fertiliser Company.

Work will involve engineering, procuring and installing a urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant, Pakistan's first. The complex will produce 1,670 tonnes a day (t/d) of urea and 1,350 t/d of DAP. The project will also involve a second-hand ammonia plant for feedstock production, which is to be moved to Port Qasim from the US. Other installations will include power generation, a water treatment plant and storage tanks. The total project cost is estimated at $400 million.

Bidders submitted financing proposals as part of their offers. Fauji is understood to have approached the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank's private-sector promotion arm, and the Asian Development Bank for loans.