📋 Tender Overview
One of the most important moments in the construction of the international bridge that will connect Carmelo Peralta, Paraguay, with Puerto Murtinho, Brazil, is about to be completed. The imminent physical union of its two ends on the Paraguay River will mark a historical milestone and bring closer the completion of one of the most relevant works for regional integration. This bridge, considered a central link of the Bioceanic Road Corridor, will connect by land the ports of the Atlantic Ocean, in Brazil, with those of the Pacific, in Chile, crossing Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile, which will facilitate the transportation of large-scale goods in a faster, more efficient and direct way. The modern infrastructure, which will constitute the main access portal to the Paraguayan Chaco, will be 1,294 meters long, with a cable-stayed section of 632 meters and a main span of 350 meters. Once both the bridge and the Bioceanic Corridor are in operation, they will save approximately 4,000 nautical miles and up to 14 days of transportation to Pacific markets. In that sense, this new combined route would require around 37 days - two by road and 35 by sea -, compared to up to 49 days for the traditional route between Santos and Shanghai. In this way, the reduction of time and distance would improve the competitiveness of Paraguayan products, strengthen the countrys position in international trade and offer more favorable conditions to attract investments, increase production and generate new sources of employment. Another benefit will be the reduction in transportation costs. Moving a 20-foot container from Antofagasta to Shanghai would cost around USD 1,520, compared to the USD 2,170 demanded by the current route through the port of Santos, in Brazil. A strategic connection In total, the Bioceanic Road Corridor will have approximately 2,396 kilometers: 890 km in Brazil, 605 km in Paraguay, 531 km in Argentina and 370 km in Chile. In Paraguayan territory it will cross the Chaco and link productive areas with ports and border crossings, incorporating the country into a strategic international trade network. In Paraguay, the international highway advances in stages. The first included the paving of 277 kilometers between Carmelo Peralta and Loma Plata and was completed in February 2022, with an investment of USD 443 million. The second stage, under management, includes 103 kilometers of asphalt paving, with an estimated investment of USD 200 million and planned financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The third stage covers 225 kilometers between Mariscal Estigarribia and Pozo Hondo, in the department of Boqueron, whose construction is progressing through a loan of USD 354 million from the Development Bank, Fonplata. Economic impact in the Chaco Currently, the Paraguayan Chaco has about 145,000 agricultural hectares. With the new connectivity and logistics conditions, this area could triple in the next 10 to 12 years, while forestry production could grow three to four times over the next decade. The corridor will also attract investments and promote new production chains through the maquila regime. This will allow the installation of new industries and logistics parks, generate more jobs, expand exports and diversify Paraguays markets and trade partners. A road of new opportunities On the other hand, trade between Paraguay and Chile reached USD 1,750 million in 2023, and projections indicate that this volume could double in less than four years. The departure to the Pacific ports will also open new opportunities to expand the presence of Paraguayan products in Asian markets. 54% of Paraguayan exports go to South American countries, while only 16% reaches Asia. The new connection will favor market diversification and facilitate access to one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world. Finally, the construction of the Bioceanica Bridge requires an investment of USD 103 million, financed by Itaipu Binacional, with the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) as the executing agency. The works are carried out by the PYBRA Consortium, made up of Tecnoedil S.A., Paulitec Construcoes and Construtora Cidade Ltda., under the supervision of the Prointec Consortium. Once enabled along with the corridor, new opportunities will open for the development of Chaco, promoting the installation of industries, urban centers and services near the main logistics nodes, in addition to activities such as hotels, gastronomy and services linked to cargo transportation. This entire new scenario will turn Paraguay into a multimodal logistics hub with added value, and not only a transit territory, which will favor the economic growth of the entire country.l country. Date: July 13, 2026
