The president of the National Administration of Ports (ANP), Juan Curbelo, referred to the current situation of the Port of Montevideo in terms of its projections, the struggle between companies and union claims.
«The first thing we have to convey is the total decision made by the government and the vision we have regarding the future of the port of Montevideo, the development of port policy. We are totally convinced that what was done will be very positive for the port and shipping activity and for the positioning of Montevideo in the future”, the hierarch began in conversation with Radio Carve.
As for the problems experienced, Curbelo indicated that it is something normal in a “transition” stage. “Obviously in this transition stage complex situations are experienced that we try to manage. Our proposal is that every port operator can continue providing it », he said.
“Yes, it is true that we had distortions in terms of union demands, particularly with Montecon. In this sense, in the last few hours the company decided to rescind the measures taken regarding the sending of personnel to unemployment insurance and the reduction of insured wages. We see that with very good eyes », he explained.
Faced with the proposal that Montecon take these measures in the face of the reductions in the lines with which they work, the president of PNA He said: «The company obviously analyzes the financial economic situation and understands that when a service is transferred from the public docks to the Cuenca del Plata Terminal (TCP) was going to reduce his work. We can understand it beyond that the level of movement will be quite a bit higher than in 2019 and 2020″.
Increase in port activity
For the chief, this is an “objectively good” year since “although this is a complex year from the union point of view, we have to say that this is a year that will be very good for port activity. It will be a year where we will be above the 25% increase in container movement; where we managed, after a lot of effort, to once again bring the cargo from the region, specifically that of Paraguay.”
Regarding the situation of the infrastructure of the port, Curbelo indicated that there are some complications since “the entrances to the ports have many works that are carried out at the same time: the viaduct, the northern access, the work of the specialized UPM pulp terminal, the expansion of Obrinel, the train; in short, many works. That creates distortions.
Fusion between TCP and Montecon
The president of ANP did not know if there are negotiations for Montecon and Katoen Natie to merge. “We want all the companies that are operating with the rules of the game that we believe are more beneficial,” he assured.
On the other hand, he indicated that there are negotiations for current Montecon workers to go to work in the company whose main shareholder is Katoen Natie.
“There is a working group in Dinatra that analyzes the possibility (of hiring Montecon workers). On the one hand, there was talk of the loss of jobs, on the other hand we have the TCP, which formally told us that before the end of the year they need 50 workers for the operational part and for the year 2022 they speak of a figure not less than 80 positions. It works for both of them.”
Regarding the latter, within the intentions is that workers with port experience have priority, which positions Montecon well.
