The Uruguayan government reportedly plans to invest some US$53m in order to consolidate the Port of Montevideo as the logistical centre for regional distribution by boosting efficiency and reducing maritime and river transportation costs.
The project, partly funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, will be carried out by Uruguay’s National Ports Authority – an autonomous agency of the Ministry of Transportation.
Under the plan, cargo handling capacity at the port will be expanded through the building of a new multipurpose wharf, while the access channel will be widened to allow entry for larger vessels.
The planned improvements are designed to enhance efficiency and reduce maritime and river transportation costs.
The Port of Montevideo is Uruguay’s main port and ranks fourth in the Mercosur region in terms of container traffic after Santos in Brazil and Buenos Aires and Rio Grande in Argentina.
Montevideo is the main hub for refrigerated containers in the region and its operations have a strong trans-national impact, since more than half of its activity involves the trans-shipment of containers from neighbouring countries.
More than 70 per cent of Uruguay’s total exports and imports move through the country’s maritime and river transportation system.
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