In an act headed by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, Dominican Port Authority (Apordom) showed the advances in the transformation of the National Port System through a strategic master plan that includes everything from the financial recovery of the institution to the modernization of the ports that will generate more than ten thousand jobs.
The also president and coordinator of the Investment and Innovation Cabinet, Raquel Peña, highlighted the significant progress that the ports Dominicans in the goal of positioning the country as the regional logistics hub and the Caribbean cruise hub, since Jean Luis Rodríguez assumed the administration of the Port Authority.
“And that is why what we are presenting here today is so important; A true strategic plan that includes everything from the financial recovery of the port institution to the modernization of the ports, with the aim of continuing the efforts to convert the Dominican Republic into the “Regional Logistics Hub and the Caribbean Cruise Hub”, pointed out.
In his speech, the executive director of the Port Authority, Jean Luis Rodríguez, dhighlighted the investment projects in ports such as Rio Haina, San Pedro de Macorís, Barahona, DP World Caucedo, Puerto Plata Port investment, and Manzanillo as an unprecedented milestone, promoting the creation of more than ten thousand new jobs, an increase significant increase in imports and exports, as well as profits.
“The generation of jobs with the projects that I just mentioned is estimated at more than 10,000 jobs, we will be raising the quality of life of around 10,000 Dominican families and will represent for the country and for Dominicans more opportunities for development of these communities and the families of the Dominican Republic,” Rodríguez said.
Regarding the cruise line, Rodríguez highlighted the growing development of the industry, which since the reopening of the post-pandemic ports has received some 398 ships with nearly half a million passengers between cruise passengers and crew members through the ports of Amber. Cove, La Romana, San Souci and Taino Bay.
“Today we are talking about more investment projects for the cruise area that seek to potentiate ports such as: Arroyo Barril, Barahona, Pedernales and Taino Bay. These projects focus the attention of the world’s major cruise lines, which have considered us for Home Ports for their operations”, he highlighted.
Referring to technological innovation, he explained that: “We arrived at an institution that worked with pencil and paper. Today that is part of the past because with the support of the UNDP we have acquired more than 300 modern computers with the capacity to integrate automated systems to improve operations”.
“In the coming months, we are working to present to the country the first port operations management software designed by ITLA. With this system we will be able to monitor cargo in our ports in real time, marking a before and after in port operations and management. Definitely, an unprecedented event”, said the executive director of the Port Authority.
Financial rescue
The official explained that upon arrival at the institution he found an economic deficit that exceeded RD$1.5 billion pesos, which made Apordom’s operations unsustainable.
“Currently Apordom has a positive balance that we have called “austere and conscious savings”, and that exceeds RD$255,046,740.96, an excess of income over expenses. Something that hasn’t happened for more than 10 years,” he pointed out.
Regarding the income, Rodríguez stated that: “at the beginning of our management in August 2020, they amounted to RD$548, 816,161.02 (closing of July 2020). At the end of 2020, the total amount was RD$1,010,698,254.79 and in the recently ended year 2021 we managed to reach RD$1,147,995,489.55, which represents 13.58% above 2020”.
Fishing Docks
“Apordom started the National Plan for the Construction and Rehabilitation of Fishing Docks, an initiative that seeks to dignify the lives of fishermen; a master plan prepared for the design, adaptation and construction of 17 docks, positively impacting the economic development of some 15,000 formally registered fishermen, and with them their families,” said Rodríguez.
He pointed out that “this project will impact 75,000 people directly and close to 500,000 people indirectly; we are just days away from inaugurating the readjustment of the Boca Chica Pier. And we have already awarded three more docks to start the docks of Palenque in San Cristóbal, Salinas in Bani and Sánchez, Samaná with an approximate investment of 85 million pesos”.
He thanked President Luis Abinader for his confidence in assigning him the task of recovering the national Port system, as well as each of the public and private sectors that have influenced the transformation of the National Port System, especially Apordom’s collaborators, and the Board of Directors of the Port Authority that have made this new reality possible.
The former president, Hipólito Mejía; the President of the Senate of the Republic, Eduardo Estrella; the Ministers of Habitat, Housing and Buildings, Carlos Bonilla, and of Public Administration, Darío Castillo; the General Director of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón; the mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía and the Comptroller of the Republic, Catalino Correa.
Also, the Commander General of the Dominican Navy, Vice Admiral Ramón Gustavo Betances Hernández; the president of the DNCD, Rear Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa; the director of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration for the Dominican Republic (CABEI), Hostos Rizik Lugo and the president of the Dominican Port Authority Council (Apordom), Alejandro Campos.
