For the River Shipowners Center, the unjustified collection of tolls on the waterway is aggravated by the retention of several vessels, including one with a Paraguayan flag, for failing to comply with this payment. The position of the region is unanimous against the disposition of that country.
The Argentine Court of First Instance in Civil and Commercial Matters, Luis Cassinerio ordered the delay of the Paraguayan-flagged tugboat HB GRUS, which was transporting merchandise of Brazilian origin.
The order affects five vessels, which are stranded in the port of San Lorenzo, province of Santa Fe.
“The position of Paraguay and four countries was forceful, it is surprising, una situation that is getting worse, leveling up. It is a complicated situation, due to an intransigent attitude from Argentina”, lamented the president of the Center for River Shipowners, Juan Carlos Muñoz, in an interview with Cáritas radio.
The Guarani ship will remain immobilized until both paye the debt of 4,232 dollars for the toll applied unilaterally by Argentina, without any consideration.
Related note: Paraguayan ship detained in Argentina for not paying toll
Argentina did not demonstrate the services actually provided in exchange for toll collection, as concluded by the delegations of Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay, during the LIX Meeting of the Agreement Commission, which was recently held in Buenos Aires.
The Permanent Transport Commission of the La Plata Basin (CPTCP), made up of waterway users from the five signatory countries, and Argentine industry chambers, ruled in the same vein.
