en.Wedoany.com Reported - The concession contract for the bulk cargo terminal at the Simón Bolívar Port in Guayaquil, Ecuador, is set to expire soon, following a 2.5-year extension granted in 2024. Operated by Andipuerto since 1999, the terminal is a key link in the country's logistics chain for clean grain transshipment.

With the extension nearing its end, no new tender documents or bidding basis have been finalized, creating uncertainty for the port operator. This sentiment may also spread to the terminal's customers and suppliers, whose primary concern is ensuring a smooth transition to maintain efficient service continuity. Gabriela Baquerizo, General Manager of Andipuerto Guayaquil, shared the company's perspective on future operations at Ecuador's main public port hub in an interview.

Gabriela Baquerizo noted that the main risk lies not in the change of operator itself, but in a hasty transition or insufficient time to ensure operational continuity. Taking this bulk terminal as an example, which handles most of the country's imported grains, an improper transition could lead to delays, higher logistics costs, increased vessel waiting times, and disruptions in the supply of raw materials needed for food production. Therefore, the most beneficial option for the country is to maintain operational continuity through a temporary extension of the existing contract while the state-led Public-Private Partnership (APP) process is completed.

Regarding the assessment of the agri-food sector, Baquerizo stated that the industry prioritizes continuity, efficiency, and predictability in the logistics chain. The main concern is not who will operate in the future, but that any transition should maintain current service levels, productivity, and logistics availability, avoiding impacts on raw material costs and ultimately food prices. She emphasized that the best safeguard is to avoid a rushed transition, and international practice recommends retaining the existing operator while the awarding authority completes a new selection process.

Since the start of the concession, Andipuerto has made continuous investments in infrastructure, equipment, and operational processes, including the construction and expansion of warehouses, development of yards and storage areas, addition of weighbridges and control systems, reinforcement of terminal structures, modernization of operational equipment, and development of complementary off-port infrastructure. In 2006, the company submitted a proposal to the port authority to expand capacity by building a second terminal and new storage areas, but it was not approved. Faced with this limitation, the company made significant investments outside the port area to support logistics chain growth.

Currently, the Ecuadorian government has decided to launch an APP process with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Baquerizo understands that this mechanism aims to attract investment, ensure transparency, and determine a solution for the terminal's long-term development. During the structuring and completion of this process, the most effective approach, consistent with international best practices, is to maintain the continuity of the existing contract through a temporary extension. She predicts that demand for grains used in food production will continue to grow in the coming years, driven by the poultry, swine, aquaculture, and feed industries, requiring increased storage capacity, improved logistics connections, a second berth, greater operational depth, and reduced vessel waiting times.

Baquerizo stated that Andipuerto is developing investment proposals aimed at increasing capacity, improving depth, and strengthening logistics infrastructure, and believes that a temporary extension of the concession period during the completion of the APP process is a reasonable solution widely used internationally and in the public interest.

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