A tender for the contract, which will be undertaken on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, will be issued by early next year.

The selected contractor will be responsible for providing equipment and constructing the quays and platforms at the port, which is set to be one of the largest deepwater facilities in the Mediterranean. A key component of the contract will be the construction of the 1,610-metre quay wall for the container terminal which will have an alongside depth of 16 metres.

Under the BOT element, the selected bidder will have responsibility for financing and operating the port berths and developing the nearby trade and industry zones.

The quay work forms the second phase of development. The first phase contract for dredging and breakwater works was awarded in June to a consortium led by France's Bouygues at a cost of $246 million (MEED 20:6:03).