Hidrovía Paraná-Paraguay

Paraguay argues that the toll on the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, currently around US$1.30 per ton, should remain stable or even decrease under the new concession, in order to protect the country's foreign trade and preserve the competitiveness of the river corridor.

Paraguay and Argentina are making progress in defining the terms for the concession of dredging, signaling, and technological modernization works on the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway, with exclusive participation of Paraguayan companies in the consortia. The goal is to ensure 24-hour navigation, increase the operational draft of the Paraná River, and reduce logistical costs.

Paraguayan shipowners are pushing for a reduction in toll fees on the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway, currently around US$1.30 per net registered ton, arguing that there is no justification for the rates and citing shortcomings in maintenance services. Meanwhile, the Argentine government is moving forward with the pre-award of the new concession for the Argentine stretch of the waterway to the consortium formed by Belgian company Jan De Nul and Argentine firm Servimagnus, with a contract expected to run for 30 years.

The government of Javier Milei approved the technical pre-qualification of two international consortia to operate the Paraná and Paraguay rivers waterway, even after the Prosecution Office for Administrative Investigations pointed out "serious and evident irregularities" in the process.

Two Belgian multinationals, Jan De Nul and DEME, are competing for the 25-year concession of the Paraná-Paraguay waterway, a route that handles 80% of Argentine exports and also serves Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The final decision depends on the economic proposals, while Argentina's Administrative Investigations Prosecutor's Office points to irregularities in the process.