Argentina’s port authority (ANPyN) has launched a new tender for the operation and maintenance of a 1,477 km stretch of the Paraná-Paraguay waterway, ten months after a previous process was voided amidst allegations of irregularities and attracted one sole offer. The agreement applies to a 1,477-km section of the waterway, running from the Confluencia area to the Punta Indio Channel, where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike the earlier tender that proposed a 30-year term, the relaunched process contemplates a 25-year concession, with the possibility of an extension of up to 20% of the original duration. The concession works are organized into three phases:

Stage 0 (up to one year from contract signing): This stage covers maintenance of the entire waterway. It also includes the preparation of the technical, legal, and environmental documentation required for the next phase.

Stage 1: This stage comprises three major infrastructure projects:

• Widening of the Brown Canal.

• Dredging a 27 km stretch of the Paraná Bravo and a 73 km stretch of the Paraná Guazú river channels to a depth of 34 feet.

• Dredging an additional 41 km section of the Paraná Guazú channel.

Stage 2: This stage involves dredging two additional sections:

• Timbúes–Paraná de las Palmas (420 km).

• Emilio Mitre Canal–Atlantic Ocean (49.8 km).

Stage 2 also includes the preparation of studies for potential future work. Bids will be opened on February 27, 2026.