According to official sources here, five firms had responded to the global tenders issued by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) ten months back for developing Maroli, one of the six intermediate ports of Gujarat to be developed in the private sector, Netelco-Unocol and Essar Investment Co. were shortlisted for presentations before the GIDB here on Tuesday.

Essar which had bid for the project in a consortium with American Shell Co seems to have lost the race as it failed to come up to several parameters fixed by the GIDB, including its apparent inability to satisfy the financial back-up. Essar Group, already handling a terminal near its Hazira plant, has in the meantime staked its claim to set up a terminal atKandla port too, which is run by the centre, sources said.