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The Philippine Ports Authority will bid out in January the contract for the first phase of an offshore wind port project in Mercedes, Camarines Norte
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PPA postponed twice the opening of bids in December to conduct another pre-bid conference to thresh out issues and concerns
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PPA has a budget of P2.234 billion for the project
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Clara port in Batangas is also eyed for bidding under a public-private partnership scheme next year
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will bid out in January next year the contract for the first phase of an offshore wind (OSW) port project in Mercedes, Camarines Norte, according to PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago.
Opening of bids was initially set on December 5 but was postponed, then rescheduled on December 16 but again put on hold.
Santiago in a media briefing on December 15 said opening of bids was moved due to the request of potential bidders who had clarificatory questions about the project with a P2.234 billion budget.
In a bid bulletin dated December 5, PPA assistant general manager for operations Mark Jon Palomar, who chairs the PPA Bids and Awards Committee for Engineering Projects, said the agency deemed it appropriate to conduct another pre-bid conference to thresh out the issues and concerns raised.
The planned OSW port in Barangay Pambuhan will replace the Jose Panganiban port as one of the first ports to be developed/redeveloped to handle OSW projects, Palomar earlier said.
READ: Jose Panganiban port improvement project starts
The soil on Jose Panganiban port was deemed “too soft” and would require a huge investment to achieve the standard required by OSW projects, Palomar explained.
Santiago said the Mercedes OSW port will be on a turnkey basis, and PPA will only pay the contractor after the project’s completion.
The bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion under Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Reform Procurement Act. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the project.
Another port, located in Sta. Clara in Batangas, is also eyed for bidding under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme next year.
The feasibility study for Sta. Clara port – a requirement for a PPP project – is still being completed. The project includes making the port viable for OSW projects, but also as a multiuser terminal that can handle imports of completely-built units, Santiago said.
He noted that there is no estimated cost yet for the redevelopment of Sta. Clara port, although Palomar earlier said it may be lower than that of the Pambuhan port since the former will not require berth extension.
READ: Offshore wind ports ready by 2026, says PPA
The redevelopment of Currimao port in Ilocos Norte, meanwhile, has been placed on the backburner because of the huge cost of P26 billion.
PPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) last year announced they will work together to repurpose three priority ports to handle OSW projects.
The DOE identified three initial ports – Currimao, Sta. Clara, and Jose Panganiban – as critical to OSW development, given their proximity to high-potential offshore wind energy service contracts.
Former Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier said the priority ports will serve as vital logistical hubs throughout the lifecycle of offshore wind projects — from installation to commissioning and decommissioning.
He said upgrading the facilities ensures the Philippines will be able to accommodate increasing demands of OSW projects, which are expected to deliver a significant contribution to the country’s energy security and economic stability.
Santiago earlier also said that while OSW projects require between 23 and 25 hectares for the terminal, PPA ports usually cover only two to five hectares, which means the terminals need to be expanded.
