In its portfolio of port businesses, the Company will have a total of 12 port terminals in seven countries in the Americas.
The operation responds to SAAM’s growth strategy that seeks to strengthen its presence in the markets showing the greatest projections and relative growth of the Region.
The transaction must be approved by Costa Rica’s Regulatory Authorities.
September 28, 2016. SAAM, multinational company providing port, towage and logistics services, signed –through its subsidiary SAAM Puertos- an agreement to acquire from the company Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura (SPBRUN), the control of the two concessions at Puerto Caldera, major terminal of the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and the second in terms of cargo transferred in the country.
With the materialization of this operation, SAAM will control 51% of Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera (SPC) and of Sociedad Portuaria Granelera de Caldera (SPGC), whose transfers total 4.9 million tons. The Chilean company shall disburse US$48.5 million for the mentioned percentage of the share capital of both companies, which jointly reported revenues for US$46.6 million in 2015. Prior to the transfer, the operation must be endorsed by Costa Rica’s regulatory bodies.
“This investment is a good reflection of the growth strategy that we are implementing in the Region and this is a very well-managed enterprise, to which we can add value,” stated Macario Valdés, CEO of SAAM. “In addition, it allows us to join forces with partners who have knowledge of and experience in the local market,” he added. Indeed, this transaction will originate a company that, aside from SAAM’s majority position, will be composed by Costa Rican companies: Saret (21%) and Logística de Granos (19%), as well as by the Colombian company Grupo Empresarial del Pacífico (9%).
With this acquisition, SAAM continues advancing in its diversification and globalization strategy and strengthens its position as one of the leading operators in Latin American ports, adding Puerto Caldera to the 10 terminals it already operates in six countries in the Region, plus one in Florida, USA.
About Puerto Caldera
Last year, Puerto Caldera transferred more than 4.9 million tons. The main loads were containers (238 thousand TEUs in 2015) and bulk load, such as cereals, fertilizers, raw materials, and flours.
The port is located in a strategic location in Costa Rica, given its proximity and good connectivity with the city of San Jose.
About SAAM
Multinational company founded in Chile 54 years ago, and at present is leader in the provision of port services, tugboats, and logistics services, with operations and more than 10 thousand workers distributed in 15 countries in North, Central and South America.
It has strategic partners in the various markets and business divisions in which it participates, among which are the Romero Group from Peru, SSA Marine (a company based in the USA, with a significant presence in the global port industry, American Airlines and Royal Boskalis (global provider of maritime services.)
