Growing demand in Colombia has led to suggestions that the navigable channel should be reinstated on the Magdalena River, given the difficulty of building roads through the interior of the country.

The local governor suggests that both petrol and dry bulk products would particular benefit.

The river regulator, Cormagdalena, will invest $22.6m, which involves upgrade work along 14 km of the 1540km waterway. This should remove sediment and allow a 100 km section to be fully navigable.