The technical committee of the Manta Port Authority (APM) has awarded the Manta Port concession in Ecuador to Agencias Universales S.A. (Agunsa), a Chilean port operator.

Agunsa will be responsible for the design, financing, equipment, execution of additional works, operation and maintenance of the international terminal through a 40-year concession. 

The expansion will include repairs to the port's two international terminals as well as the dock for the industrial fishing fleet.

Dredging is also included in the initial project plans so as to increase the port's depth to 16 meters. The main part of the expansion will be the construction of a new quay of 350 meters.

The total investment for the projects amounts to US$177.3 million.

The signature of the contract will be celebrated in December 19, 2016.

The port concession process was initially launched in 2012, but no firms showed interested in the project and the process was stopped. Then, after the port received an unsolicited offer from Agunsa, in January 2016, the Government re-opened the process in April, looking for competitive bids. Agunsa was the only bidder in the tender process.