The delay in transits in the Port of Montevideo It is one of the main reasons why people complain maritime entrepreneurs from other countries that use the terminal, including those of Paraguay. Problems with Paraguayan cargo are nothing new – there have already been specific questions in this regard – but they now represent a significant risk for the future development of the port.
The arrival of merchandise in transit is one of the driving forces of activity in the PPort of Montevideoessential for having achieved three consecutive years with maximum movements of export and import containers Uruguay and regional merchandise transits. And in the same way, the greater capture of cargo from third countries would cement the growth of Montevideo in the quest to become a regional hub, as indicated by the National Port Administration (ANP).
However, maritime operators of Paraguay They say that Montevideo lost competitiveness and warn of delays for barges arriving in transit, a situation that could put the future of the port in jeopardy.
Paraguayan complaints
While there is a growth trend observed in all business units of the Port of Montevideo, There are also yellow lights, and one of them is in the oscillation around the Paraguayan load. In the current administration, the movement of that country was recovered, but there are already indications that it would be migrating towards Buenos Aires, According to the representative of the Broad Front in the ANP directory, Alejandra Koch.
The most recent problem with Paraguayan businessmen was the delay of 9,000 containers from that country in the port, the result of a conflict between the port terminal operators and the union, which caused problems throughout the operation at the beginning of December last year.
At that time, 58 unions of Paraguay linked to foreign trade warned about the series of strikes that affected normal operations.
The situation has already set off alarm bells for maritime shipowners, who continued to watch the operation of Montevideo with suspicion. The problem is that the usual delays continue to occur, and in some cases have been extended for up to 15 days. And it should be remembered that for each day that a boat is moored at the port, a fee is charged for the corresponding services. Therefore, costs They continue to rise for business owners, for reasons beyond their control.
In this way, the predictability and the operational security who knew how to characterize the Port of Montevideo and what they mean competitive advantages Compared to other ports in the region, they no longer seem to be such.
The impact of Paraguayan transit
Last year, the ANP made progress in agreements with Paraguayan authorities so that businessmen from that country could maintain the port of Montevideo as a transit destination, both from the public and private sectors. To generate better conditions, the Uruguayan agency offered exemptions from the funding feethe place where boats tie up while waiting for a dock to unload merchandise.
The measure worked, and in 2023 the ANP recorded the largest number of containers in transit in the last five years, strongly driven by Paraguayan movements. In total, the Port of Montevideo mobilized 1,120,000 TEUs (unit of measurement equivalent to a 20-foot container).
Of this amount, transfers accounted for 62% of port activity for the year.
Source: Ambito
