Cerealsur to provide technical information over Carrasco

The Cerealsur consortium has 15 days to provide additional technical capability information, after it was tentatively awarded a contract to operate Montevideo's Carrasco international airport in August, defense minister Yamandu Fau announced. The consortium presented a US$34mn offer for shares in the airport's current concessionaire Puerta del Sur, more than double the US$15mn asking price. Regarding the consortium's economic and financial solvency, Fau said the group greatly exceeds requirements, and that once the additional information is provided, they will proceed with the review process. The 30-year contract also envisages investments of US$75mn for works such as enlarging and rehabilitating the main runway, and building new cargo and passenger terminals. Argentine airport concessionaire Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 (AA2000), Italian airport operator Societa Esercizi Aeroportuali (SEA) and US investors make up Cerealsur. SEA will be directly responsible for operating the airport, from passenger and cargo movement to duty free shops. AA2000 operates 32 airports in Argentina and is formed by Corporacion America Sudamericana (35%), SEA (28%), Simest Spa (8%), Ogden Corporation (28%) and RIVA (1%). A little over 566,000 passengers passed through Carrasco last year, along with 20,238t of cargo.