LatinNews Daily - 20 May 2026

*Argentina’s economy ministry has announced that the government led by President Javier Milei is moving towards the “decisive stage” in the controversial tender process to dredge and manage the Paraguay-Paraná river waterway. It stated that the bids submitted by Belgian companies Jan de Nul and Dredging, Environmental and Marine Engineering (Deme) were US$3.80 per tonne, which it said was US$0.50 lower than the current rate, resulting in savings of 13.5%. The final score for each bidder will now be evaluated based on their technical score and the bid price. “The ultimate goal is to ensure a competitive rate for Argentine producers, greater operational predictability, and the modernisation of a strategic infrastructure that channels a significant portion of the country’s foreign trade,” stated the economy ministry. It added that neither Jan de Nul nor Deme filed any objections in the two previous stages or challenged the requirements of the bid documents, “which confirms the transparency and soundness of the procedure”. However, the process has been beset with controversy, with the public prosecutor’s office, NGOs, and private companies all having raised transparency and competition concerns. Once the economic evaluation is complete, Argentina’s port authority, Agencia Nacional de Puertos y Navegación (Anpyn), will proceed with the awarding and signing of the concession contract, which involves an estimated investment of around US$10bn.

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