The decision was made official by the presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorniwho published on his social networks: “The General Administration of Portsa den of corruption and privilege. The new National Ports and Navigation Agency (ANPYN) will concentrate its functions and those of two other organizations, thus gaining efficiency and transparency in addition to achieving lower costs.”
One of the organizations to which the official refers is the Undersecretariat of Ports and Navigable Waterwaysadministrative area in charge of the bidding of the Paraná-Paraguay Waterwaywhich still remains vacant and represents one of the country’s main commercial routes. The other area that will be absorbed by the ANPYN is the Control and Management Body of the Trunk Navigable Waterway.
Adorni also stated that “entities and areas with identical functions will be eliminated, 79% of staff will be reduced and unnecessary properties and assets will be sold. The leadership of the AGP will be completely removed.” “In 2025 we will move forward with the reduction of public spending,” he concluded.
Government called for tenders to privatize the Hidrovía
On November 20, the Chief of Staff, Guillermo Francos, announced the beginning of the privatization of the Waterway with a 30-year contract. The measure was reflected this Wednesday in the Official Gazette through the Provision 34/2024.
In this way, the Trunk Navigable Way It will once again be a private concession, at business risk, and in which the State will no longer be linked to the management and maintenance of the road. This tender was going to be carried out by the Undersecretariat of Ports and Navigable Waterways, and Offers will be received until January 29, 2025. The definition will now be subject to the National Ports and Navigation Agencywhose authorities will be chosen in the coming days by the national Executive.
As mentioned in the regulations, the main objective of this tender is to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the Trunk Navigable Way. “By granting the concession to a private company, the aim is to improve services, reduce operating costs and attract greater investments to modernize infrastructure,” he analyzes.
The official text indicates that the concession covers a wide range of activities, from dredging and maintenance of channels to the installation and operation of signaling systems. It highlights that the Trunk Navigable Way It is a strategic asset for the economic development of the country, “and its modernization will contribute to improving the competitiveness of the export sector.”
Likewise, the future concessionaire, which will put an end to the provisional nationalization of the Trunk Waterway, must comply with the works plan established in the bidding documents and the new contract, which determines the stages of priority works that must be carried out in the first five years of the concession.
Source: Ambito
