ANPYN confirmed that Jan de Nul and DEME will compete in the next stage. “Envelope 2,” containing the technical proposals for dredging and buoying, will be the next evaluation step for the global giants’ bids.
The National Agency for Ports and Navigation (ANPYN) moved forward with a new key step in the bidding process for the Main Navigable Waterway, formally approving the actions taken in the first stage of National and International Public Tender No. 1/2025. The resolution not only validates the procedure carried out to date but also defines which companies remain in the race and which are excluded.
The national government advanced another step in the tender for the modernization and deepening of the Main Navigable Waterway by announcing the Resolution that closed Stage 1 of the evaluation (background and financial capacity) and announcing that on Wednesday, April 22, the envelopes for Stage 2 will be opened.
Specifically, the measure establishes the prequalification of two bids: that submitted by Jan De Nul N.V. and that of Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering NV (DEME). Both companies passed the technical and administrative evaluation corresponding to Envelope No. 1, enabling them to advance to the next phase of the Waterway tender.
The process had already received explicit backing from the main users of the Main Navigable Waterway.
By contrast, ANPYN decided to declare the bid from DTA Engenharia Ltda. inadmissible. The decision is based on failure to meet an essential requirement of the tender documents: the lack of submission of the bid maintenance guarantee in the terms required. This point is decisive, as it is a formal condition indispensable for ensuring the seriousness of the proposal.
The resolution also sets the date for opening Envelope No. 2, corresponding to the Work Plan of the prequalified firms. The event will be held on April 22, 2026 at 13:00 hours through the CONTRAT.AR system, marking the start of a decisive stage for contract award.
The Work Plan is the description companies present of how they will carry out the tasks if awarded the contract. Based on UNCTAD recommendations for procurement, it was established that background, work plans and technical capacities be analyzed on a scale from “fair” to “excellent.” To advance, companies need at least 40 points out of a maximum of 80.
The considerations highlight that ANPYN assumed responsibility for carrying out the tender, including drafting the tender documents, coordinating technical and environmental studies, and future oversight of the contract.
The resolution also emphasizes the transparency of the process, which included a participatory stage prior to the tender. The agency provided space for public comments on the tender documents, and contributions were received from potential bidders and other sector stakeholders.
This stage made it possible to adjust technical, operational and environmental aspects, strengthening the quality of the tender instrument. The Agency noted that such participation “was broad and helped identify improvements, consolidating a more flexible approach” adapted to the system’s future needs.
Regarding the evaluation of bids, the Evaluation Committee verified compliance with the requirements established in the tender documents. Its report, which recommended the prequalification of two bidders and the rejection of a third, received no formal challenges under the terms provided by the regulations.
Finally, the text stresses the principle of equality as a central pillar of the tender process. The Agency warns that any deviation from the rules established in the documents would constitute grounds for nullity, reinforcing the need to strictly respect the conditions defined from the outset.
Thus, the resolution not only orders the advancement of the process but also reaffirms the predictable framework under which a tender considered strategic for Argentine foreign trade is being conducted.
Users’ support for the Waterway tender
Days before ANPYN formalized approval of the first stage of the tender, the process had already received explicit backing from the main users of the Main Navigable Waterway. That support was expressed after a meeting led by the agency’s executive director, Iñaki Arreseygor, in which technical progress in the evaluation of bids was presented.
The meeting, held at the Agency’s headquarters, brought together representatives of business associations, navigation system actors and delegates from various provinces. The objective was to share the results of Stage 1 of the proposal analysis, carried out by the Evaluation Committee, and to provide greater visibility on the state of the tender process.
From that exchange, the technical instance already outlined a scenario with two bidders in a position to advance: DEME and Jan De Nul. In contrast, DTA Engenharia’s bid showed inconsistencies related to formal requirements, which anticipated its likely exclusion.
After the presentation, system users publicly expressed their support for ANPYN’s course. The president of the Argentine Vegetable Oil Industry Chamber (CIARA), Gustavo Idígoras, said “as users, we support this process” and highlighted that the meeting was “a full demonstration of its transparency.” He also noted that the sector expects the Waterway tender to move toward award in the short term.
Similarly, Javier Cervio, executive director of the Rosario Board of Trade, valued the dialogue promoted by the Agency. “It allows us to closely follow a process that is key for foreign trade,” he said, stressing the importance of participation opportunities during the tender’s development.
Private sector support came at a time when the process was entering a more definitive phase, with two international competitors positioned to compete for the Waterway concession. These are companies with extensive experience in river infrastructure projects, which raises the technical level of the contest.
Arreseygor himself emphasized at the meeting that the work done to date has been “technical, committed and professional.” He also noted that the continuation of two leading global companies is “a key element” to guarantee the quality of the process and its final outcome.