Acajutla concession bidding open until mid-Feb.

El Salvador's port authority, Cepa, has launched a bidding process for the operation of the Acajutla port complex, Prensa Grafica reported. The first phase of the bidding process will be headed by the institutional contracts and acquisition unit (UACI) and bidding rules will be available until January 12, with offers due February 16. The concession will be granted for 25 years, which can be extended another 10 years if the winning firm fulfills contractual obligations. The state has invested US$6mn in equipment this year, while some US$18mn is necessary from private investments, the paper added, while security equipment is expected to be installed by July 2004. The winner will be required to invest US$18mn in port operations during the first 10 years of the concession, of which US$10mn will be invested within the first three years, BNamericas previously reported. Investments are expected to lead to more port competition with neighboring Guatemala and Honduras, the paper said. Acajutla, in Sonsonate department some 85km west of capital San Salvador, is the country's only large-scale port, and has rail and road connections to the city. The port mostly handles liquid and solid bulk cargo, but also moved 35,000 containers last year. Total cargo moved, excluding bulk liquids, was 2.8Mt in 2002.