The new commercial port in Durrës still has no technical project; NATO against: It does not comply with the capacities for anchoring ships

The new commercial port, a work of strategic importance that is expected to be built in Porto Romano does not yet have a detailed technical project.

Despite the fact that the deadlines for the completion of the drafting of the feasibility project were extended from 8 months to 15 months, it has not yet been submitted.

The reason for the postponement of the deadlines for the completion of the feasibility study according to the announcement in the Public Procurement Authority (APP) from the Durrës Port Authority (APD) in September 2022 is understood to have been the opposition of the master plan of the new commercial port in Porto Romano by NATO, after this project did not comply with the capacities of NATO for the docking of naval vessels and the squares in service for the armed forces.

The master plan for the new commercial project was drawn up by the Dutch company "Royal Haskoning" and was presented to the public in December last year by the Albanian authorities.

It will again be the Dutch company that will design the feasibility study of the new port. But sources from the maritime industry market claimed for "Monitor" that it is expected that this postponement of the implementation of the project will again be expected, which is expected to require additional funds.

For the postponement of the deadline for the completion of the drafting of the technical project of the port, the fund worth 223.2 million ALL was added to the tender.

Initially, the deadline for the completion of the detailed technical project of the new integrated commercial port of Durrës in Porto Romano, referring to the announcement of the tender notice from APD to APP in January 2022, was 8 months from the date of signing the contract. The contract was signed on December 21, 2021 and the feasibility study had to be submitted in August 2022. While the procurement fund was 1,145,354,372 ALL.

But the Durrës Port Authority in September 2022 was obliged to change the deadlines for the completion of the technical project from 8 months to 15 months (with the new deadlines the technical project must be submitted in full in March 2023) as well as add 19.5% to the fund for the realization of the service.

The new procurement fund was worth 1,365,777,813 ALL. The reason for the postponement of the deadline was the change in the master plan for the design of the naval base, which contradicted NATO standards, as it did not comply with their capacities.

“Një aspekt thelbësor i këtij projekti është ndërtimi i një baze autonome detare për Forcën Detare të R.SH., të ndërlidhur me rrjetin rrugor dhe hekurudhor. Komanda e Forcës Detare, duke u koordinuar me përfaqësuesit Amerikanë, të cilët nëpërmjet Shtabit të Përgjithshëm kanë dërguar kërkesat specifike, i ka përcjellë Autoritetit Portual Durrës kapacitetet që nevojiten, duke u bazuar në: inventarin aktual të anijeve të Forcës Detare, anijet që kanë vizituar vendin tonë në kuadër të stërvitjeve të vendeve aleate si “defender Europe 21” dhe mundësinë për akomodimin e të gjitha anijeve të tipit “destroyer”.

Kjo ide, e artikuluar në nivel koordinimi politik, gjatë Ministerialit të Ministrave të Mbrojtjes së NATO-s në Bruksel, në datat 15-16 qershor, ka gjetur parimisht dhe mbështetjen e SACEUR, duke kërkuar që autoritetet shqiptare të detajojë edhe më tej projektin e tyre, duke bërë zëvendësimin e zërit projektimit për bazën autonome detare për forcën detare te R.Sh , në zonë për përdorimin e forcave te NATO-s.

Projekti i infrastrukturës i destinuar për akostimin e mjeteve detare dhe sheshet në shërbim për forcat e armatosura sipas MASTERPLANIT nuk i përmbahet kapaciteteve të kërkuara nga NATO.

For what has been argued above, there is a need to amend the initial contract, changing the implementation period and the total value of the procurement contract in question. The value of the amendment does not exceed the amount of 20% of the value of the initial contract", it is quoted in the tender procurement documents.

The Port of Durrës will be moved to Porto Romane to pave the way for the development of the project that transforms it into a tourist port, an initiative that has encountered debates due to the fact of the financing formula and the high area that will be given for real estate construction./ monitor/