Argentina awards tender for key grains waterway to Belgium's Jan de Nul (updated)
UPDATE 1-Argentina awards tender for key grains waterway to Belgium's Jan de Nul Adds detail throughout
BUENOS AIRES, June 18 (Reuters) - Argentina's government on Thursday awarded a tender to dredge and maintain a key grains waterway that carries some 80% of the country's agricultural exports to Belgium's Jan De Nul and its local partner Servimagnus.
The waterway, that runs along the Parana and Paraguay rivers, is key to the transport of Argentine crops, a key national export.
Argentine authorities provisionally awarded the contract earlier this month but confirmed the decision in an official resolution. Jan de Nul has managed the river for decades.
The tender has attracted criticisms from the U.S. over allegations that Jan De Nul's consortium would expose Argentina's national security to Chinese influence.
Jan de Nul competed against rival Belgian firm DEME Group DEME.BR, in a consortium with U.S. investment firm KKR.
DEME was initially the only company to submit a bid in early 2025, prompting a fresh tender over accusations of irregularities. DEME said at the time it did not know why others had not applied.
Argentina's ports authority said on Thursday it chose Jan de Nul as the "most advantageous" bid that complied with its specifications.
The 25-year contract involves deepening the shipping lane to 40 feet, and studying if it can be deepened yet further, a bid to improve shipments and transits in time of drought.
(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin; Editing by Kylie Madry)