The five pre-qualified companies for a public-private partnership for the contract to cover maintenance and operation of a terminal at the Kribi deep water port under construction in southern Cameroon have until July 8, 2014 to make their bids to the project's steering committee in Yaoundé.

This was indicated in the call for tenders made by the chairman of the steering committee, Louis Paul Motazé.

Following a call for expressions of interest made by the project's steering on November 13, 2013, five companies were already shortlisted according to results published on March 7, 2014.

The finalists are:

• Necotrans-KPMO (Cameroon),
• International Container Terminal Services Inc. (Philippines),
• Société d'exploitation des ports-Marsa (Morocco),
• Sea Invest- CLGG (France) and
• APM Terminals BV (Netherlands).

The deap-water port, which was begun in 2012, has cost an estimated 500 billion CFA francs ($1 billion). Eximbank China provided 85% of the finance with the remaining 15% coming from the Cameroon government. The construction has been undertaken by the China Harbour Engineering Company.

The project is being prepared for the formal opening in June, when the first boat is officially expected. It will play a key role in the export of iron ore and aluminum to international markets.

The port on the Gulf of Guinea will also act as a regional hub for the export of commodities from landlocked Chad, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. The world's largest cargo ships, known as Capesize, will be able to operate out of this port.