Hidrovía: Business Entities Celebrate the Participation of Three Bidders and Call for Speed in the Awarding

In a joint statement that marks the private sector’s stance on a key day for the future of Argentine foreign trade, the entities representing users of the Trunk Navigable Way (VNT) expressed their support for the progress of the bidding process.

The Unión Industrial Argentina (UIA), the Bolsa de Comercio de Rosario (BCR), CIARA-CEC, the Cámara de Puertos Privados Comerciales, and the Cámara de Actividades Portuarias y Marítimas issued a document in which they describe as “positive” the submission of three bidders for the concession of the navigation system.

Transparency and International Endorsement
According to information released by the National Agency for Ports and Navigation, this stage is viewed by the productive sector as a fundamental step to ensure the predictability the system requires.

“This represents a substantial advance in a process that has international technical support and the participation of sector stakeholders,” the entities stated, particularly highlighting the involvement of UNCTAD (a UN agency) as a guarantor of transparency and technical expertise.

The Request: Speed and Technical Criteria
For the entities that handle the bulk of agro-industrial exports from Greater Rosario, it is vital that the evaluation of the bids strictly adheres to the tender specifications. The goal is to ensure:

  • Equal conditions for the bidders.
  • Sustainability of the concession scheme in the long term.
  • Efficiency in the provision of dredging and buoying services.

A Key Factor for Competitiveness
Toward the end of the statement, the business bloc recalled that the Hidrovía is not just a navigation channel, but a “determining factor for Argentine export competitiveness”. In that regard, they urged national authorities to ensure the process does not suffer further delays and continues to move forward swiftly until the final awarding.

All eyes are now on the evaluation committee, which will need to analyze the technical and economic proposals from the three companies competing for control of the route through which more than 80% of the country’s exports pass.

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