MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay's shipping business needs Paraná River dredged as soon as possible

Some 9,000 people work in Paraguay's river shipping business

Paraguay's Congress will be asked to declare a hydrological emergency in the Paraná River to speed up dredging after members of the Paraná Joint Commission (Comip) discussed the hydro-climatological last week and agreed on the next actions, Merchant Marine Director Patricio Ortega explained in Asunción.

“We believe that this hydrological emergency request is going to be accompanied by the House of Deputies,” the Public Works Ministry official said. He also explained that in the Paraná, from Ituzaingó to its confluence with the Paraguay River, there are more than 10 ports from where grains (generally soybean) are exported, so it was urgent to carry out to minimize the economic negative impact.

“We usually take out to the world, from the Paraná, between 2 to 3 million tons of products. Today there are more than 10 private ports that are not able to take anything out, the silos are full and even the trucks are stopped, they cannot unload their goods in the ports”, lamented Ortega, who also underlined the toll the crisis was taking on vessels.

The Comip will convene again on July 11, Ortega also announced.

The official maintains that Paraguay's merchant fleet is the largest and most important in South America and the third in the world behind the United States and China. It has been of vital importance for economic growth since it currently carries 80% of Paraguayan international trade. Some 9,000 people work in Paraguay's river shipping business.

“Our country has the largest number of fleets and ports in the region due to the tax incentives that have been enacted over time. These helped entrepreneurs from the sector come to the country, mainly because of the ease they have to invest,” Ortega highlighted.