PIANC Panama - Agenda

In virtue of the development it has had Puerto San Antonio in recent years (managed by Empresa Portuaria San Antonio, EPSA) with a share over 40% market state and national ports, dealers San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI) and Puerto Central (PCE) have had to execute different investment plans (above MM USD 580) to double the transfer capacity to MM3 TEU/year to the 2028 horizon of the current port, this will allow absorbing the demand projections in the short and medium term that put Puerto San Antonio in the 10 place in the ECLAC ranking (see http://bit.ly/2rjlH2O).

As noted above, considering the role of EPSA as a port facilitator and manager of the common areas, the engineering project and the respective environmental impact study were developed during 2012 to deepen the common maritime area (Poza Grande) of the Port of San Antonio and some adjoining areas until achieving probes between -15 and -16 mNRS to meet New Panamax type ships (lengths and estimated capacities of 367 meters and 13 thousand TEUs respectively). This project finally obtains its technical approval by the National Direction of Port Works of the Ministry of Public Works (DOP) on 14 November 2013 and the Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA) Favorable by the Environmental Assessment Service of the Ministry Environment on July 31, 2014.

Dredging works were contracted through international public bidding to the company of the Netherlands Boskalis International BV, whose dredging operation was 24/7. Due to the characteristics of the material to be extracted from the seabed (higher percentage of index material N-SPT 10 to 30), one type mechanical dredger BACKHOE (BHD) Cornelius I,in conjunction with barge not propelled Kurt Schulte for transport of the material dredged to the dumping area established in the RCA at 5.6 nautical miles from the entrance mouth of the port, a tugboat (RAM Pequén) for support of the dredger and transport barge to dumping area, in addition to ship support personnel carriers and development multibeam bathymetries control probes for determining volumes and feed.

The dredging procedure developed by the contractor basically consisted of:

1. Positioning in dredging area through the use of pylons.
2. Positioning barge by means of RAM.
3. Excavation project level (-16 mNRS) and loading material by the dredger barge (as established RCA volume is limited to 2,000 m3 per trip).
4. Transport of barge by means of RAM to the dumping area.
5. Shedding of Material.
6. Return barge to dredging area.

Due to the use of berthing fronts by both dealers (STI and PCE) and the infrastructure works that were being executed in parallel to the dredging works, one of the challenges on the part of Boskalis International B.V. it was the coordination and spatial programming to dredge in the common maritime area (under normal conditions and in case of port traffic), so it was necessary to subdivide the area project in different areas, some of them as a buffer, other priority areas near the berthing fronts of the STI concessionaire and the rest located within the common area whose prioritization was established based on historical traffic data within the port (average of 7 daily movements), contrasted with the background that Boskalis International B.V. In order to periodically optimize this coordination and programming, the contractor's participation in the planning meetings was established daily in the bidding process.

Another of the challenges presented during the development of the works was, in virtue of the works that PCE developed in parallel with the construction of the first stage of 350 meters against docking, of a total of 700 meters, the establishment of an intermediate stage to guarantee the operation of the first stage at the level -14 mNRS. This provoc or contractor that this area should consider spending a second chance to end dredging level project.

Finally, the project dredging was reflected in the following s figures:

• Start of dredging works: October 10, 2015.
• End of dredging works: October 27, 2016.
• Final volume of extracted material: 745,493 m3.
• Total number of trips barge to dumping area: 415 trips.

From the environmental point of view, the works were developed in strict compliance with the RCA that established a series of measures that were inspected a total of 6 opportunities during the execution of the works (Superintendency of Environment, AA.MM., Regional Secretary Ministry of Health and DOP), which included at least;

1. Monitoring before, during, and after the end of the project (sediment and water quality), in the dredging area as pouring.
2. Monitoring of demersal resources in the discharge area before and during the end of the project.
3. Periodic multibeam bathymetries control.
4. Compliance with Chilean regulations for:
   • Supply of industrial and potable water.
   • Fuel supply.
   • Supply and replacement of oil.
   • Wastewater removal.
   • Storage and removal of solid waste.
5. Controls maximum allowed dumping volumes.
6. Dumping controls only in established area.
7. Control of emissions.
8. Development of talks to staff (environmental risks, archeology, others).
9. Development of dissemination plan, both to the community and to authorities.
10. Others.

In addition to the technical and environmental aspects described, during the execution of the dredging differences between the volume transported by barge on what measured bathymetric surveys were detected, resultingin an additional volume of 89,971 m3 caused mainly by the OBR as surrounding the sector it must be dredged by Boskalis International BV within the scope contract (additional works).