Announcement of World Bank Provides Forty-Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars for Third Port Project in Tunisia on January 24, 1980

I" ' ·FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE '• .World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 80/46 January 24., 1980 WORLD BANK PROVIDES $42.5 MILLION FOR THIRD PORT PROJECT IN !UNISIA The World Bank has approved a $42.5 million loan to Tunisia for a $125.8 million project to modernize and expand port facilities at La Gouiette and Sfax. At La Goulette, some 350 meters of quays and jetties for roll-on/ roll-off vessels witl be built at a new site on the south bank of the Tunis/ La Goulette canal. The access channel and a new deepwater basin wi 11 be dredged ~nd open storage areas, transit sheds, port access road, and port administration, and ancillary buildings will be constructed. The project • also includes the provision of cargo handling and workshop equipment and material for manufacture of pallets. At Sfax, about 515 meters of quays including one roll-on/roll-off berth wi 11 be constructed. In addition, transit and customs sheds, open storage and parking areas, port access road, and purchase of cargo-handling and workshop equipment will be provided. The project includes also technical assistance through provision of expatriate and local consulting services to supervise civil works, develop, and implement training programs for port workers. The project will help reduce ship-waiting and turnaround time, lower cargo-handling costs, and avoid diversion costs. It is expected to accommodate future traffic up to the year 2000. The loan is repayable in 17 years, including 3-1/2 years of grace, at 7.95% per annum. • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents . FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T E C HN I CA L D A T A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Third Port Tunisia $125.8 million • BANK FINANCING: $42.5 million, for a term of 17 years, including 3.5 years of grace, at 7.95% interest per annum. OTHER FINANCING: Government of Tunisia, $83.3 million IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Office de Ports Nationaux Batiment Administratif Port de la Goulette Tunisie Tunis, Tunisia CABLE ADDRESS: OPORNA Tunis TELEX: 12386 TN PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The proposed project will enable the ports of La Goulette and Sfax to cope with changing shipping technology (roll-on/roll- .off), accommodate future traffic up to the year 2000, improve efficiency of port opera- tions, and decrease urban traffic congestion. It consists of: (i) at La Goulette - con- struction of about 350 m of quays and of jetties for roll-on/roll-off vessels at a new~-·e on the south bank of the Tunis/La Goulette canal and related dredging and reclamation; dredging of access channel; open storage areas; transit sheds; port access road; port admin- istration and ancillary buildings; provision of utility services; and purchae of cargo- handling and workshop equipment and material for manufacture of pallets; (ii) at Sfax - construction of about 515 m of quays including one roll-on/roll-off berth; transit and custom sheds; open storage and parking areas; port access road; provision of utility services; purchase of cargo-handling and workshop equipment; and (iii) technical assistance to (a) supervise civil works at both ports; (b) assist OPNT and STAM in reorganizing port workshops and maintenance procedures; and (c) develop and implement training programs for port workers. PROCUREMENT: The proposed Bank loan will be disbursed against (i) 48 percent of the total expenditures for civil works at La Goulette, contracted after international competitive bi,dding in accordance with Bank guidelines, and (ii) 100 percent of foreign expenditures for technical assistance. CONSULTANTS: Through provision of 220 man-months of expatriate consulting services, and 370 man-months of local services. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: 16.5% ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1985 - 0 - •