PORT OF BARRANQUILLA REQUESTS DEEPENING STUDY

Officials from Colombian port of Barranquilla asked the country’s transport ministry to conduct research on deepening the port’s access canal to 15 meters (about 49.2 feet) Caracol Radio said. René Puche president at the local port said government didn’t attend to the facility’s requests arguing there are no resources to perform such a study. Jan De Nul performed emergency dredging at the access canal as the local port restricted the transit of ships that had a draft more than 9.3 meters (about 30.5 feet). Puche said an ideal depth for the local port would be around 15 meters (about 49.2 feet). The executive added that Barranquila needs the permanent presence of a dredge to help it keep access to the canal in optimal conditions and avoid restrictions.