CPA sees April decision on drydock project

The Commonwealth Ports Authority expects a decision on the Saipan drydock project bid by April, with the sole proposer submitting the necessary documents regarding the company’s background.

CPA executive director Carlos Salas reported yesterday that Guam Industrial Services Inc. has responded to the ports authority’s request for additional information on March 17—six days before the deadline given by CPA.

“We’re verifying that information right now. We will probably take up the proposal next board meeting, which will be in April. I hope there will be a decision by then,” Salas said.

The CPA board of directors has twice deferred action on the drydock bid due to insufficient background information about the sole bidder for the project. In view of this, the board instructed CPA management last month to give Guam Industrial Services a 30-day deadline to submit all the required documents.

Guam Industrial Services, which operates Guam Shipyard, seeks to design, build, and operate a floating drydock capable of providing repair and maintenance for vessels up to 250 feet long.

“We at Guam Industrial Services is enthusiastic about developing a small shipyard and manufacturing facility at the Port of Saipan by investing the capital, marine assets, and ship repair and manufacturing know how,” the company said in its proposal. “We believe we are the best capable and qualified company to undertake this project.”

Guam Shipyard has been providing repair, maintenance, overhaul and drydocking services mainly to military vessels since 1997.

According to GlobalSecurity.org, a U.S.-based independent research organization, Guam Shipyard has state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities that include a foundry, the largest motor rewind facility, a special building for environmentally controlled sandblasting and painting, micro-miniature circuit board repair, corrosion control, and an industrial laboratory.

The shipyard is the only facility in the Western Pacific certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation to perform re-certification requirements on breathing air and high pressure air cylinders. It also provides authorized repair to Jones Act commercial ships such as Matson Navigation and Sealand Services and shore support services to GovGuam agencies, the research group said.