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CHATTOGRAM, Jan 31: The operation of the Single Point Mooring (SPM) will face a delay until the end of this year due to the open tender method (OTM).
Sources said the government would not give the contract to the Chinese company China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited (CPPEC) and has decided to appoint operations and maintenance (O&M) contractors through the OTM instead of the government-to-government basis.
Although the SPM work has already been completed, the SPM operations will be delayed due to a delay of operation and maintenance contractors.
The government earlier decided to sign an agreement with the CPPEC for the SPM management.
Recently, the decision to award the contract for SPM operation and maintenance with a double pipeline project to the CPPEC has been cancelled.
Earlier, the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs (ACCEA) approved a proposal from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the implementing agency of the SPM project, to sign the O&M contract with the Chinese company during its meeting on November 21.
But, during an ACCEA meeting held at the Cabinet Division's conference room with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair, it was decided to appoint the O&M contractor through the OTM on January 2 last. So, the BPC will invite tenders through the OTM.
Meanwhile, the BPC has formed a committee to prepare tender documents.
The BPC has already built up four pipeline projects, including SPM, with double pipeline from Moheshkhali to Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, Chattogram-Dhaka Pipeline and Pitalganj-Kurmitola Pipeline.
Talking with The FE, Engineer Sharif Hasant, managing director of the ERL, said, "The work on the newly constructed project of SPM was completed last year. The SPM operations with double pipeline will start after awarding the tender to a winning company.
"We have already started the procedures for operations of the project. The BPC will appoint an expert firm for maintenance and operation of the SPM and pipeline for three years by OTM. We hope to invite tenders for the appointment of the O&M contractor for SPM in February. "
It may be mentioned that the SPM project was undertaken by the BPC to transport imported raw petroleum to the state-owned ERL at Patenga in Chattogram in order to reduce the transportation cost of petroleum fuel and also ensures prompt direct unloading from the deep-sea vessels.
The SPM project was undertaken in 2012. The government awarded its contract to the Chinese company China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPP).