Peru to introduce concessions

The directorate is due to report back in early September when it must establish a definitive port development plan whose objective will be to “drive, order and coordinate the modernisation and sustainability of the national port system”.

In what is being seen as a highly controversial move, the National Ports Authority (APN) will initially take charge of the concession process, although the industry regulator Ositran will then oversee it. The task was to have been undertaken by state privatisation and investment body, ProInversion, which has accumulated substantial experience in finding private sector investment for former state industries.

The main concession process should now start in early 2005, although ports will be offered on a one-byone basis since not all terminals will be attractive to private operators.

In the meantime, US consultants Moffat & Nichol have been awarded a $300,000 contract to undertake a feasibility study for a proposed new container terminal at the port of Callao, where the current terminal is operating at 150,000TEU above capacity.