Jan De Nul Wins Dredging Contracts for Martín García Canal and Paraná River

The Administrating Commission of the Río de la Plata signed a five‑year contract on 30 July with the Belgian firm Jan De Nul’s Uruguay branch to maintain, widen and improve the Martín García Canal, a key navigation link between the Río de la Plata and the Río Uruguay. The agreement includes routine dredging and possible capacity upgrades aimed at enhancing safety, efficiency and the competitiveness of ports in Uruguay and Argentina.

Separately, the Argentine national government awarded a 25‑year concession for the Paraná trunk waterway to a Jan De Nul‑Servimagnus consortium. The concession involves deepening the channel to 40 feet, despite the Prosecutor’s Office flagging procedural irregularities and the absence of a cumulative environmental impact assessment. Environmental groups warn that the dredging could alter river slopes, affect flood cycles, fish reproduction, increase sedimentation and introduce invasive species, raising concerns over ecological and social impacts.