Veracruz port capacity to rise 67% in 3-4 years
Expansion works at Veracruz port in eastern Mexican state Veracruz will increase capacity by 67% in the next three to four years, communications and transport ministry SCT general development and port administration director Leonardo Lazo told BNamericas. The port , administered by Veracruz port authority Apiver - will be able to handle 30Mt of cargo a year by the time works are complete on dredging operations, breakwaters and moors, compared to its current annual handling capacity of 18Mt, said the director.
The works will require an investment of at least 1.50bn pesos (US$134mn) in public funding, local daily Milenio quoted SCT ports and merchant marine department coordinator César Reyes as saying.
These works are expected to take off in late 2010, BNamericas reported previously.
To carry out the operations, the SCT has already acquired 300ha of land to the north of the port, and will develop it this year to prepare for the expansions, said Lazo.
In order to begin these works, the ministry must complete studies on the commercial use and engineering for the newly acquired land, as well as environmental impact and financial feasibility studies, added the director.
"We have already produced a lot of information. We have developed a lot of concepts - it is now a question of focusing on financial feasibility," said Lazo.
Such studies will be part of the port's executive project, currently under development.
Once these studies are approved, the SCT can begin bidding for companies to operate on the new land.
The environmental impact study has been submitted to national environmental authority Semarnat, and is expected to be approved by year-end, according to previous reports.
Subsequent expansions will include the privately funded building and operation of terminals, which will be added according to whether cargo movement justifies adding to existing capacity.
Annual cargo handling capacity is expected to reach 33Mt by 2015.
Industries most benefited by the expansions include bulk materials such as cement, scrap metal and fertilizer, containers and vehicles.
The works will require an investment of at least 1.50bn pesos (US$134mn) in public funding, local daily Milenio quoted SCT ports and merchant marine department coordinator César Reyes as saying.
These works are expected to take off in late 2010, BNamericas reported previously.
To carry out the operations, the SCT has already acquired 300ha of land to the north of the port, and will develop it this year to prepare for the expansions, said Lazo.
In order to begin these works, the ministry must complete studies on the commercial use and engineering for the newly acquired land, as well as environmental impact and financial feasibility studies, added the director.
"We have already produced a lot of information. We have developed a lot of concepts - it is now a question of focusing on financial feasibility," said Lazo.
Such studies will be part of the port's executive project, currently under development.
Once these studies are approved, the SCT can begin bidding for companies to operate on the new land.
The environmental impact study has been submitted to national environmental authority Semarnat, and is expected to be approved by year-end, according to previous reports.
Subsequent expansions will include the privately funded building and operation of terminals, which will be added according to whether cargo movement justifies adding to existing capacity.
Annual cargo handling capacity is expected to reach 33Mt by 2015.
Industries most benefited by the expansions include bulk materials such as cement, scrap metal and fertilizer, containers and vehicles.
