Posted on July 8, 2026
The Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata (CARP) awarded Belgian company Jan De Nul a dredging contract in the Martín García channel of the Río de la Plata, strengthening the maintenance of a key waterway for navigation between Argentina and Uruguay.
The contract, valued at US$65.9 million (mn), covers maintenance dredging works, widening, and potential improvements between km 39, in Barra del Farallón, and km 0 of the Uruguay river.
Jan De Nul, which was recently awarded the contract for the concession of the main waterway Hidrovía Paraná, was chosen by the evaluation committee because its bid turned out to be the most advantageous, having submitted the lowest price among the qualified bidders, according to a resolution published on Monday in Argentina’s Official Gazette.
The tender received three bids, submitted by Jan De Nul, CHEC Dredging and Boskalis International Uruguay. After the technical evaluation, the CARP declared only the bids from Jan De Nul and Boskalis admissible and sufficient.
The opening of financial bids took place on June 25. Jan De Nul submitted a proposal for US$65.99mn, while Boskalis bid US$149.28mn, both before VAT and other taxes.
The project aims to ensure safe navigation conditions along a strategic stretch for river and maritime connectivity in the Río de la Plata–Uruguay River system, which is key for the foreign trade and port operations of Argentina and Uruguay.
The award takes place in a context of greater attention on regional navigation infrastructure, amid processes related to the maintenance and modernization of strategic waterways for the export of agricultural, industrial, and energy cargo.
