The national government is moving forward with the new tender for the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway. Aiming to award the contract in the first half of 2026, the new bidding documents will be published between October and November. This time, the entire process will be audited by UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to safeguard it against suspicions and manipulations.
The waterway, spanning over 1,200 kilometers from Confluencia to the Atlantic, handles 80% of the country’s grain, oil, and flour exports, valued at an estimated $28 billion annually. The redesign aims to maximize efficiency and reduce costs for the agro-export sector.
“We want to transfer the contract to the private sector with entrepreneurial risk and lower logistics costs for producers,” official sources stated. Unlike the previous failed process—canceled due to allegations of opacity—the new framework includes participatory roundtables already held in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, and Rosario, with further meetings planned for Paraná and the northeast in July. These involve technicians, provinces, chambers, ports, exporters, and universities.
A key technical issue under discussion is the widening of channels and overtaking zones. “We’re no longer talking in abstract terms; it’s kilometer by kilometer,” they explained. Specific proposals, such as those from the Chamber of Pilots, address critical sedimentation points.
The new bidding terms will exclude foreign state-owned companies, blocking Chinese dredging firms. “It’s not against anyone, but a foreign state cannot control our waterway,” officials stated, citing sovereignty concerns.
The concession will be fully private: dredging, toll collection, and oversight will be managed by companies, though under active state supervision through an “inspection board” including users, the coast guard, and provinces. “Those who know the river best aren’t in an office; they’re on a barge,” they emphasized.
The concession term will be reduced from 30 to 20 years, the minimum needed to amortize new dredgers without discouraging competition. A tariff cap will also be set: the new toll cannot exceed the current rate. “Competition will drive prices down, and if navigation time improves, savings will be doubled,” they noted.
One unresolved issue is the $78 million debt to Jan de Nul, currently paid by the AGP. A solution is being sought that neither favors nor excludes any bidder.
The timeline includes public hearings after the July and August roundtables. Once the bidding documents are published, companies will have 60 to 90 days to submit offers. Four to five international dredging firms, some in partnership with local companies, are expected to participate.
The government stresses that the current phase is critical for open discussion. “No surprises later—what needs to be said, say it now,” they urged. Transcripts of the roundtables are published online. “We want people acting in good faith to see that the process was open, documented, and transparent,” they underscored.
With these conditions, the administration aims to relaunch a strategic project, shield it from conflicts, and ensure the next tender is defined by technical and economic competitiveness, leaving no room for late objections.