The construction of the new container terminal in Moin has rekindled business hotels, corporate machinery, transportation and others, in an area deprived of development factors.
Renting working machinery, hiring companies for events and renting hotel rooms are just some of the new business deals being generated in Limon, since construction of mega-port project at Moin started.
Only two of the four companies pre-qualified so far by the Autonomous Executive Port Commission have requested the tender documentation to bid for works at the port.
Of the four companies invited to participate in the tender for the construction of Puerto La Union, two are European, one Chilean and one Filipino. Although the period to collect documents began on September 4, so far only two have applied for them.
At a public audience in which authorities unveiled the proposed rates for port La Unión, several shipping companies remarked that these are not competitive.
At first glance, they commented that the rates are very similar to those of Port Acajutla (in Sonsonate).
“Milton Guillén, from Remasur, commented that docking costs seem competitive, but are overshadowed by large stay fees.
Drafting a law decree for giving La Unión's operation under concession could take more than two years.
This was stated by the Executive Autonomous Port Commission (CEPA), who considered the estimated length of the technical feasibility study by the Japanese International Cooperation Bank, which will start in October.
"The estimated time could be shortened, but it depends on the transparency of the process.
The Japanese government will donate a study worth $100.000, to identify viable alternatives for the port.
This study would start in October, and would be carried out by professional consultants. Among other things, it should determine potential demand for the port's services in the following years.
"... they will also conduct a risk and financial analysis, for Salvadoran authorities to evaluate different operation models for the new port", reported Elsalvador.com.
The "ASAP" start of operations of the port, announced by President Funes, will be delayed for over 18 months.
As a response to the temporary closure of Acajutla port for repairs, Funes had announced that the government was going to start operating Port La Unión.
"After some research, CEPA president Guillermo López Suárez concluded that it will take several months, a year and a half or even more, to start operations in the port", told Mauricio Funes to newspaper Elsalvador.com.
Facing closure of the Port of Acajutla for repairs, the Salvadoran government decided to start operations in La Unión Port.
President Mauricio Funes announced: "While the repair and restructuring works continue in the Port of Acajutla, it must be closed, and the cargo will be transferred to La Unión".
An article in Elsalvador.com, transcribes comments by Funes: "That is a fact...
Among the main investments for this year is the purchase of two container cranes.
Francisco Portillo, Manager of Port Acajutla, reports that in 2010 the Executive Board of Autonomous Ports (CEPA acronym in Spanish) is also planning an investment of $9.6 million in infrastructure and equipment.
German Rivas writes in Laprensagrafica.com about the plans for the remainder of this year: “There is also a major project for the refurbishing of the piers A and C’s concrete structures, which require an investment of $3 million.
From yesterday until Friday, port representatives from the isthmus will be gathered, assessing the progress in port modernization.
In the beginning of the meeting Rolando Diaz, manager of concessions for the Autonomous Port Executive Committee of El Salvador, referred to the completion of la Unión Centroamericana Port in December 2008, with an investment of $183 million.