Argentina and Uruguay Complete Plata, Uruguay River Dredging

Argentinian and Uruguayan officials announced in July the two countries completed dredging at both the De La Plata and the Uruguay River, a joint project seen by the governments as vital for the economy of the neighboring nations. Binational Administrative Commission of the Uruguay River (CARU) said the dredging at the Martín García channel resulted in a depth of 34 feet in the soft bottom and 38 feet in the hard bottom along the channel’s 104-kilometer (64.6-mile) extension. Dredging at the Uruguay River part cost about $50 million US, while investments to dredge the Martín García channel in the De La Plata River cost another $58 million US, CARU estimated. CARU representatives held a ceremony to celebrate the project’s completion. Several officials, including CARU President Mauro Vazón, Vice President Gastón Silbermann, as well as delegates Silvia Aguinaga, Rogelio Texeira, Juan Ruiz Orrico, Eduardo Villalba, Eduardo Caminal, German Martella and Jorge Satto attended it. “Complete navigability of the Uruguay River strengthens the regional economies, which are so important for the development of Argentina’s northeast region and the eastern coast. There, the synergy of our actions allows us to see the (De La Plata) river in a shared way as it is the union of our common goals, and not as a boundary,” CARU’s president, Mauro Vazón, said. Silbermann said the joint project will now allow larger vessels to transit the area, which will also lead to reduced cargo costs and increased benefits for all the value chain. Dredging at the Uruguay River brought its depth to 25 feet along its 187-kilometer (116.1-mile) extension.