The government of Argentina approved the request to carry out dredging 14 meters from the access channel to the Port of Montevideo, a claim Uruguayan which has been in negotiations for more than 10 years.
The confirmation comes from the Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata (CARP), a few days after the chancellor Omar Paganini and his Argentine counterpart, Diana Mondino, reach an agreement on the issue.
The decision of the CARP, chaired by the former legislator of the National Party, Alem García, It comes after technicians from both countries resolve the viability of a 14-meter access, through which its width is expected to go from 57 to 62 kilometers.
To reach the agreement, the change of government in the Argentina, since the diplomats accepted the Uruguayan terms as they were guided by the president’s ideas Javier Milei, that seeks to promote competition.
Paganini stressed that “it is a fact of relevance” for Uruguay
Paganini He offered a press conference where he highlighted that “this is a fact of relevance for our country,” while clarifying that it is also “a long-sought objective that was the president’s express priority.” Luis Lacalle Pou”.
For the Uruguayan Foreign Minister, “It is a great opportunity to continue developing the port system,” adding cargo from other countries, while he valued that the initiative “opens up great opportunities for investments, that are transformed into jobs employment and economic activity that spreads throughout the economy.”
“It’s good for us and for the entire waterway. By investing and improving access, the country is improved and the region is energized,” he summarized. Paganini, while thanking the Argentine chancellor Diana Mondino and the new Argentine government.
The Argentine delegation of the CARP “without objections”
The Argentine delegation of the CARP issued a statement, which was agreed Ambit, where he highlighted that after analyzing the information, he stressed that “it is complete and sufficient for the Argentinian republic “Evaluate the probable effect that the work will have on your navigation interest or on the river’s regime.”
After the corresponding observation, the text signed by the vice president of the CARP, Diego Tettamanti, He maintained that that country “has no objections to formulate regarding the Project for the Deepening and Extension of the Access Canal to the Port of Montevideo at 14 meters.”
Meanwhile, since the Chancellery from the neighboring country pointed out that with the initiative “the minimum and essential requirements that guarantee the safety of navigation in said area are preserved.”
And he highlighted that the government of the neighboring country seeks that “in the future, projects presented in common use waters receive an agile and expeditious evaluation, within the framework of strengthening relations of friendship, cooperation and integration between both countries.” . He even proposed the drafting of a protocol or mechanism to streamline the analysis procedures for this type of project.
A substantial improvement for the Port of Montevideo
With dredging at 14 meters, the Port of Montevideo may receive containers of TCP/Katoen Natie of ships measuring around 400 meters long, 61 meters wide and with drafts of up to 13.8 metres. According to reports, these ships allow containers of up to 24,000 TEUS to be loaded, vessels that until today cannot be accessed.
Along these lines, the works to expand the Cuenca del Plata Terminal (TCP), with drilling and blasting of rock from the seabed, as anticipated from the National Ports Administration (ANP). Thanks to the tasks, the port reclaimed a total of 28 hectares from the sea, while by 2025 another 23 hectares are expected to advance, totaling 51.
At the same time, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) weeks ago announced an investment of 103 million dollars to advance the expansion of the port, with the aim of giving a boost to foreign trade.
Source: Ambito
