SPA content with turnout for Kato Nwanr developments pre-submission meet and visit |28 January 2023
The meeting with potential investors
Following the launch of an expression of interest on January 11, the Seychelles Ports Authority yesterday held a pre-bidding meet and site visit with potential investors at the Baie Ste Anne district hall.
The meeting attracted a number of interested potential investors who are hoping to have a role in either the development of the future passenger terminal building, a marina, or other commercial developments earmarked on four plots of land around the Flag Point area, as part of the Kato Nwanr Island development.
Among those who have shown an interest and to which the bidding is open are Seychellois and foreign investors and companies, and joint ventures.
Upon concluding the meeting and visit, Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) chief executive Sony Payet said he is satisfied with the turnout, and noted that once the deadline for the submissions of expression of interest (EOIs) has passed, SPA together with the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB) and Ministry of Transport will be processing the submissions to be awarded to investors who have the ability and meet the qualifying criteria for each project.
“We had a number of people collecting the documents for the second phase of EOIs of the Kato Nwanr development project on Praslin,” Mr Payet stated.
The deadline for the collection of documents was January 24, while the final date for the submission of all documents is February 27, 2022, to the SIB.
“We are presuming that by mid-year everything will have been sorted and the projects will be going ahead,” Mr Payet added.
Applicants who meet the qualifying criteria will be shortlisted, and subsequently contacted for requests for proposals (RFPs).
The SPA already has a passenger terminal that is expected to be operational soon, but it will be converted to accommodate other activities once the bigger one is completed. The future terminal is to feature parking facilities, office spaces, and a commercial food outlet.
As highlighted by Transport Minister Antony Derjacques, the modern developments, to the best standards, will undoubtedly “boost tourism development and related economic activities on the islands”, especially the marina.
The larger marina which will boast more berthing space for some 50 hire crafts and other leisure crafts of varying sizes is an important development for Praslin and the country Mr Payet emphasised, with the potential to bring in a lot of money into the national economy.
Moreover, there has been persistent demand for such a facility, considering that presently, there is only a small space at the passenger terminal which can berth around 30 vessels, difficulties arise when different vessels decide to spend time on the island and neighbouring islands.
Photo credits: SPA
