With the global financial crisis easing up on cargo shipping lines, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) expects to award the winning bidder of the New Container Terminal-2 (NCT-2), the second phase of the US$215-million Subic port modernization, in July this year, the Manila Bulletin reported.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, who is also chairman of the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) for Port Commercialisation, said they are proceeding with its second attempt to privatize the port.

"We are still in the publication phase. We hope to award the winning bidder by July this year,"said Arreza.

The first bidding for NCT-2 early last year failed because of the global financial crisis, which caused trade volumes to collapse and forcing cargo ships to park.

Arreza said the original seven parties that expressed interest to bid for NCT-2 are still vying for the project. During the first attempt to bid out NCT-2, major international carriers were expected to join including China Overseas Shipping Corp, OOCL, American Presidents Lines, Maersk and Evergreen.