Valparaiso tender dead in the water

Of the 18 companies that showed an initial interest, just three pre-qualified, but none entered a bid.

Undeterred Harald Jaeger, chief executive of the port authority, said: “The port will not stop its development, you need to grow.” The authority added it will “take all steps necessary to implement the redevelopment of the port”.

One alternative option that may be considered is to expand the concession of the current concessionaire Terminal Pacífico Sur (TPS).

The T2 concession has already courted controversy, with complaints filed on the proposed height of container stacks, said to be up to 15 m high.

Such a development is strongly opposed by the local Chamber of Commerce and also by the tourism office.

These concerns prompted the mayor of Valparaiso to demand better transparency and information from port company EPV, which is overseeing the concession.

The concession promises much potential, with Valparaíso located in the Central Zone, one of the most dynamic of Chile, accounting for over 60% of Chile’s GDP and population. It is also the closest West Coast port to the “Libertadores” mountain pass, the main road between Chile and Argentina.

The operation of Terminal 2, whose entry into service was planned for 2014, has an investment tag of $350m.