Belgium's DEME submits sole bid for Argentina grains river contract (updated)
12/02/2025 18:35
(Adds detail throughout)
By Maximilian Heath
BUENOS AIRES, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Belgian company DEME
Group DEME.BR was the sole firm to bid in the Argentine
government's tender for a major maintenance contract for the
Parana waterway, a key route for grains transport, the
government said on Wednesday.
The bid could mark a major shakeup in dredging the river,
part of a route from inland areas of Paraguay, Bolivia and
southern Brazil out to sea. Argentina ships out some 80% of its
massive farm exports along the waterway.
Belgian rival Jan de Nul currently holds the concession
to maintain the river and has for decades, but its attempt to
hold onto the contract has come under pressure from DEME who
alleged that the bidding process was rigged in favor of Jan de
Nul.
Argentine prosecutors on Tuesday had also reported
evidence of "serious and evident irregularities" in the wording
of the latest tender.
Jan de Nul and Argentina's economy ministry, which led
the tender, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. DEME declined to comment.
(Reporting by Maximilian Heath, Writing by Kylie Madry, Editing
by Daina Beth Solomon)
((Kylie.Madry@thomsonreuters.com;))