Dubai-based port operator DP World has spoken out against the Peruvian government’s slowness in handling the firm’s US$1.3bn initiative to modernize Callao port’s Muelle Norte terminal.

The government has yet to provide any feedback on or suggest changes to the proposal DP World submitted in 2008, but the proposal cannot be improved until the project is declared of public interest, according to the firm’s general manager, Maciek Kwiatkowski.

“Our private initiative has been on hold for over a year, which is an inexcusable delay in a country where everyone knows there is a bottleneck in the port. Now other proposals have been presented, but it’s all talk, and nothing happens,” Kwiatkowski was quoted as saying by government news agency Andina.

A tender to evaluate DP World’s proposal was awarded earlier this month; however, private investment promotion agency ProInversiуn has yet to sign a contract with the winning consortium, according to local press reports.

National ports operator Enapu expects to define a “strategic partner” for the development of Muelle Norte by end-H1, according to the firm’s president, Mario Arbulъ.

Rather than directly concessioning the port, Enapu now hopes to participate in the terminal’s modernization. However, this possibility is not included in DP World’s proposal, which makes the initiative “unfeasible,” Arbulъ said.

The transport and communications ministry (MTC) aims to avoid the port being concessioned to a sole operator, Andina reported. DP World is set to begin operating Callao’s Muelle Sur terminal later this year.

“There must be competition at Callao; having just one operator would not be convenient,” transport minister Enrique Cornejo was quoted as saying.

In February, Netherlands-based APM Terminals submitted a US$1.9bn initiative to modernize Muelle Norte. Two other major port operators are also interested in the terminal, according to Cornejo.

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