Uruguay hub crane dispute

Being the largest vessel to dock at the Port of Montevideo, Montecon asked permission to use gantry cranes to handle boxes instead of mobile harbour cranes.

TCP, in which the port authority holds a 20% stake, insists that this is against established norms and has not ruled out resorting to legislation to defend its position. Montecon has accused TCP of trying to maintain a “monopoly” and thereby prevent competition.

Katoen Natie stresses that the port’s 2001 Master Plan specifically recognises that only the dedicated container terminal, TCP, is permitted to use gantry cranes, which are not to be permitted on the public quays because these are designated as mixed traffic facilities.

Katoen Natie fears that the $200m invested in its own terminal will effectively have been wasted if this norm is over-turned.

Uruguay’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works has also called for expressions of interest from potential users of a planned new deepwater port as part of its preparation and development of the design, construction, operation and financing of the project.