The Uruguayan government announced on Friday (08.12.2017) that the River Plate Administrative Commission (CARP), in which Argentina also participates, agreed to carry out dredging works in 2018 to increase the depth of the Martín García Canal.
The CARP will sign in January a contract with the Dutch company Boskalis to award it the dredging and maintenance works of the Martín García channel, located between Uruguay and Argentina, on the Río de la Plata, the main access route to the port of Nueva Palmira and the Uruguay River.
"It's a A momentous achievement for the delegations of both countries, who agreed to promote the process," said the president of the Uruguayan delegation to the CARP, Felipe Michelini, in the official statement.
The official explained that "Boskalis' proposal was the most advantageous and was not challenged" and "it was a transparent international competition," in statements to the government press service.
The works represent a US$128 million investment and include deepening the channel from 32 feet (9,75 meters) to 34 feet (10,36 meters) beginning in March 2018.
Michelini considered it significant that next year, when 28 years have passed since the opening of the Martín García canal, the works will begin.
"CARP maintains certain levels of control over toll collection, navigation safety and depth that fuel its negotiating power. We will guarantee operators in the sector a depth of 34 feet for the next 10 years," the president of the Uruguayan delegation said in the letter.
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