COLOMBIA

Belgian firm Jan de Nul will widen and deepen the entrance channel to Cartagena Port at a cost of about $30 million according to Colombian paper El Universal. Jan de Nul was one of two firms considered for the project along with Dredging International. It will replace Boskalis which was hired to dredge the channel to its depth of 15.5 meters (51 feet) after it had accumulated enough sediment to be reduced to about 12 meters (39 feet) as of late last year. Jan de Nul has been hired to dredge the port to 20.5 meters (67 feet). It will also be widened from 84 meters (276 feet) to 150 meters (492 feet). IDR reported last year that the expansion was controversial because it required expanding into an area of historical value. An alternate plan would have dredged through areas of environmental sensitivity.