A conflict of interest between the two ports has been revealed following a demand for the concession of the Puerto de La Union to include the Port of Acajutla.
Friday, May 6, 2016
The failure of the Puerto de La Union - the concession for which no longer even has any suitors - has a basic cause: neither today- nor in the medium term- is there enough maritime traffic for both terminals to have enough work.
This is what has now been implicitly recognized by the president of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA), Nelson Vanegas, who "... yesterday said that the companies with who they are still holding talks in order to find a concessionaire to manage the Port of Central American Union, have completely ruled out the option of participating if a new tender for the terminal is launched, similar to the contest that was launched in September 2014, in which the operation of that port alone was offered" according to an article on Elmundo.sv.
The manager of CEPA stated, "... We are still talking with companies, it is they who have expressed that the decision that they would not be willing to participate in a new tender process if the concession is only for the port of La Union ".
The representatives of the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador reported that a U.S. company decided to withdraw from the tender process for lack of transparency, which is denied by Cepa.
Without giving details of the name of the company for security reasons, this week the counselor of Public Affairs of the U.S.
CEPA authorities in El Salvador announced that they are still drafting the bases for re-tendering the concession for the port terminal operation.
In August, the authorities of the Executive Autonomous Port Commission (CEPA) reported that in October they planned to publish the tender documents to manage the Port La Union. However, recently announced that the bases are not yet ready.
A suggestion has been made to establish flat rates abroad and attract more port services companies in order to eliminate the concentration that exists today.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Competition in El Salvador:
The consultant Edgardo Gamarra, a specialist in competition and in the field of maritime port services, today introduced the "Study of the Conditions of Competition in the Maritime Port Sector in El Salvador" requested by the Superintendency of Competition. The Governing Board of the institution will analyze these results and then issue a resolution with recommendations to promote competition in this sector.
The companies Hamburg Süd and APL (American President Lines) will start operating at the marine terminal from September 13.
Ships will arrive at the terminal on Tuesdays, with three ships alternating each week.
The President of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA), Enrique Córdova, also referred to progress being made in the drafting of the decree to authorize the concession.
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