By Yosbel Bullaín

Chief Correspondent in Nicaragua

The project covers approximately 165,000 square meters of construction, and according to authorities from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI), it seeks to make the most important port in the region.

In the first phase, we are developing a project to improve the technical and operational capabilities of the Port of Corinto. This is a multi-million-dollar investment that will have a fundamental impact on its operational capacity, explained MTI head Óscar Mojica.

In an exclusive interview with Prensa Latina, the minister noted that the port has handled an average of 3.5 million tons of all types of merchandise annually in recent years, and will increase to 7.5 million tons of cargo, which will double its operational capacity.

“This project includes the construction of two multipurpose docks; the port currently has four, and two more will be added; a new bulk terminal will be built, and work will be done to reorganize the port area to make internal operations more efficient,” he stated.

Mojica highlighted the construction of the Julia Herrera de Pomares Logistics Center, part of the maritime terminal, describing it as important, as it will decongest the entire port operation and make it more efficient by reducing the service time for importers and exporters by half.

We are substantially equipping the port with two new high-capacity mobile cranes, among 40 new pieces of equipment that have just arrived. High-capacity and versatile tugboats have also been acquired, which will provide greater security to port operations and greater efficiency in servicing visiting vessels.

The equipment also includes automation; that is, we will have a new control and monitoring center so that all field operations can be managed by a command and control center that is also currently being built and equipped, the official stated.

INCREASED PORT CAPACITY

According to Mojica, the increased port capacity will allow Nicaragua to attract international shipping companies and reduce operating costs, which will achieve greater effectiveness in import and export processes.

“Our products will leave the port in better condition, in a shorter period of time, they will reach destination markets fresher with higher quality, and of course all of this has positive effects, for example, creating new jobs,” he stated.

He added that if the country has greater port capacity, it will be more attractive for Nicaraguan exporters to use and enhance that capacity. Imports of necessary production inputs are also more efficient; we can receive larger-capacity ships from more distant latitudes that can provide better conditions for domestic production, he asserted.

The head of the MTI highlighted the maritime terminal’s strategic location on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, in the western part of the country, and commented that it benefits not only domestic merchants but also neighboring nations.

The Port of Corinto, due to its geographical location, the natural protection it provides, and the port terminal’s expansion capacity, has the potential to become a Central American hub, the minister emphasized.

THE COASTAL HIGHWAY WILL BOOST TOURISM

Mojica told Prensa Latina that the Pacific coast highway being built here today, known as the Costanera, will have a significant impact on the tourism sector and will therefore boost the country’s economic development.

It is a 355-kilometer road; we are currently building the first phase, which is 119 kilometers long, and we are in negotiations with Chinese companies for a second phase of 97 kilometers, the head of the MTI stated.

The official highlighted the importance of this project for the leisure industry and noted that the best beaches in this Central American nation are located on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast.

“These are the ones with the greatest influx of domestic and international tourists, and this highway is allowing domestic and foreign investment to expand and maximize the potential of a large tourism sector,” he emphasized.

According to the minister, the coastal highway is also essential for connectivity with maritime terminals in that area of ​​the country, such as the Ports of Corinto, Sandino, and San Juan del Sur.

EF/AD