Bids revealed for US$60mn Guatemala port project

Three companies formalized bids for a US$60mn project to improve the breakwater infrastructure at Guatemala’s Quetzal port in Escuintla. 

Construcciones Integrales Avanzadas; Supervisión, Construcción y Mantenimiento; and Tecuntrac submitted offers for the contract to improve the eastern and western breakwater port infrastructure. 

 

Company	Bid in quetzales	Bid in US$	Estimated time to complete work
Construcciones Integrales Avanzadas	479.8 mn	61.9 mn	730 days
Supervisión, Construcción y Mantenimiento	477.9 mn	61.7 mn	547 days
Tecuntrac	461.6 mn	59.6 mn	480 days

 

The work mainly consists of dredging and repairs to existing structures. 

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala’s principal port based on cargo movement. The country’s ports handled 2.7% less cargo in 2020 at 27.2Mt, according to national port commission CPN. Quetzal was responsible for 12.4Mt, a 7.8% drop compared to 2019.

The project was published on December 31, 2020. President Alejandro Giammattei visited the port two days prior to inaugurate non-intrusive x-ray machines. They have been a source of tension between ports and US officials who have demanded that Guatemala take more control over its customs and borders.

During his visit, the president suggested that the port could be expanded with a new pier to improve foreign trade.

Details of the tender can be found here (in Spanish).