Six local shipyards will be competing to win a contract worth approximately USD100 million to build two logistical support ships for the Turkish Navy, reports the Hurryet Daily Newspaper.
According to the news agency, the shipyards that submitted bids ahead of the mid-May deadline were Anadolu Deniz Kizaklari, Desan Deniz Insaat, Istanbul Denizcilik, Selah Makine ve Gemicilik, Tuzla Gemi and Turkter Tersane.
Earlier, Turkey's procurement authorities had launched a competition to acquire two logistical support ships. Turkey's procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), said the competition would be open only to local shipyards.
One surprising omission amongst the competitors was Turkish shipyard Sedef, which built a similar vessel, the Akar-class 'Yarbay Kudret Gungor', in 1994.
Another naval powerhouse absent from the bidding, concluded Hurryet, is Koc Holding's RMK Marine. In January, SSM announced that it would begin talks with RMK Marine for the construction of six ships as part of the Milgem national warships project, estimated at around USD2.5 billion.
Source: Hurryet Daily Newspaper