Management of port operations will be handled by a private concessionaire.

hat is involved in the pre-qualifying round of the concession process and how long has it been open?

Since February of 2006, the Port Authority of Guayaquil has been inviting private sector individuals and/or companies to participate in the pre-qualifying process for the concession of the container and multipurpose terminals. The objective of pre-qualification is to select a group of participants that, once they have met the requirements established in the pre-qualification regulations and achieved pre-qualification status, will be the only ones allowed to participate in the bidding process for the Port of Guayaquil’s concession. These regulations can be found online at www.puertodeguayaquil.com.

What rights or usage will the concessionaire enjoy?

The Port of Guayaquil concession will include the use and commercial development of the container and multipurpose terminals (refrigerated and containerized general cargo). These will be granted in concession as a whole to a single company.

What infrastructure does the port currently have in terms of terminals?

The Port of Guayaquil is comprised of three specialized terminals: the container terminal, the general cargo or multipurpose terminal, and the bulk terminal, which has been under concession since 1999.

The port infrastructure of the terminals for concession is the following:

a) General Cargo
Number of Berths: 5 docks
Total Length: 925 meters
Warehouses next to the dock: 4
Back Row Warehouses: 20
Dangerous Cargo Warehouses: 4

b) Container Terminals
Number of Berths: 3 docks
Total length: 555 meters
Warehouses: 3
Container Storage Modules: 4 modules for 7,500 TEU

What investment will the concessionaire be required to provide?

The concessionaire must carry out investment in construction, maintenance and equipment of approximately $150 million.

What time period will the concession cover?

The estimated period of the concession will be 20 years.

What are the prerequisites for participating in the pre-qualifying stage of the concession process?

In order to be eligible to participate, participants, whether they are national or international individuals, private enterprises or consortia, must meet the conditions of the following categories:

- Investment Category: The net worth of the participant in the last fiscal year (2004-2005) must have been at least $100 million. This capital represents two-thirds of the investment required by the concession.

- Port Operator Category: The participant must have had experience in the management and operation of at least one port or container/multipurpose terminal, which has had an average movement of no less than 600,000 TEUs over the last three years and which handles at least three million metric tons of general cargo per year (including the handling of fresh fruit, especially bananas, and excluding bulk). These limits are based on the current cargo volume of the Port of Guayaquil so it is necessary that the concessionaire have the experience needed to operate a port the size of the Port of Guayaquil.

- Investment/Operator Category: the participant who simultaneously fulfills the specifications of the previous two categories.