Bolivia Humanitarian Background

Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

For further information on Bolivia Humanitarian background, please see the following documents:

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Eventos Adversos Naturales 140930

Calamities and Seasonal Affects

Slope glidings, drainage silting, waterlogging of the platform throughout the country's roads, are constant incidents which are resolved in relatively short time.

In the Department of Beni, the major effect is flooding, which affects communal roads and interrupts the connection between municipalities during the whole period, through cuts in committed sections and loss of wooden bridges or culverts.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Anílisis Inundaciones en el Beni 140930

During the low water season, which extends from May to October, the biggest problem in air transport is visibility, which is affected by the burning of vast forest areas in the departments of Beni, Santa Cruz, and Pando.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Focos de Calor 140930

For more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters:

EMDAT Website Information on Bolivia

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The Risk Reduction and Disaster Response Act enacted on October 25, 2000 and Amendment Act 2335 dated March 5, 2002, structure Government response as follows:

When the emergency is local, the municipality has complete responsibility for the response. It has formed its Municipal emergency operations center and declares a state of emergency, can reformulate its budget to items for assistance and care of those affected.

If the capacity of the municipality is exceeded by the size of the event, it is reported to the departmental emergency operations center and the Department Governorship assumes the response, in coordination with Civil Defense.

When governance response capacities are overwhelmed, the National Emergency Operations Center is informed, and the National Government assumes the emergency response, in coordination with Civil Defense.

In all cases the Declaration of emergency must be approved, to issue the corresponding decrees and allocate the necessary funds.

When the magnitude of the event exceeds the capacity of the Government's response, the Government issues a decree declaring a state of national emergency and calls for international cooperation to deliver humanitarian aid.

The country’s General budget has a budget item for directly addressing relief, emergency and reconstruction, which is assigned in the annual operating budgets of municipalities and governorates.

 For the Emergency Declaration, information is provided to the Vice Ministry of Civil Defense VIDECI by governmental institutions such as

• Meteorology and Hydrology National Service SENAMHI
• Naval Hydrology National Service SNHN,
• Road network trafficability report of the Bolivian Roads Administration ABC,
• Governorates
• Municipalities
• AASANA’s report on the operation conditions of airports and aerodromes.

All national institutions, as well as the Armed Forces, are convened to make all of their assets available for the emergency response.

For immediate response, the Air Force offers 2 Hercules C-130, military personnel to support in aircraft cargo handling and protection of the goods.

The Army has a minimum of 4 freight vehicles per area of attention and military personnel (soldiers) for support in handling of cargo and protection of storehouses.

In disaster areas requiring waterway transport, the Naval Force has vessels with an average capacity of 30 TM and military personnel (soldiers) for support in handling of cargo and protection of the goods.

At the national level, Civil Defense has 4x4 vans, 3.2 TM trucks, 7TM dump trucks, 11,000 liters cisterns, 23 TM trailers.

For implementation, the Government issues a Supreme Decree declaring a National Emergency and forming the Joint Command (composed of the Army, Navy and Air Force) in the area, with a mandate to coordinate the logistics of the response of the Government and the Humanitarian Community.

For further information on Bolivia Government contact details, please see the following link: 

4.1 Bolivia Government Contact List

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Ministry Contacts 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Government Website 140930

Humanitarian Community

The coordination at the national level in the preliminary phase and in the emergency, pre and post event, is with the Vice Ministry of Civil Defense, Ministry of Rural Development and

Land as the leader of the food sectorial committee, and the Units of Risk Management (UGRs) and Emergency Operations Centers (COEs) at the regional and municipal levels.

The sources of information used are provided by the VIDECI, by the field counterparts, governorates and municipalities, criteria for the preparation of the assistance for the unmet demand gap in coordination with UNETE and,

in the operative part, individually by each agency, according to their specialty. Distribution is done on the basis of agreements and consultation with the Government and socializing with beneficiary municipalities and regions.

For further information on Bolivia humanitarian contact details, please see the following link: 

4.2.2 Bolivia Humanitarian Agency Contact List

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Humanitarian Community 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA International Community 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA NGOs 140930

Bolivia Regulatory Departments

For further information on Bolivia Government and regulatory department contact details, please see the following link: 

4.1 Bolivia Government Contact List

The State regulatory system is structured according to commercial, economic or operational activities. In the specific case of actions which the humanitarian community carries out and the need to import special inputs, it comes down to state specialized departments and laboratories.

Improving and protecting the health condition of productive agriculture and forestry heritage, as well as ensuring food safety is the responsibility of the National Service of Agricultural Sanitation SENASAG.

IBNORCA (Bolivian Institute of Quality Standards) develops standards for goods and services, in accordance with the dynamics and the national needs, guiding them to the harmonization with international standards and recommendations.

The National Institute of Health Laboratories (Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud) INLASA is a leading and benchmark institution that works in accordance with the National Health Plan, issuing standards and laboratory procedures to achieve the establishment of quality in the results of analytical processes carried out on samples of processed or natural products that are produced or used in the country.

SENASAG; in the Animal Health Unit, SENASAG is responsible for the areas of inspection and animal quarantine, veterinary epidemiology, livestock supplies registration and animal health diagnosis/ analysis.

In Plant Health Unit, it is responsible for the areas of plant inspection and quarantine, epiphytiology, registration of agricultural supplies, plant and pesticides diagnosis and analysis.

In the Food Safety Unit, inspection and control of food, registration of food processing industries and food residue analysis.

IBNORCA; It coordinates standardization work with the public and private sector in the elaboration, implementation, and application of standards. It develops and applies certification systems for goods and services, inspection processes for conformity of products, services and facilities.

INLASA; in the area of food safety, INLASA is responsible for food control and food handler training, analysis of vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron in fortified foods, nutritional management, count of microorganisms, fungi, yeasts, poison food and food chemistry.

SENATEX; National Service of Pre-Export Verification. Entity responsible for managing the RUEX (single registry of exporters) and issue the certificates of origin for the goods subject to export, within the framework of trade agreements and preferential regimes which benefit the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

IBMETRO; is the national reference for all measurements. Protects and maintains national measurement patterns. It provides services of calibration, accreditation and verification through the units of industrial, legal, scientific metrology and accreditation.

Bolivia Customs Information

Duties and Tax Exemption

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below: 

Emergency Response:

[Note: This section contains information which is related and applicable to 'crisis' times. These instruments can be applied when an emergency is officially declared by the Government.  When this occurs, there is usually a streamlined process to import goods duty and tax free.]

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response): 

[Note: This section should contain information on the usual duties & taxes exemption regime during non-emergency times, when there is no declared state of emergency and no streamlines process (e.g. regular importations/development/etc.).]

The General Customs Act No 1990, Article 5 ratifies the customs clearance procedure of all relief consignments for the purpose of exports, transit, temporary admission and imports, which should be conducted as a priority issue.
Clearance of relief consignments should be granted without regard to the country of origin, the country from which arrived or country of destination. In the case of relief consignments, any economic export prohibitions or restrictions and any export duties or taxes otherwise payable should be waived. Each Agency of the United Nations System and the Bilateral Cooperation sign a Covenant or Agreement of Assistance and Cooperation with the Government of Bolivia.
For the specific case of WFP, the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement to Bolivia was signed on March 14, 1968 with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship in representation of the Government, whereby WFP’s obligations in food assistance, and the Government’s obligations in the recognition of the prerogatives and immunities WFP has as a specialized agency of the United Nations system are established.
WFP has established a differentiated process in the Operations Agreement with the Bolivian Government for the treatment of food imports. That is why the Government Counterpart Office uses the services of the Government’s Customs Agent “Despachos Oficiales (Official Consignments)” for the immediate customs clearance under Article 128 to 131 of the Customs Act, since these consignments consist of food with high risk for contamination if stored in inappropriate warehouses.
NOTE. – “Despachos Oficiales” is the Government’s Customs Agency whose sole mission is to carry out regularization procedures of imports regarding special products or materials, such as: medicines, food, military and police supplies.
Non-food items are not cleared through Government Counterpart Office. Thus, the general procedure adopted by the Multilateral and Bilateral International Cooperation, NGOs and Conventions should be followed, as described below:

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Requisitos Donaciones 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Guia Importacion 140930

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure: 

Importers Registry

People conducting import operations on an occasional basis may register. The registration is online and does not require the physical presence of the person concerned at the National Customs office.

REQUISITES

At the moment of the registration the person concerned should have the following documents:

Natural person without a Tax Identification Number (NIT)

• National or foreign identification document issued by the Bolivian Competent Authority, or
• Passport, or
• Identification document from the country of origin of the foreign citizen.
• Handicapped people that may want to benefit from the Act 223 shall have a Handicapped identification document issued by CONALPEDIS.

STEPS FOR REGISTERING

• The person concerned should register online following the steps below:

• Visit the National Customs website at www.aduana.gob.bo and click on “Nuevo Padrón de Importadores (New Importers Registry)" in the area of “Servicios”.

• In the main page of “Nuevo Padrón de Importadores"; choose the option for non- customary importers.

• Choose the appropriate “Tipo de Solicitante (Type of Applicant)” from the options shown.

• Enter the requested data filling out the Form of Registration of Foreign Trade Operators.

• Once it has been completed, send it online to the National Customs, prior revision of the data entered. Take into account that such document constitutes an affidavit.

• Next, the person concerned will receive a confirmation of his registration as importer as of which he may be able to carry out import operations.
  
  

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Customs Clearance 140930

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Transit Regime

International Customs Transit Declaration

General Customs Act of 1990, Title VI  Special Customs Regimes, Chapter I, Articles 102 to 111.

Regulations to the General Customs Act of 1990

Tax Reform Act No 842

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Transit Regim 140930

Bolivia Port Assessment

For information on Bolivia Ports, please see the following links:

2.1 Chile Port of Puerto Arica (English)

2.1.1 Peru Port of Matarani (English)

Bolivia Aviation 

Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil DGAC, is the Civil Aviation Authority in Bolivia, dependent of the Vice Ministry of Communications and Civil Aeronautics, responsible for the control, regulation of the civil aeronautical activities and the aero-commercial exploitation.

The agency responsible for the administration of public aerodromes of support services, air navigation protection and control of the airspace over national territory, is the Administradora de Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares de la Navegación Aérea AASANA (Administrator of Airports and Auxiliary Services of Air Navigation), being in control of the total or partial concession of controlled airports, and of public use.

For information on Bolivia aviation Contact details, please see the following link: 

4.5 Bolivia Airport Company Contact List

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Ground Companies CBBA 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Ground Companies LPZ 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Ground Companies SCZ 140930

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft

Send a Request to the Executive Director of DGAC, mentioning the following information

• Name or trade name of the operator

• Commercial Address, Telephone and Fax of the Operator

• Type and Registration of the aircraft

• PBMD (MTOW) of the Aircraft

• Pilot (crew)

• Date of Entry

• Airport Entrance to Bolivia

• Exit Airport from Bolivia

• Last Landing Airport before entering Bolivia

• Flight Purpose

• Number of Passengers

• Type and load weight (if applicable)

• Date of Exit of Bolivia

With the authorization response, go to the offices of the Civil Aeronautic General Direction to proceed with the registration. After the arrival of the aircraft at the airport of entry, the DGAC personnel shall proceed to the corresponding inspection and verification of the documentation

The documentation to be submitted is as follows:

• Certificate of registration of the aircraft

• Certificate of existing airworthiness of the aircraft

• Insurance Policy of the Aircraft in effect, including geographic boundaries and the registration of the aircraft

• License and medical validity of the crew

If entry operations take place in "EL ALTO" airport of the city of La Paz, the Appendix on Operation in High Altitude shall be attached. (contained in the AFM of the aircraft)

Bolivia Road Network

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa Red Vial Fundamental 140930

For information on Bolivia road network contact details, please see the following link:

4.2.1 Bolivia Government Contact List

The basic Road Network has an extension of 16.054,35 km and it runs all over the country. Five main corridors constitute it: East - West, North - South, West - North West - South and Central - South.
The purpose of these corridors is to connect the national territory and integrate the Bolivian population; but essentially push through these economic, social and productive development of all and each of the Bolivian regions.
The basic Road Network (RVF) is part of the National Highway System and is under the responsibility of the Bolivian Road Administrator (ABC).
Article 2 of the Supreme Decree No. 25134 establishes that the routes that make up the RVF are those that connect the political capitals of departments; they allow the international linkage, connecting national highways with the main routes of neighboring countries; connect two or more roads and comply with the conditions of environmental protection laid down in national legislation.

Distance Matrix

Travel Time Matrix

Road Security

Conservation Road with Microenterprises Program - PROVIAL is in charge of the management and control of micro-enterprises who perform road maintenance activities, and aims at preventing premature deterioration of the roads.

Among its main activities are: cleaning of ditches, gutters, downspouts, clearing, repair and construction of walls and others.

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits

Decree Supreme # 25629 of December 24^th,1999, establishes the control regulation of weights and dimensions of vehicles travelling on the roads of the country

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Limites de peso transporte Comunidad Andina 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Tolerancia peso carreteras Chile 140930

Road Class and Surface Conditions

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa Longitud RVF 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa Corredores RVF 140930

Bolivia Railway Assessment

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa ferroviario zona andina 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa Ferroviario zona oriental 140930

According to the current mode of operation, the State retains ownership of all routes and fixed installations, as well as perceives tax rates for the grant, license and rental of rolling stock; on its part the awarded company commits itself to manage services according to the requirements stipulated in the contract, fulfilling the regulations of the Superintendence of Transport.

The current railway system in Bolivia is managed by the private sector, according to contracts signed by the Bolivian Government

For information on Bolivia railway network contact details, please see the following link:

4.1 Bolivia Government Contact List

4.10 Bolivia Railway Company Contact List

Travel Time Matrix

Railway Companies and Consortia

Andean Railway Company S.A. established in Bolivia, administered and operated by its own workers and executives, autonomous and private.

Freight rates as well as passenger rates are regulated and approved by the Superintendence of Transport. These have ranges according to the type of load, on the basis of the load classifier and directly based on the distance.

Freight rates are currently below the maximum reference rates approved by the Superintendence of Transport, due to land transport competition, looking for a better positioning of services, the type of product, tonnage, distance, regularity of service, rotation of the rolling stock and the uptake of larger volumes, which use other transportation means.

The strategy to compete with road transport, despite the comparative advantage of the transport door to door, its low fixed costs and its informality, is that FCA can move large volumes of load and search the flexibility to perform the bimodal transport.

They have the authorization of the Vice Ministry of Transport, enabling them as OTM (Multimodal Transport Operator) and the Foreign Trade Operator License issued by the National Customs.

Capacity Table

Key Route Information

Rigid attachments - which get nailed or screwed into the sleeper/heavy beam.

Elastic fasteners-the Pandrol Clips consist of a sleeper anchor element and an elastic element that works under combined bending and torsion, manufactured of high quality steel bar.

The Clip is applied parallel to the rail and its placement and removal is done with a lag.                                                                                                                               

Uyuni Workshop: The main activity is oriented to the maintenance and repair of the equipment being towed from the Park of the company (in general cargo wagons).

Viacha Workshop: specializing in repair, maintenance and overhaul of locomotives, diesel, electric LDE

Key Stations

Empresa Ferroviaria Oriente S.A.

Ferroviaria Oriental S.A. operates in the East of Bolivia, connecting the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra with Argentina via Yacuiba - Pocitos; with Brazil through Puerto Suárez - Quijarro - Corumbá; and with the North, Warnes and Montero. The railway network has a 1,244 kms of wide meter gauge, of which 643 km correspond to the Eastern sector, 539 kilometers to the Southern sector and 62 kilometers to the Northern Sector of the Department. The network allows access to the Eastern Atlantic ports of: Santos and Paranagua, in Brazil, by this sector through the routes of ALL (America Latina Logistics); and the ports of Buenos Aires and Rosario, in Argentina, by the Southern sector in connection with Belgrano Cargas. Furthermore, the Paraguay – Paraná Waterway, on the basis of an intermodal transportation system allows access to the same ports of Argentina and the port of Nueva Palmira, Uruguay. Finally, in the southern sector by the passage of Salta to Socompa in connection with the route of Belgrano Cargas, you can access the port of Antofagasta in Chile.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS- GE LOCOMOTIVES-in November of 2013, Ferroviaria Oriental purchased locomotives from General Electric; these are three C23EMP locomotives of latest generation which will be delivered by the end of 2014. The Units come equipped with a turbo diesel engine with electronic injection, microprocessor, remote synchronization system and events register camera.

PURCHASE OF WAGONS- As an investment, 80 flat carts were bought from the company Ferrocarriles Españoles de Via Estrecha - FEVE, and 100 containers of 40 feet each were transformed into removable grain wineries, with a fast download design for exclusive use in transportation of soybean grain, strengthening the loading capacity in 120,000 additional tons per year for the next management.

INFRASTRUCTURE- In 2013 there were improvements to the infrastructure in different parts of the network, covering works and projects in the Northern, Southern and Eastern sectors. Executed trail works included the placement of 36.196 sleepers of wood, the addition of 159.838 elastic fasteners (clips) and the incorporation of 20.902 m3 of ballast, thus eliminating deficient trail sections and sectors and continuing with the process of replacing the sections of track over land by others with ballast, thus improving the bearing track capacity and giving greater stability and drainage capacity.

The mechanized leveling of 170 Km was done in the Eastern sector, achieving substantial improvement of geometry (leveling and alignment) of the trail. In addition, there was an intensive improvement and maintenance of 88 km of the route in three sectors. The Change of Rails Project totaled 2.5 Km of change of rails of 90 pounds per yard, which replaced 65 lb/yd of rails. The program of aluminum  thermal welding designed to provide comfort and security to the movement of trains, recorded a total of 10.6 Km.

General Information

Total Length =  1,244 km

Per branch:

North Sector:  Santa Cruz – Montero  =  62 km

South Sector:  Santa Cruz – Yacuiba (border with Argentina)  =  539 km

East Sector:  Santa Cruz – Puerto Quijarro (border with Brasil)  =  643 km

Stations:

South Sector:  Santa Cruz – Abapo – Charagua – Boyuibe – Villa Montes – Yacuiba

East  Sector:  Santa Cruz – Tres Cruces – San Jose de Chiquitos – Robore – Puerto Suarez – Puerto Quijarro

Bolivia Waterways Assessment

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Matriz Costo Transporte Fluvial 140930

For information on Bolivia waterways contact details, please see the following link:

4.4 Bolivia Port and Waterways Company Contact List

River Network System in the North West

The river network in this region is formed by rivers that connect with important populations in the area and international bonding points. The navigable rivers in the river network reach lengths close to 5,000 km, consisting of the following sections:

• Ríos Ichilo, Mamoré and Tributarios 2.023 Kms.
• Ríos Beni, Madre de Dios, Orthon and Tributarios 2.688 Kms
• TOTAL 4.711 Km

The corridor formed by the Ichilo - Mamore - Itenez rivers enables the connection of the northern region of the country with the highway system through Puerto Villarroel in Cochabamba. Among the important towns connected there are:

• Trinidad, capital of departamento of Beni
• Guayaramerín, border town located at the northern end of the department of  Beni.

Both towns are important centers of production in the region where there is a significant flow of goods and people.

The river system Beni - Madre de Dios - Orthon (West of the Mamoré River) helps to connect the city of Riberalta (Northern part of Beni Department) with the highway system in Rurrenabaque (La Paz).

System of Paraguay River

The Paraguay River represents a very important connection for the foreign trade of the eastern region of the country, mainly by the large volumes of agricultural products. This system allows the connection with the ports of the Atlantic (Buenos Aires, Rosario, Nueva Palmira). It has an approximate length of 2771 Km.

This system, which is shared by five countries — Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, has acquired significance for Bolivia at the beginning of the 1990s, due to the demand for larger volumes of cargo to be exported.

Access to this river today is via the Tamengo channel implying restrictions on permanent navigation, as well as the situation of dependency which means traversing a section which is located in Brazilian territory.

A solution to these disadvantage would be the construction of Puerto Busch connecting it with the so-called Punta Man Cesped, which would give Bolivia access to the waters of the Paraguay River.

The waterway can be divided into 5 stages: i) from Cáceres to Corumbá/Puerto Aguirre (Puerto Aguirre is where Bolivia peeps to Paraguay River); ii) from Puerto Aguirre to the Apa River, which is the border between Brasil and Paraguay; iii) from Apa River to Asunción; iv) from Asunción to Santa Fe, and v) finally from Santa Fe to Nueva Palmira and later the Río de la Plata,

The waterway by sectors:

• Section Puerto Cáceres – Corumba 672 KM, Section CORUMBA – APA River 603 KM, Section Río APA – Asunción 537 KM
• Section Asunción – Santa Fe 1.040 KM, Section Santa Fe - Nueva Palmira Buenos Aires 590 KM, Total WATERWAT Length 3.442 KM

 The majority of goods transported by HPP are commodities, i.e. grains, cereal, wood, etc..

The main goods transported: grains 31,5 %, cereal 18,2 %, wood 17,7 %, heavy loads 12,3 %, fertilizers 9,4 %, Liquid fuel 6,7 %, gas fuels%.

Bolivian Ports

Bolivia in the stretch of the Paraguay River owns the following ports: a) Central Aguirre, located at Tamengo7 channel at 2 Kms from Puerto Quijarro, b) Puerto Tamengo or Gravetal , c) Puerto Busch, in the Man Césped corridor, which is innactive and d) Puerto Suárez, at Cáceres Lagoon, abandoned due to waterlogging.

External Ports

Bolivia has Access to the following external ports: i) Puerto de Rosario in Argentina, ii) Puerto Casado and Villeta in Paraguay, and, iii) Puerto Montevideo in Uruguay.

Puerto de Rosario, en 1969 Bolivia is granted the use of this port and also a free area of 54.667 m2 with the right to explote a Free zone in this place, where Bolivia can assign its own customs agents to dispense trade in transit (Orias, 2000). However this port has been little used and Bolivia has not worked in maintenance, equipment and operation of the springs, as stipulated in the agreement with the Argentina. Today, at this point the Bolivian goods in transit are transferred to or from the wagons of the train that connects to Santa Cruz.

Puerto Casado and Villeta, in the Peace Treaty of 1938 between Bolivia and Paraguay settles that Paraguay guarantees free transit through its territory and especially in the areas of Puerto Casado, with the right for Bolivia to install its customs agencies and build reservoirs and warehouses in the area of the port, also Paraguay has awarded the Villeta port - 37 km from Asunción - warehouse and storage area for the Bolivian load in transit.

Puerto Montevideo, Bolivia has access to the use of free zones of Nueva Palmira and Colonia and others that could be in Uruguayan territory, for traffic, storage, handling and fractionation of goods and raw materials of Bolivian origin destined for Uruguay, as well as the free use of a warehouse in the port of Montevideo (see Orias, 2000).

Zona Franca Puerto Aguirre, the first Bolivina port with sovereign sea coast through the waterway Paraguay Paraná, allows Bolivian export and import activities to be competitive from and to the world markets.  It connects by land with Santa Cruz and by paved road with the interior of Brazil (Campo Grande, San Pablo, Paranagua, etc.). The airports of Puerto Suárez (Bolivia) and Corumbá (Brasil), both are at 10 km. from the Free Zone of Puerto Aguirre; they offer air transport services for passengers and cargo with daily Jet airplane flights.

Port for Containers and General Cargo:

• Crane with a capacity for 150 tons
• 4500 m2 of warehouses.
• 1,5 linear kms  railway detour
• Parking lot for Containers.

Services:

• Export of containers 20 and 40 feet

• Import of containers 20 and 40 feet

• Reexpediciones to third countries.

• Reexpediciones to interior Free Zones

• Storage of goods

Port for Grains and Oil:

• Conic Silo with a capacity for 18500 tons.

• Horizontal Silo with a capacitay for 22000 tons.

• Integral Network with conveyor belts.

• Firefighting Network

• Unloading capacity of trucks 160 tons/hour (6 trucks).

• Unloading capacity of railroad wineries 200 tons/hour(5  wineries).

• Unloading capacity of railway tanks 150 m³/hour (4 tanks railway).

• Loading capacity of grain barges 450 tons/hour (6 barges per day).

• Loading capacity of oil barges 200 tons/hour (3 barges per day).

• 3 linear kms of rail turnouts.

• Road Access.

Services:

• Export of grain and soybean flour.

• Export of soybean and sunflower oil.

• Import of wheat.

Company Information

In the stretch, Ichilo - Mamore tributaries, there are unions of general freight transport, with special boats with flatbeds with maximum capacity of 4,000 quintals. The transport of passengers is not regulated, nor the carriage of liquids (fuels), whose fleet is comprised of private tanker vessels, with a capacity of approximately 40,000 liters.  They do not transport passengers because of the danger that that represents.

In the Beni River - Madre de Dios - Orthon stretch and tributaries, there are no private transportation companies, since it is a non-regulated stretch, heavily influenced by the weather. Practically it is navigable only between the months of November to February. In low water period, transport of goods is done by land

Travel Time Matrix

NOTE: Travel Time changes depending if the journey is downstream or upstream

Key Routes

Port Information

Bolivia Storage Assessment

For information on Bolivia storage contact details, please see the following link:

4.6 Bolivia Storage and Milling Company Contact List

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Private Storage 140930

Commercial Storage

Access Capacity to Storage Facilities, for lease contract.

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organizations

Generally, humanitarian organizations have small to medium-sized storage areas in the national territory, spaces where they handle supplies they have committed to serve their regular activities. When their inventories increase to respond to emergencies, whether for local purchases or imports, they look for storage spaces in municipalities, local governments or they temporarily rent regional spaces, when they directly manage their facilities, so they do not have extra spaces to share.

The concept of Voucher is being applied lately, so the affected family can directly pick up products from pre-determined trade institutions, and avoid costs of storage and warehouse management outside from the Service Center of the organizations.

As organizations demand can be satisfied by local market, there is no large storage spaces for strategic goods.

Public Sector Storage

The Government has created 2 institutions to ensure the stabilization of prices in the market in the country, by investing in infrastructure, storage and collection. Currently WFP has signed a Cooperation Agreement with the Government, where la Empresa de Apoyo a la Producción Agropecuaria EMAPA e Insumos Bolivia (the Bolivia Company's Support to the Public Agricultural Production and Supplies) is part of the national counterpart.

Foodstuffs stored strategically are corn in grain, flour, rice and oil, which at a critical time as in an emergency, humanitarian organizations could have access to the purchase of such products from EMAPA.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Almacenes EMAPA 140930

Cold Chain

In the country the cold chain is not fully implemented; the companies that market pharmaceutical products and meat have cold chambers according to the capacity of their activity, with reduced infrastructure and little ability to offer surplus spaces to share or rent.

The best offers are vehicles deployed with refrigeration systems, for national and international transport systems. There is also a range of logistics operator companies which have areas with facilities for refrigerated containers.

In the public sector, only the Ministry of Health has adequate infrastructure with control of temperature for the storage of strategic medicine and to supply to Hospitals and Health Centers, where it does not share spaces due to sector policies.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Cold Transporters 140930

Bolivia Milling Assessment

For information on contact details, please see the following link:

4.6 Bolivia Storage and Milling Company Contact List

The milling capacity in the country is determined by the sum of the individual capacities of each company.

The largest milling companies are registered with the Association of Industrial Millers (ADIM), which brings together companies in La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosi, Sucre and Santa Cruz.

Milling Company Sociedad Industrial Molinera S.A. SIMSA

Milling Company CIC HNOS. VICENTE S.R.L.

Bolivia Fuel

The National Agency of Hydrocarbons (ANH) was born in replacement of the Superintendence of Hydrocarbons, with renewed responsibilities and under the existing constitutional framework. Its task is to regulate, control, supervise and monitor, according to national policies, the activities of the hydrocarbon chain developed within our extensive national geography

Strategic Objective 1: "Ensure the continuity of supply, quality of hydrocarbon products and services, and safeguard the interests of the State with regard to the exploration, production, transportation, commercialization and industrialization of hydrocarbons, through a timely and effective regulation, supervision, control and audit."

Strategic Objective 2: "Implement technological agile and timely tools to optimize technical and administrative procedures that facilitate a transparent management for results".

The fuel is provided through private distributors. Service stations for liquid fuels in the Bolivian territory are establishments intended for the storage of liquid fuels (special gasoline and Diesel Oil) for use in motor vehicles, aviation gasoline and Jet Fuel at airports.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Estaciones de Servicio 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Mapa Ubicacion EESS 140930

According to the Supreme Decree No. 28511 (16/12/ 05), the sale of fuel in drums and turriles is authorized in volumes of 120 to 20,000 liters to individual persons, in service stations that require this product for their own consumption.

The request must be registered to the General Direction of Controlled Substances DGSC, with a duration of 120 days. The request for the DGSC (www.dgsc.gob.bo ) is submitted by filling the "Local fuel purchase" form and the "Road Map", provided by this Directorate. 

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Compra local y Hoja de Ruta Combustible

For Bolivia fuel contact details, please see the following link: 

4.7 Bolivia Fuel Provider Contact List

Fuel Pricing

Seasonal Variations 

Fuel Transportation

Yacimientos Petrolíferos Bolivianos YPFB Transporte S.A. operates the pipeline network of approximately 6,000 km for the transport of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons.

The system of gas and oil pipelines crosses through 7 departments, more than 90 municipalities and approximately 670 communities, also reaching the markets of Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

Standards, Quality and Testing

Bolivia Transporters

The transport market is diverse, from national and international road passenger and cargo transport service providers, both systems, along with transport companies, trade unions and private operators are regulated by the Transport and Telecommunications Authority ATT.

To operate in the national territory, foreign transport operators must necessarily be registered in the ATT and obtain their operating license.

The National and International Heavy Transport Chambers constantly exert actions of integration of the freight transport sector, defense of the sector’s rights and allow to ensure efficient service to Bolivia's external trade.  The best structured are:

Cámara de Transporte Pesado El Alto:  www.ctpelalto.com

Cámara de Transporte del Oriente: www.cto.com.bo

Cámara Departamental de Transporte de La Paz: www.camaradetransporte.com

For information Bolivia transporter contact details, please see the table below and the following links: 

4.2.8 Bolivia Transporter Contact List

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Transportistas El Alto 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Transportistas La Paz 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA International & National Transport Market 140930

Bolivia Additional Service Providers: Vehicle Rental, Taxi Companies, Freight Forwarding Agents, Handling Equipment, Power Generation and ISPs

The country offers a large additional service to logistics, which responds due to its capacity, to the specific requirements of the Agencies of the System, and that is mostly verified by UNDSS

For information on Bolivia additional service provider contact details, please see the following link: 

4.9 Bolivia Additional Service Provision Contact List

Vehicle Rental

They have model-year vehicles, automobile sedan, 4 x 4 trucks, 4 x 4, small trucks, with insurance included.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Vehicle Rental 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Tarifa Rent a Car AVIS

Taxi Companies

Within the National Program for Public Safety, municipal governments must approve administrative resolutions for the Radio Taxi Secure Transport Registration, with external identification of the authorization and verification in each vehicle and data from the transport unit and the driver. It is not advisable to use taxi lines that are not licensed. Under no circumstances should you hire a taxi off the street, always call a cab through a telephone system.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Taxi Companies 140930

Freight Forwarding Agents

There is a range of companies with extensive experience in the national territory and a position in Foreign Trade and certified by National Customs.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Freight Forwarding Agents 140930

Handling Equipment 

Companies specialized in the service offering, with qualified technical staff with years of experience

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Handling Equipment 140930

Electricity and Power 

Provided by government companies and regulated by the Superintendency of Energy, with coverage reaching capitals of Department, municipalities of intermediate cities and integrated with a good number of rural communities, with a voltage of 220.

Electrical power cuts are not frequent; they usually occur due to natural phenomena (electric storms) and can last from minutes up to 2 hours maximum.

GLCSC LCA BOLIVIA Electrificacion Nacional 140930

GLCSC LCA BOLIVA Electricity & Power 140930.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

The internet service in the country is offered by private companies registered in ATT, pursuant to Act No. 164 of telecommunications.

Service providers must obtain a Single License for the provision of public telecommunications  and technology of information and communication services or specific authorization, as appropriate, to provide the service.