After the Deadline, Port Dredging Depends on Proposal Review

The bidding process launched by the Companhia Docas do Rio Grande do Norte (Codern) to contract dredging services for the Port of Natal is currently under review following the June 25 deadline for proposal submissions. According to Codern, one of the participating companies requested additional time to reassess the prices submitted, but no further details on the request or a new decision timeline have been disclosed.

The public notice issued by Codern outlines the hiring of a specialized company to carry out maintenance dredging and adjustments to the access channel and turning basin of the port terminal. The goal is to ensure safe operational depths for the navigation and berthing of vessels with larger drafts. The maximum estimated value of the contract is R$ 54,596,464.10.

The bidding will follow a unit price contract regime, with the selection criterion being the lowest overall price. The services must be completed within six consecutive months from the issuance of the service order by Codern. The contract term is set at 12 months, covering the signing, execution, provisional acceptance, and final acceptance phases.

Planned services include the removal of sediment from the bottom of the channel and turning basin, mobilization and demobilization of dredging equipment, hydrographic surveys before, during, and after operations, and the installation of temporary nautical signaling to ensure maneuvering safety in the work zone.

The installation of fenders on the central pillars of the bridge will allow large vessels to safely approach the terminal at any time. This improvement would also facilitate increased coastal and international shipping operations. Beyond infrastructure benefits, the dredging comes at a strategic moment for the maritime economy of Rio Grande do Norte.

Fenders
In addition to the dredging, the complementary intervention involving the installation of fenders on the Newton Navarro Bridge is considered essential for the Port of Natal. However, the public notice for this project has not yet been released. At the end of May, the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPOR) stated that budgetary decisions had delayed the schedule. The notice was originally expected in April, and the project is valued at approximately R$ 47 million.

Previous delays have also been attributed to internal procedures at the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT). In April, the agency stated that the public notice was pending internal revisions, including review by the legal department. On May 22, DNIT reiterated that the project was still in the internal design phase: “DNIT notes that the public notice is currently in the internal bidding preparation phase.”

Beyond the economic interests involved, the fender installation is considered vital for safety, as the equipment protects the bridge structure from vessel impacts. The MPOR confirmed that once the company is contracted through the bidding process, the project is expected to be completed in four months, with the fenders constructed within one year.

In a statement, DNIT said the fender notice is “in the internal bidding phase.” “Once the responsible company is contracted, the estimated completion time for the project is approximately two years,” the agency stated.

The installation of protective structures on the Newton Navarro Bridge has been promised for more than a decade. The bridge, inaugurated in 2007, was delivered without this safety reinforcement. In practice, the fenders (or dolphins) will be installed to protect pillars 17 and 18 of the bridge’s navigable span, preventing the risk of collision with the supports.

Source: Tribuna do Norte

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