The government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and Corporación América Airports (CAAP) sealed the extension for 20 years, until 2053, of the concession contract for the operation of Carrasco Airport, which serves Montevideo.
The agreement incorporates the innovation that the Argentine company will also be in charge of the airports of Carmelo, Durazno, Melo, Paysandú, Rivera and Salto, which, in addition to that of the Uruguayan capital, will be added to that of Punta del Este.
«Connectivity is a driving force for the economy, and the modernization and management of the six airports will enable us to bring opportunities to the sector, to the communities, and to the country as a whole. Our objective is to develop and strengthen the airport network, and as part of a global group we will seek to generate synergies with airports in the region to develop more efficient and effective connectivity of these airports,» said Martín Eurnekian, CEO of CAAP.
According to the company’s press release, during the concession term, it expects to invest around USD 300 million for construction, preservation, and operation of the airports under its responsibility, including direct investment, operation, and maintenance.
The direct investment, which will reach USD 67 million, will be executed until December 2028, thus enabling the main airports in the interior of Uruguay to recover their competitiveness and operate in compliance with the operational safety standards aligned with ICAO.
«Through a close work with the authorities, the specific needs of each of the airports were determined, as well as the deadlines and schedules for the development of the works», CAAP pointed out.
«The company plans to undertake airport infrastructure works in the six departments, which will be carried out in approximately three years and will include the modernization or construction of new passenger terminals, refurbishment, and expansion of runways and aprons, incorporation of new state-of-the-art equipment and technology, among other projects, in order to strengthen the airport network in Uruguay and continue developing connectivity in the region,» they concluded.
The airports of Montevideo and Punta del Este are the only ones in Uruguay that have scheduled flights. Historically, the country has found it difficult to develop regular air services beyond these two cities, due both to its small population (with 3.4 million inhabitants, it is the fourth-least populated in South America) and because it has a territory with relatively few landmarks separating its main urban centers.
