In El Salvador plans are afoot to launch a tender at the International Airport at the beginning of 2013, after securitization that could take shape in December 2012.
Elsalvador.com.sv reports that "The Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) said yesterday that they will wait until December to securitize part of the revenue from International Airport El Salvador (AIES) and that it will be used to improve the facilities of this terminal. "
Foreign and local firms, with experience in the operation of dry bulk port terminals, are invited to submit expressions of interest for the project.
Project: MODERNIZATION PROJECT FOR SOLID BULK CARGO TERMINAL AT PUERTO CORTES.
Title: CONTRACT FOR OPERATION OF SOLID BULK TERMINAL
Deadline for receipt of documents: October 2, 2012
The National Port Authority in its capacity as Settlor and the Trustee COALIANZA, in its capacity as Settlor and Banco Atlántida in its capacity as Trustee, signed on 15 May of 2012 a Trust Agreement of Directors for a period of 30 years for structuring, project Development and Promotion of the bulk terminal of Puerto Cortes.
In 2013 the construction of bulk carriers and cruise ship docks will begin along with the expansion of the beaches for containers.
Currently the port measures 914 meters, and the works will extend the area by approximately 600 meters.
Luis Alberto Gomez, controller of the port terminal told the press, "We want to improve the infrastructure and machinery to keep the port at the forefront in Central America."
The capacity of the canal terminal’s load will be expanded from 2.2 to 4 million TEUs and cranes and modern equipment will be installed.
Juan Carlos Croston, vice president of marketing for the Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) stated that the modernization of the Canal terminal represents an investment of $300 million, and will increase the capacity from 2.2 to 4 million TEUs and will include the installation of cranes for post panamax boats.
The Honduran Port Authority (ENP in Spanish) has announced it is to invest $225 million in improving the port's facilities.
ENP head, Maynor Pinto, explained that the Cortés Port initiative will be financed by funds from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the World Bank, commenting that in around three months the first $40 million are expected.
American Development Gateway will begin the second phase of the studies required for the construction of a new port terminal in Moin.
The company told BNamericas that an estimated a $ 4.9 million will be spent in a detailed design covering technical, legal, financial and environmental aspects of the project and the preparation of draft bidding rules.
Costa Rica's official newspaper will publish today the bidding rules for the concession of Port Moín.
According to sources from the National Concessions Council, the bidding rules for Port Moín concession should be published today in the Official Gazette, with modifications by the General Comptroller of the Republic. The government was finally unable to tender Port Limón and Port Moín simultaneously, as was the initial idea.
The cartel was published today in the Gazette, the official newspaper of Costa Rica, starting the concession process of the Limón Port.
The cartel for the $812 million project, which was approved last week by the National Concession Council (CNC), is to be awarded this year.
The president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Exporters (CADEXCO), Monica Araya, told Elfinancierocr.com that the cartel will be reviewed by an expert committee to determine a respective position. It must be remembered that CADEXCO has expressed concerns about the possibility that the process will end up in the hands of a single operator."
The cartel for the concession of the expansion of the Costa Rican Caribbean Port, with a reference amount of $812 million, was approved.
The Minister of Transport and Public Works of Costa Rica, Karla González, announced that the cartel for the tender of the Limón port project was approved, and it is expected to be published in the official newspaper in the coming days, giving bidders three months to submit their proposals.
Work to expand and upgrade ports in Central America is coming in fits and starts as port authorities and national governments grapple with governance and social issues.
“All of the Central American ports have some expansion in mind, some more than others,” said Mike Hopkins, vice president of operations in the U.S. for Crowley Maritime Corp., a shipping line active in the U.S. trades with Central America and the Caribbean.
The first phase of the remodeling of the Santo Tomas de Castilla Port will be done with a loan from the BCIE (the Central American Bank for Economic Integration) to build new yards for storing containers.
One of the biggest projects by the Government of Alvaro Colom and Rafael Espada, it could start before the end of the year.
In addition to the remodeling of the port, plans include the construction of a tourist pier, the relocation of the scrap metal deposit, the renovation of the old administration building, the construction of a stadium, the implementation of a nursery, an airport and the widening of the Puerto Barrios - Santo Tomas de Castilla highway for which the Ministry of Communications is responsible.
A Spanish consortium has been chosen to do the feasibility study for an increase in capacity of the port of Santo Tomás de Castilla on Guatemala's Atlantic coast.
The consortium consists of Ingeniería Idom Internacional, Bilbao Plaza Marítima and Grupo Hidtma.
The companies chosen are experts in civil engineering, feasibility studies and port master plans, said Estuardo Vargas, general manager of the Santo Tomás de Castilla port.