JAKARTA: The national shipping operator is ready to replace a Liberia-flagged floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) Intan, to support the Conocos oil and gas fields in Indonesia.ConocoPhillips re-opened pre-qualification tender after the failure of such tender last year, although it had been re-tendering.President Commissioner of PT Trada Maritime Tbk Darmansyah Tanamas said the readiness of national shipping operator to replace Intan FSO that have been established since 44 years ago.He explained that FSO vessel should have been out from Indonesia since May 7, 2011 along with the expiration of the deadline for the use of foreign flagged ships in Indonesia in accordance with Law no. 17/2008 on Shipping.However, as he said, operator have not yet changed the flag ship of Liberia to Indonesian flag, while the tender was failed to produce a winner, so now we open a new tender."As I know, the bidding of FSO Conoco to replace FSO Intan will be re-opened June 6, 2011. Formerly there was such bidding, but it was canceled and no winner was designated."FSO Intan is a Liberia-flagged vessel operating by Tasik Madu and owned by Tanker Pacific. Based on data of Transportation Ministry, the ship was rented without a clear deadline.A 1968 vessel weighing 178,604 DWT were rented by ConocoPhillips to operate in Belida, Natuna, Riau Islands.Based on the data compiled by Bisnis, initially contractor cooperation contracts (PSC) are known to open a pre-qualification tender for the procurement of ships to replace FSO Intan in January 2010.Some 30 national shipping companies will offer their bids, even the number of bidders who will follow the prequalification stage is higher than the previous one.Of the 30 bidders, there are 24 new companies in FSO sector, and six incumbents. The old companies are PT Berlian Laju Tanker, PT Duta Marine, PT Trada Maritime, PT Equinoc, PT Pelayaran Eka Nuri, and PT Antar Buwana Pertala.Bisniss source in shipping business mentioned that two companies who won the first tender, namely PT Pertamina Tongkang and the existing operator Tasik Madu. Tender was forced to be repeated since prospective participant who passed the tender did not meet the quorum.In the re-tender, four companies passed the prequalification, they are PT Pertamina Tongkang, PT Suprako, PT Trada Maritim and PT Tasik Madu despite in the closing of the tender on August 11, 2010, PT Pertamina Tongkang decided to resign.ConocoPhillips is also holding a tender for the procurement of FSO LPG vessel. Based on bid document, ITU tender has been announced since 1H/ 2009 with time charter within 15 years plus 2 years.Recorded three foreign companies that are partners in the Indonesian shipping companies pass the prequalification stage. All three are M3Energy based in Malaysia Berhad towed by PT Pertamina Barge.Two other foreign companies are a Bermuda-based company BW Offshore, towed by PT Equinox and BM Offshore NV, and a Dutch company, partnered with PT Aqua-ria Shipping.Darmansyah explained the company is ready to participate in the tender and hope this time the tender can produce winner.Trada is currently listed as a major player in Indonesia FSO with majority ownership. Currently, Trada owns and operates five units of FSO vessel, six tankers, 12 tugboats and 13 barges.President Director of PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk Widihardja Tanudjaja said the company is also ready to bid in the pre-qualification tender. "We are ready to join the tender," he said.In last year, there are five FSO contracts that have ended, namely FSO Cinta Natomas (Indonesia), and FSO Ladinda (Indonesia), FSO Raisis (Indonesia), FSO Madura Jaya (Singapore) and FSO Gas Concord (Singapore).(t03/msw)

---

Artikel Terkait

Berita Lainnya

Berita Terbaru