Our country invests in the dredging of the Paraguay River, in the section shared with Argentina, in an area of responsibility of the neighboring country, which, far from collaborating, charges a toll for the passage of barges.
The waterway agreement, in the Article 9 establishes that you can have a fee, as long as there is a consideration in the service, something that according to the Paraguayan authorities, does not occur in this case. Even so, Argentina collects the toll.
Within this same agreement, responsibilities in shared waters are distributed. In this sense, the dredging works that are carried out in Paso Queso, with resources from the Paraguayan Government, that is, with taxes paid by the citizens, correspond precisely to Argentina.
Related note: Tolls on boats: Argentina tramples waterway agreement
This was revealed by the Vice Minister of Economic Relations and Integration, Enrique Franco, in an interview with Universo-Nación Media radio this week.
Despite the unfavorable weather conditions and the difficult navigability, even so it is possible to circulate in the section that the neighboring government establishes the toll.
The MOPC reported that the work at the mouth of the Bermejo River, in the area of Travesía and Vuelta Queso, km 80, will continue until the river reduces the amount of sediments. This point is one of the most critical and is located between Pilar and Humaitá, department of Ñeembucú.
Also read: Stranded vessels generate delays and cost overruns, expect dredging as soon as possible
Regarding lot 2, the pre-dredging bathymetry is expected to begin tomorrow at the latest, to begin work in the Confuso area, km 413. They will do the same in lot 3, km 781, north of Concepción.
The three lots were tendered and awarded for G. 372,800,000,000 with an execution period of 36 months. The sections are the following:
Lot 1, which includes the Paraguay River from the confluence with the Paraná River to km 387, was for the company Ingeniería de Topografía de Caminos SA (T&C SA) with a total contract of G. 122,800,000,000;
Lot 2 that begins at km 387 and goes to km 704 was for the company Terminal Occidental SA for G. 124,000,000,000 and,
Lot 3 from km 704 to the confluence with the APA river, was won by the firm Artes y Estructuras SA for a maximum price of G. 126,000,000,000, thus totaling G. 372,800,000,000 TV on the three fronts.
