The construction of the fuel storage plant, located in the city of Acajutla, will be completed by July of 2010.
The company Monelca, S.A. de CV., which is responsible for the construction of the Alba Petróleos plant in El Salvador, said that it will have a storage capacity of 350,000 barrels of fuel: diesel and gasoline (regular, super, and aviation fuel) as well as about 5,000 barrels of liquefied petrol gas.
Although it is not definitive, it seems that the various sectors have agreed that the La Union Port will be granted in concession to an international operator.
This was expressed by spokespersons for the presidential commission set up to analyze the concession of the Acajutla and the La Union ports.
Gloria Salguero Gross, presidential commissioner for governance, explained that "if we do not get an operator that is well recognized and of great importance, it will be a total failure," logically in reference to the model of administration for which is government is responsible.
The project presented by the Government to the Legislative Assembly proposed the concession of both the La Union and the Acajutla ports to one operator.
CEPA president, Albino Román, said that this is the most appropriate way because it is attractive to big companies and will permit better development of the terminal and will generate income for the country, both from the operation of the port as well as from taxes.
Yesterday the Vice-president of the Republic headed the first meeting of the committee established to analyze the future concession process for the Salvadoran port system.
The schedule established by the Autonomous Executive Port Commission to grant concessions for the ports of Acajutla and La Union is being delayed due to the refusal of some lawmakers to approve the Government’s proposal.
El Salvador is reaping results from the promotion of its ports system through the Investment Promotion Agency.
More companies are interested in the possibility of operating the nation's port system, including maritime terminals at Acajutla and the still-under-construction port at La Unión, says Vice President Ana Vilma de Escobar.
The vice president was participaing in the TOC Europe Events in Holland, a meeting of the world's leading port operators and shipowners.
Authorities in El Salvador have presented the terms of the tender that will lead to concessions for the ports of Acajutla and La Unión.
The operator will have to invest US$95 million in the first five years, according to the terms presented by Rolando Díaz Benavides of the nation's Autonomous Executive Ports Commission (CEPA).