TIRANA, Dec. 22 – Few months after the Albanian government awarded a 35-year concession to handle large oil tankers in Porto Romano, outside Durres, the country’s competition authority has recommended some measures on the expected fees and operation to prevent a possible abuse of the consortium’s exclusive rights.
In some recommendations to the transport and the finance ministries, responsible on determining the service fees of the new port, the Competition Authority says the ministries should approve the fee calculation methodology on the concession company before the launch of construction works.
The competition watchdog advises the Albanian government should also adopt the fee calculation methodology on other unsolicited bids before proceeding with the contract approval.
The new port should operate based on the principle of ‘first come, first served,’ and provide services to all companies under the same technical and financial terms, says the Authority.
The suggestions come after the Competition Authority has earlier identified violations in liquid gas imports in a similar concession.
Last September, the Albanian government awarded a new 35-year concession to a consortium to build and operate a multy buoy mooring that will handle tankers transporting fuel of more than 20,000 tonnes in Porto Romano, outside Durres, where a smaller oil and gas terminal already operates.
The Multy Buoy Mooring consortium led by Singapore-based Adriatik Petroleum Platform PTE LTD” and composed of Italy-based “ATEC S.r.l” , Netherlands-based “Mampey Offshore Industries B.v” and Albania-based “Salillari” will build an off-shore port which is expected to increase the handling of fuel imports and exports to 1 million tonnes a year.
Under the contract approved by Parliament, the concessionaire will pay the Albanian government a 2 percent fee on its annual turnover. The consortium plans to invest $10.2 million in the new port which is expected to be made available in 18 months from the kick off of construction.
Albania’s Competition Authority has previously found that the Romano Port concessionaire in Durres which has exclusive rights in liquid gas load/unload operations holds a dominant position in the maritime loan/unload liquid gas market.
