A port dispute in Montevideo blocks a second ferry operator on the Buenos Aires route

Uruguayan ferry company Colonia Express obtained permission to operate a passenger and vehicle route between Montevideo and Buenos Aires at the end of July, but cannot commence service due to a dispute over the use of a pontoon at the Montevideo port. This pontoon, which is essential for loading and unloading vehicles, is owned by Buquebus, the existing ferry operator on this route. Colonia Express is seeking shared use of the pontoon, but Buquebus opposes this proposal.

The Montevideo port's Maciel pier, where the pontoon is located, was originally built by Buquebus after it obtained the passenger terminal concession in 1996. However, in 2016, the National Ports Administration terminated this concession, making the pontoon private property. The Ministry of Transport and Public Works is reviewing Colonia Express's authorization, and administrative appeals are underway.

Colonia Express's director, Sebastián Planas, plans to take legal action against both the ministry and the ports authority, demanding a solution to the dispute.

The company argues that the pier's current state, characterized by dredging problems and maintenance shortfalls, makes it impossible to install a second platform. They aim to begin operations during the summer season, which is crucial for their business. The Montevideo port's reconstruction tender, submitted by Buquebus, is valued between 66 and 100 million dollars and has an estimated 50-year concession period. This bid gives Buquebus an advantage in the upcoming tender process.

In the past year, from January to July, over 500,000 passengers and 57,000 vehicles traveled across the River Plate on this route. Buquebus, owned by Argentine businessman Juan Carlos López Mena, saw 70,000 more boarding and disembarking movements compared to the same period last year. Colonia Express, which has been operating since 2007, has not made a public statement regarding the pontoon issue.