Ten teams were shortlisted for the scheme in August, with the Temporary Union EIF Navigability Rio Meta consortium, comprising Coral Delgado & Asociados, Bonus Banca de Inversión and Ingeniería De Proyectos, seeing off the competition.
The consortium will be required to deliver the comprehensive structuring of the river corridor by the end of 2024, and will also need to guarantee the technical, legal and financial components in compliance with the best practices for P3 projects.
The Meta River is part of the Orinoco hydrographic zone, and its development would commercially connect Colombia with Venezuela.
“By guaranteeing the navigability of this important river, freight transportation costs could be reduced by up to 50% and, at the same time, improve the regional economic integration of Casanare, Arauca, Meta and Vichada with the interior of the country and the cities,” said Jonathan Bernal, vice president of structuring at ANI.