Uruguay and Argentina Ferry Expansion Stalls as Montevideo Port Dispute Delays Colonia Express

Uruguay and Argentina ferry expansion stalls as Montevideo port dispute delays Colonia Express, with the company’s newly authorised direct passenger-and-vehicle service between Montevideo and Buenos Aires unable to begin because essential car-loading infrastructure at the Uruguayan capital’s port remains unresolved. The operator had planned to start selling tickets in September and launch direct sailings in October 2026, but access to the vehicle pontoon at Muelle Maciel has become the central obstacle.

Colonia Express Has Permission but Cannot Start Direct Sailings

A potentially significant change to passenger transport across the Río de la Plata has been delayed despite regulatory approval.

Uruguay’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works authorised Colonia Express at the end of July to operate a direct international ferry service carrying passengers and vehicles between Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

The authorisation represented an important step because the direct capital-to-capital ferry market is currently served by Buquebus.

However, regulatory approval alone has not been enough to put the new service into operation.

Colonia Express still needs appropriate infrastructure at the Port of Montevideo, particularly facilities allowing vehicles to move between the ferry and the terminal area. Operating frequencies also need to be finalised.

Montevideo-Buenos Aires Ferry Plan

The timetable remains uncertain while the infrastructure dispute continues.

One Pontoon Sits at the Centre of the Dispute

The problem concerns a specialised piece of port infrastructure known as a pontoon.

This floating structure allows vehicles to move between the quay and a ferry. It is therefore essential for a vessel carrying cars rather than passengers alone.

At Muelle Maciel in Montevideo, the only available pontoon suitable for the operation was built by Buquebus and is used by that company.

Colonia Express wants access to infrastructure that would allow its Montevideo Express catamaran to embark and disembark vehicles.

Buquebus has opposed sharing the existing pontoon under the proposed conditions, creating an operational impasse.

The dispute illustrates an important difference between receiving permission to operate a route and actually having the physical infrastructure required to launch it.

Port Authority Examines Alternatives

The Administración Nacional de Puertos, Uruguay’s National Ports Administration, has become an important participant in efforts to resolve the situation.

ANP president Pablo Genta acknowledged in September that the infrastructure situation at Muelle Maciel is complicated and that the quay itself is in an advanced state of deterioration.

The authority has said it will analyse infrastructure alternatives.

That could prove decisive because Colonia Express needs more than docking space. Its planned operation requires a system capable of handling both passengers and vehicles safely and efficiently.

Until an acceptable arrangement is established, the new direct service cannot function as originally planned.

Montevideo Express Is Ready for the Route

Colonia Express plans to deploy the Montevideo Express, a high-speed catamaran capable of carrying approximately 600 passengers and around 70 to 80 vehicles.

The vessel was acquired before the final route authorisation and is intended specifically to strengthen the company’s presence in the Río de la Plata passenger market.

The company had hoped to begin ticket sales during September, followed by operations in October.

Those plans have now been pushed back by the unresolved port arrangements.

No firm revised launch date has been confirmed.

That means passengers should not confuse the proposed direct ferry with the Montevideo-Buenos Aires journeys Colonia Express already markets.

Colonia Express Already Connects the Capitals Indirectly

Colonia Express currently provides travel between Montevideo and Buenos Aires, but the journey is not a direct ferry crossing from the Uruguayan capital.

Passengers leaving Montevideo travel by bus to Colonia del Sacramento. They then board a ferry across the Río de la Plata to Buenos Aires.

The company’s September-October 2026 schedule lists several daily Montevideo departures using this combined bus-and-ferry arrangement, with a published journey time of approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

The planned new route would change that model substantially.

Instead of travelling overland from Montevideo to Colonia before boarding a ferry, passengers would embark directly at the Port of Montevideo and sail to Buenos Aires.

For passengers carrying vehicles, the difference would be particularly important.

Buquebus Challenges the New Authorisation

Infrastructure is not the only issue surrounding the proposed service.

Buquebus has also challenged the government’s decision to authorise Colonia Express.

The company filed an administrative appeal with Uruguay’s Ministry of Transport and Public Works seeking the revocation of the July 30 authorisation.

Buquebus has raised several objections to the decision and, alternatively, has asked authorities to impose specific conditions on Colonia Express if the permit remains in force.

The legal and administrative challenge adds another layer of uncertainty to a project already facing infrastructure constraints.

The dispute therefore has two main dimensions:

• Operational: Colonia Express requires suitable infrastructure to load and unload vehicles in Montevideo.
• Administrative: Buquebus is challenging the government authorisation allowing its competitor to enter the direct route.

Together, these issues have prevented the new operation from beginning according to the company’s original timetable.

Direct Route Could Reshape Travel Between the Capitals

A second direct ferry operator could represent an important development for tourism between Uruguay and Argentina.

Montevideo and Buenos Aires are separated by the Río de la Plata but maintain extensive tourism, commercial and family links.

Direct ferry services allow travellers to move between the capitals without making the road journey to Colonia del Sacramento.

Vehicle-carrying services add another dimension by allowing passengers to take their own cars across the river.

The market is substantial.

Reporting surrounding the authorisation indicates that more than 500,000 passengers and 57,000 vehicles travelled on the direct Montevideo-Buenos Aires corridor between January and July 2026.

That passenger volume helps explain why the arrival of another operator has attracted considerable commercial attention.

More Competition Could Change Passenger Choices

If Colonia Express eventually launches the route, travellers could gain another direct option between the two capitals.

Competition does not automatically guarantee lower fares, but another operator could increase the number of available departures and give passengers additional choices when comparing schedules, prices and onboard services.

For tourism, the potential benefits extend beyond the ferry market itself.

A direct service could support:

• Weekend trips between Montevideo and Buenos Aires
• International visitors combining Uruguay and Argentina
• Travellers taking private vehicles across the Río de la Plata
• Business travel between the two capitals
• Visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic
• Greater transport choice during peak tourism periods
• Easier multi-destination itineraries involving both countries

The eventual effect will depend on frequencies, fares and the final operating arrangements approved by authorities.

Infrastructure Becomes the Deciding Factor

The dispute also highlights a broader transport issue: opening a route to competition requires more than regulatory permission.

Ports need sufficient common infrastructure to accommodate multiple operators.

Without appropriate ramps, pontoons, passenger processing areas and docking arrangements, a newly authorised company can still be unable to begin commercial operations.

Uruguayan port authorities are consequently examining possible solutions.

The outcome could determine not only when Colonia Express starts sailing but also how competition develops on one of the most important passenger transport corridors across the Río de la Plata.

No Confirmed Launch Date Yet

For travellers, the most important point is that the direct Colonia Express Montevideo-Buenos Aires service is not yet operating.

The company had targeted an October start, but that schedule has been disrupted.

Its existing Montevideo-Buenos Aires product continues to operate through Colonia del Sacramento, combining bus and ferry transportation.

Passengers planning travel should therefore distinguish carefully between the existing indirect service and the proposed direct ferry.

A new starting date will depend on the resolution of the port infrastructure issue, approval of operating arrangements and any developments arising from the administrative dispute.

Conclusion

Uruguay and Argentina ferry expansion stalls as Montevideo port dispute delays Colonia Express, leaving the newly authorised direct passenger-and-vehicle route between Montevideo and Buenos Aires unable to begin despite government approval. The central obstacle is access to suitable vehicle-loading infrastructure at Muelle Maciel, where the available pontoon is associated with incumbent operator Buquebus, which has also challenged Colonia Express’s authorisation. Until the infrastructure and regulatory issues are resolved, travellers will continue using Colonia Express’s existing bus-and-ferry connection through Colonia rather than its proposed direct sailing between the two capitals.