Three global dredging giants are now in the running for one of the most important river infrastructure projects in the Río de la Plata.
The Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata (CARP) opened bids yesterday, Monday, June 1, for International Public Tender No. 1/2026 for the maintenance dredging, widening, and possible improvements of the Martín García Channel — a strategic waterway for regional navigation and foreign trade.
The proposals received include those from Belgian company Jan De Nul NV, Boskalis International Uruguay S.A., and Chinese firm CHEC Dredging Co., Ltd.
All three are companies with extensive international experience in maritime works, port projects, and navigation channel maintenance.
The outcome will be closely followed by shipping companies, ports, exporters, and logistics operators across the region.
The winning contractor will be responsible for a key navigable waterway that connects the Río de la Plata Basin with international markets.
A Strategic Project for Argentina and Uruguay
The tender includes maintenance dredging, widening, and possible improvements to the Río de la Plata channels between kilometer 39 of the Barra del Farallón and kilometer 0 of the Uruguay River.
It is a major intervention aimed at preserving navigability conditions and ensuring the safe and efficient passage of vessels.
The contract has an initial duration of five years and may be extended for an additional five years.
This will provide greater predictability for the maintenance of an infrastructure considered strategic for regional logistics.
The Channel Both Countries Managed to Unblock
The bid opening also marks a turning point in an issue that for years had been hampered by differences between Argentina and Uruguay.
As previously reported by Argenports, both countries made progress in recent months on a series of agreements that allowed them to get the future of the Martín García Channel back on track.
This has ensured the continuity of dredging operations under a new contracting scheme.
In parallel, CARP also decided to extend the toll discount to encourage the use of this waterway while the new tender was being prepared.
The normalization of the process was considered a priority by users of the waterway, shipowners, and port operators due to the strategic importance of the channel for the competitiveness of regional ports.
Jan De Nul, Boskalis and CHEC
The participation of these three companies reflects the economic and technical scale of the project.
Jan De Nul is one of the world’s most renowned dredging companies, with a long track record in Latin America. In Argentina, it is closely associated with the maintenance of the main navigation channels and major river infrastructure projects.
Boskalis, headquartered in the Netherlands, is one of the leading global players in the sector. The company has participated in numerous port, maritime, and land reclamation projects across several continents.
The third bid comes from CHEC Dredging Co., Ltd., a company linked to the Chinese state-owned conglomerate China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which in recent years has expanded its international presence through port and maritime infrastructure projects in various parts of the world.
The tender thus pits two historic European dredging players against one of the main representatives of China’s expansion in maritime infrastructure.
What Comes Next
Following the opening of the bids, CARP will now begin the technical, legal, economic, and environmental evaluation of the proposals submitted.
The authorities must determine which offer provides the best conditions to guarantee the execution of the required works and compliance with the quality standards demanded for a waterway of this importance.
The decision will have a direct impact on the future operability of the channel and on the logistical competitiveness of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia — countries that use this route for the transport of goods.
Currently, the Martín García Channel operates with depths of approximately 34 feet in soft bottoms and 38 feet in hard bottoms, parameters considered essential for ensuring the safe and efficient transit of vessels using this strategic Río de la Plata waterway.