The Santa Sofía Puertos company, which forms part of the Chilean Romero group, is to start construction of a new port at Ancón in January 2011. This will require investment of $320 million. In addition to container traffic, the port will also handle solid bulk. The one remaining hurdle is the environmental impact assessment, which will have to be agreed by the government prior to any construction taking place. It is anticipated that by November the latest, the necessary licences will have been issued and finance should be in place by December, allowing work to begin in January 2011 and operations to start in the first quarter of 2013.