Atlantica Spa di Navigazione, which is currently in talks with the government regarding taking over Sea Malta, is also bidding jointly for the cargo-handling contract, The Malta Independent on Sunday can reveal.
Atlantica has a 20 per cent shareholding in Malta Port Terminals Ltd, one of the six companies bidding for the cargo-handling contract.
Also involved in Malta Port Terminals Ltd, with an equal 20 per cent shareholding each, are a company representing 25 shipping companies and agents including Sea Malta (Container Storage Co. Ltd), a company representing 49 burdnara (Burdnara Ltd), and a company representing 19 port foremen (Port Foremen Services Ltd).
The directors of the company are former Gozo Channel chairman and now GRTU president Paul Abela, Karl M Gollcher, George Portelli and Salvatore Vella.
This paper can also reveal that another bidder for this contract is the Tumas Group, through its subsidiary TF Shipping Agencies Ltd. The three directors of this company are the sons of the late Tumas Fenech, George, Anthony and Raymond.
The Hili family is another bidder for this contract through Carmelo Caruana Co. Ltd. The shareholders of this company are Plateau Ltd (owned by, among others, Paul Hili, Carmelo Hili, Marin Hili and Joseph Hili junior, known as Beppe Hili) and Hili Company Ltd (owned by, among others, Melo Hili, Marin Hili and Beppe Hili).
The directors of Carmelo Caruana are Melo Hili and Beppe Hili.
Another bidder is PD Port Services. It owns and operates the port of Tees and Hartlepool and acts as statutory harbour authority. In addition, it provides stevedoring and maritime services at ports on the Rivers Humber, Trent and Ouse and at wharves on the Thames and the south coast of England.
Teesport is a deep-water port on the North Sea coast and is located close to the UK’s industrial heartland. By tonnage, it the largest port in the northeast of England, the second largest port in the UK, and one of the largest ports in Europe.
Also bidding is Kuwait & Gulf Link Transport Company. It is a public company with a capital of 7.26 million Kuwaiti dinars distributed over 72 million shares, with 25 years experience.
Kuwait & Gulf Link is a multi-model stevedoring, transportation and logistics company. It is one of the largest fleet and equipment operators in Kuwait, with a wide network of services, offices, warehouse facilities and 5,000 full time employees.
The sixth bidder – which is still under wraps – is being represented by Farrugia, Gatt & Falzon, a legal firm operating in the maritime sector.
And, well, what about the incumbent, the GWU? Media reports have mentioned talks with a company of the Hili family that involves the present port workers.
Contacted by this newspaper, GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb confirmed that the union is involved in one of the consortia that are bidding for the cargo-handling contract.
Mr Zarb, however, would not reveal in which consortium the union is taking part. “Ahna bizzejjed dellna tqil,” he said.