Port of Barranquilla: intervention of islets by Cormagdalena - Barranquilla - Colombia

After the dredging work is completed on the directional dam at kilometer 14, the new areas will be intervened with islets in the Magdalena Rivernear the Port Zone of Barranquilla (ZPB).

(Also read: This is what the new island that was formed near the Pumarejo bridge looks like)

This was announced this Monday by the director of Cormagdalena, Pedro Pablo Jurado, after the port and economic unions of the city denounced the appearance of sandbanks in a boat turning area, at the head of the Regional Port Society of Barranquilla ( SPRB).

The dredger will go between kilometer 17 and kilometer 21 to meet all the needs to guarantee nautical safety

According to what they considered, headed by the president of Asoportuaria, Clemente Fajardo, this is a consequence of the lack of “prevention and maintenance” to the navigable channel, which corresponds to the authority.

Due to the above, Jurado responded in the last hours, assuring that the institution carried out a monitoring of the extension of Rondón Island, which has a greater dimension under the Pumarejo bridge.

“The dredger will go between kilometer 17 and kilometer 21 to meet all the needs to guarantee nautical safety,” said the official.

The director of Cormagdalena added that the sandbar closest to the design of the navigable channel has a distance of 72 meterswhile the other is separated by more than 200 meters.

“Cormagdalena monitored Rondón Island, checking that there is no affectation in terms of navigation due to the sedimentological formations that outcrop,” said Jurado.

Analysis of the bathymetries conducted by Cormagdalena.

Photo:

Cormagdalena Press

Operating draft is at 9.4 meters

In that sense, the entity recalled that it is coming from a high rainy season. In December 2021, it registered more than 12,600 cubic meters per second and today it accounts for less than half of that flow.

He also added that the dredger is working inside the access channel to guarantee navigation. In January this year, the cargo grew by 16 percent compared to the same period last year, according to official data.

“Ratifying that there are navigation conditions and that there is a great moment of economic reactivation. The operational draft in the ZPB is up to 9.4 meters deep”, concluded Jurado.

(You may be interested in: Walks along the Magdalena River, a trend that is increasing in Barranquilla)

The story of ‘Lechuga Island’

The island began to be used as a tourist place.

Photo:

Taken from social media

These sandbanks, in what Cormagdalena defined as the extension of Rondón Island, have given everything. Since the port workers’ complaint became known, citizens arrived in small boats to ‘colonize’ the areas.

So much so that they called it ‘Isla Lechuga’, where they descended from Saturday to share with friends, drinking beers, as if it were a beach or any other tourist attraction in Barranquilla.

Beyond the Caribbean humor, Asoportuaria again made a call this Monday to the corresponding organizations to intervene in the area in time and guarantee the safety of the vessels.

BARRANQUILLA

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Port of Barranquilla: alert for islets near the Pumarejo bridge - Barranquilla - Colombia

The President of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Port Association (Asoportuaria), Clement Fajardoannounced the formation of a new islet in the Magdalena River, near the Pumarejo bridge in Barranquilla.

(Also read: The scuffle between Gustavo Petro and Álex Char after a debate in Barranquilla)

The concern lies in the fact that the area is a turnaround area for vessels, headed by the Barranquilla Regional Port Society (SPRB).

One more example that Cormagdalena only reacts, and very late, to problems. She does not study, she does not anticipate anything

For this reason, the director questioned the jobs of prevention and maintenance that correspond to Cormagdalena, as the authority of the tributary.

“One more example that Cormagdalena only reacts, and very late, to problems. She does not do studies, she does not anticipate anything and finds out from third parties what happens in her jurisdiction, ”said Fajardo on his Twitter account.

Due to the foregoing, the president of Asoportuaria considered that said reaction of the entity leaves as a consequence the generation of these sandbanks in the river. “In short, we have lost the capacity for wonder with Cormagdalena,” he added.

A new island was formed in the turning areas of the Magdalena River near the Pumarejo bridge, another sign that @Cormagdalena it only reacts, and very late, to problems. He does not do studies, does not anticipate anything and finds out from third parties what happens in his jurisdiction. pic.twitter.com/PcW7xbuAGX

— Clemente Fajardo (@FajardoClemente) February 9, 2022

A Warning from Practical Pilots

In turn, the Practical Pilots of the Port of Barranquilla joined this concern of the union and maintained that this fact had been warned repeatedly”.

“The Paraíso turning dock, where more than 70 percent of the vessels that arrive in Barranquilla are maneuvered, has not been properly maintained for years,” they assured.

The Paraiso turning dock, where more than 70% of the boats that arrive at BAQ are maneuvered, has not been properly maintained for years. It was seen coming and has been repeatedly warned.

– @pilotosbaq (@pilotosbaq) February 10, 2022

Other reactions on the phenomenon

Another point of view was given by the expert in Logistics and Trade International, Carlos González Bassi, who estimated that the islet near kilometer 18 of the access channel could be “a smoke screen”, in the face of “more serious” sedimentological problems.

“We cannot divert attention from the real solution: having your own dredger in the city that guarantees efficient and constant dredging. A vessel with the characteristics that work for the Barranquilla access channel would cost 7 million dollars to separate it, and the rest, approximately 18 million dollars, could be paid in stipulated terms using port considerations. Two dredgers could be bought,” González said.

(You may be interested: They declare a red alert in the Atlantic due to the risk of forest fires)

Since this phenomenon was known in the Magdalena River, Cormagdalena has not yet made an official statement on the matter.

In its most recent report on the maintenance in the Magdalena River, this entity indicated that, as of February 5, they have been removed 612,658 cubic meters of sediments, before the dredging works.

“We have a technical commission carrying out bathymetry at various points of the access channel, such as the areas from km 9 to 10 and km 19 to 21, where the evolution of Rondón Island and the associated sedimentation that may occur are monitored,” he reported. .

BARRANQUILLA

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