Bids for Derince port collected amid protests

İZMİT - Doğan News Agency

CİHAN Photo

Some six companies have placed bids for the operational rights of Derince Port, located at the northwestern province of İzmit, amid workers’ and the opposition’s protests against its privatization.

The offers of companies, including Cengiz İnşaat, whose name has been voiced among suspects of the second wave corruption probe, had been collected up until Jan. 16 deadline, a week before the auction to be held for 36-year operational rights of the port.

Along with Cengiz İnşaat, which is also one of five companies forming the joint venture that won Istanbul’s airport tender for $22 billion, Yılport Holding, Safi Katı Yakı Sanayi, Kumport Liman and Ceynak Lojistik ve Ticaret are the bidders.

Meanwhile, a number of unions, non-governmental organizations and political parties have been staging day-long demonstrations in front of the port, under the leadership of Turkish the port workers union, Liman-İş.

Critics of the privatization claim the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), which is the current owner of the port, has been deliberately avoiding making any investments or renovations on the port.

The first tender for the transfer of operating rights of Derince Port was held in 2007, in which Türkerler Joint Venture Group was the highest bidder with $195.25 million.

However, the Council of State had cancelled that tender, citing contradiction in the land settlement plan of the area.

The privatization process restarted in October 2013, with Privatization Administration’s announcement of collecting offers.

Turkey recently transferred operational rights to the Port of Mersin and Port of İzmir.