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Last updated October 24th., 2007.

ENCE WILL START BUILDING CELLULOSE MILL END OF 2007.

ENCE will start to build a cellulose mill in Uruguay at the end of 2007, with an investment of USD 1.000 million and will begin operations in the first quarter of 2010. The ENCE project gathers the forest, cellulose and energy sectors and by the time the plant starts operations as from the third quarter of 2010, besides being autosufficient energy supplied, it will generate some 60 Mv hour of electricity. The spanish mill will be located in the zone so called Punta Pereira, in the county of Colonia (120 km west of Montevideo) border to the River Plate where the production will be loaded. In principle ENCE projected to build up their plant close to Fray Bentos and the decision to relocate it, was due to logistics issues and company's interests. The plant construction will last two years and will be effected by a specialized company presently ''under negotiations''. In this way Uruguay will have 2 cellulose mills working then, BOTNIA to be inaugurated in next November 2007 and ENCE by mid of 2010.

WINDMILLS - ARRIVED IN URUGUAY.

16 big windmills arrived in Uruguay in 3 shipments. A private company purchased them in Holland and were trucked in special low bed vehicles from the Port of Montevideo to Rocha (240 km east of Montevideo). The first 12 units are capable to generate 500 Kw, and the 4 units just arrived can supply 1 Mw.

FOREIGN FISHING FLEETS AT MONTEVIDEO AS THEIR HUB PORT. 

Practically 20% of the South Atlantic international fishing fleet has their operational base at the port of Montevideo. Spanish and Korean trawlers discharge their fish and tranship into reefer containers, or storing in reefer plants. Every day more space is required at the berths, and due to this reason the authorities are projecting a Fishing Terminal in Capurro (neighbourhood close to the main port area) and efforts are being made to call for a Public Tender before the end of this year.

URUGUAY MOVING TOWARDS THE NAVY INDUSTRY.

In few more days will be launched at the Navy Yard the second barge for Botnia's cellulose transportation. 3 months ago Tsakos Yard delivered the first one. The Navy Yard is building 2 of the four barges which will carry the cellulose from the port of Botnia in Fray Bentos up to Nueva Palmira. Each barge has a capacity of 3.500 tons, 88 mtrs loa and 13.50 mtrs beam, double bottom and sliding hatch covers.

BUQUEBUS WILL ORDER CRUISE SHIP TO TRAVEL IGUAZU FALLS. 

All going well by the end of next year the project will be ready and possibly able to commence operations by 2010. The luxury cruise ship at a cost of USD 100 million will have 250 rooms and intended to make trips from Buenos Aires up to Iguazu Falls, with port calls at the Parana River. They will try to catch the medium / medium-high travelers and the shortest trip will be up to Rosario. Buquebus have got an extension for 20 years in the passenger transportation in the River Plate, between Buenos Aires, Colonia and Montevideo.

URUGUAYANS RECOVER A SHIP TO TRADE THE URUGUAY RIVER. 

A small savings group in Salto (480 km north of Montevideo) recovered a river vessel capable to carry 700 tons of general cargo or 12 x 40ft containers. The vessel ''Amanbay'' was practically abandoned and after repairs is now in excellent conditions to operate with cargoes through the Uruguay River and also a cabotage service with Argentina. The vessel is 57 mtrs length, with 3 holds total capacity 855 cubic meters and can travel at a speed of 10 knots.

PORTUCEL EVALUATES PLANT PROJECT IN ROCHA.

Representatives from the portuguese paper company Portucel are evaluating where to place their plant in Uruguay. As principal fact they are searching the forestry base to sustain the project and produce woodpulp and papel. Portucel's intentions are to be close to the port of La Paloma (280 km east of Montevideo) in order to have an exit hub for their production. A spanish consortium has presented a project for the reconversion of this port and Portucel could be interested in this issue. Portucel intends to define their plans in Uruguay before the end of the year, and the project they believe to build up in the region, also evaluating Brazil, will be an investment of USD 1.500 million.

The news in this page were sourced  from ''El Pais'' newspaper and edited by Ruben Jokas