MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's AGP to stay in charge of Paraná Waterway pending bidding

It was a possibility also within the scope of the decree whereby the State took over the concession last year

Argentina's Transport Ministry Monday announced that its General Ports Administration (AGP) will continue to be in charge of the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway after extending the current contract which expires Sept. 11.

The contract currently was extended in advance as part of the bidding process that was activated after the departure of Emepa and Jan de Nul as partners in charge of the river corridor.

As per Resolution 515 published in the Official Gazette, the AGP will continue to be in charge of the maintenance of the waterway, which includes its dredging and redredging as well as its signaling.

The agency will also be responsible for the hydrological control of the trunk waterway, including the segment between kilometer 1,238 (Confluencia point) to the natural deep water area of the outer River Plate.

The extension was arranged due to the delay in the Hidrovía bidding process, with the administrative process yet to start, and which has been entrusted to the National Waterway Control and Management Agency (Ente Nacional de Control y Gestión de la Vía Navegable) which is headed by Ariel Sujarchuk and formed by representatives of all seven Argentine provinces along the Paraná.

The next long-term concession aims at the modernization, expansion, operation, and maintenance of the waterway. The awarded companies will also be in charge of toll collection.

The AGP will remain in charge of the waterway until the company winning the bidding process takes over the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway. The measure announced Monday was also within the scope of the decree whereby the State took over the concession last year.

In 1995, the management of the Waterway was handed over to the Belgian company Jan de Nul and the Argentine company Emepa. That concession expired last year, at which time the national government decided it should remain in the hands of the AGP until a new bidding process was carried out.