CPA and CPS Off to a New Start After many years of negotiations, Curaçao Ports Authority, (CPA), and Curaçao Port Services, (CPS), have finally arrived at an agreement with regards to the long-standing monopoly held by CPS, over the island’s port containerization and stevedoring services. In September 2016, Minister of Economic Development, Eugene Ruggenaath, CPA Chief Executive Officer, Humberto de Castro and Fernando da Costa Gomes of CPS, signed a new port concession, which eliminates the exclusive rights previously held by CPS over all port services. TEXT HELEN GRIFFITH
Just a few years after the establishment of CPA in 1981, an agreement was signed granting CPS the exclusive right to carry out all stevedoring services in the ports, and the handling of all containers and goods at the Container Terminal. Originally, CPA acted as a Tool Port and was responsible for the fixed port infrastructure including the quay walls, all harbor wharfs and the gantry cranes. CPS, on the other hand,
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was responsible for the operations of the port services and port buildings. This original agreement was to be automatically renewed every 10yrs, essentially granting CPS a permanent monopoly over the ports. Several key stakeholders, including parliament, saw the need to revise this concession as quickly as possible in order to allow themselves
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the option to attract new container terminal operators to serve the transshipment market and to facilitate further economic growth. After much negotiation between the parties concerned, CPA and CPS arrived at an accord, overseen by Minister Eugene Ruggenaath, that provides a number of key benefits to the harbor. This agreement eliminates the exclusive rights that CPS holds over the ports for the next 20 years and opens up the market to newcomers in the industry. It also clears the way for the development of container transshipment or bulk transshipment in Bullenbaai. Due to the size of the harbor at the Annabaai, transshipment would not be possible because of the size of the larger vessels and the depth of the harbor. Bullenbaai is seen as an attractive alternative. Extensive feasibility studies have been conducted and the conclusion is that the development of Bullenbaai as a transshipment port could be a viable project with the consideration of 3 major factors. Firstly, the total investment required for the entire project would amount to 400-500 million dollars. The development of this port would require a huge investment, not just in port facilities at Bullenbaai, but also in infrastructure in the surrounding lands to facilitate easy access to the port. Secondly, a complete market assessment would be con-
