The VOC Port Authority in Thoothukudi has reissued a request for proposal (RFP) for the ambitious Rs 7,056 crore outer harbour project after the initial tender failed to attract viable bidders.

The previous attempt saw only two applicants, Vedanta and Premier Science and Technology, both of whom were disqualified for not meeting eligibility criteria.

To encourage greater participation, the eligibility requirements have been revised in the retendered RFP, though specific details about the changes are awaited.

The project involves dredging and the construction of a breakwater on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis. It aims to achieve a total handling capacity of 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually in two stages.

The RFP document specifies a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) cap of Rs 1,950 crore or the quoted amount, whichever is lower.