{ "id": "nexus-ext-1-0034-156744", "citation": "Res. 00032-2016 Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección IV", "section": "nexus_decisions", "doc_type": "court_decision", "title_es": "Puertos como dominio público y su operación por concesión y permiso", "title_en": "Ports as public domain and their operation through concessions and permits", "summary_es": "La resolución del Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección IV analiza el régimen jurídico de la actividad portuaria en Costa Rica, especificando que los puertos y muelles constituyen bienes de dominio público, conforme al artículo 121 inciso 14 de la Constitución Política. Se detalla que la titularidad de estos bienes pertenece al Estado, siendo JAPDEVA la entidad encargada de su administración en la Vertiente Atlántica. La explotación económica de la infraestructura portuaria por terceros se permite exclusivamente mediante dos figuras: la concesión, para servicios públicos como carga y descarga, y el permiso de uso, para actividades privadas auxiliares. Se enfatiza que la concesión implica la delegación de un servicio público con un régimen de derechos y obligaciones, mientras que el permiso es un acto precario y discrecional, revocable sin indemnización. La administración mantiene poderes de supervisión, control y policía para garantizar el interés público y la seguridad en las instalaciones portuarias.", "summary_en": "This ruling by the Administrative Court, Section IV, analyzes the legal regime for port activities in Costa Rica. It establishes that ports and docks are public domain assets under Article 121(14) of the Constitution. Ownership is vested in the State, with JAPDEVA as the administrative authority for the Atlantic coast. Private exploitation is only permissible through two mechanisms: concessions for public services such as stevedoring, and use permits for ancillary private activities. A concession delegates a public service with specific rights and obligations, while a permit is a precarious, discretionary authorization revocable at will. The administration retains supervision, control, and policing powers to ensure public interest and security within the port area.", "court_or_agency": "Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo Sección IV", "date": "2016", "year": "2016", "topic_ids": [ "_off-topic" ], "primary_topic_id": "_off-topic", "es_concept_hints": [ "demanio público", "intuito personae", "precariedad del permiso", "concesión de servicio público", "JAPDEVA", "dominio público portuario", "servicio de estiba y desestiba", "régimen de policía portuaria" ], "concept_anchors": [ { "article": "Art. 121 inciso 14", "law": "Constitución Política" }, { "article": "Art. 2", "law": "Ley 7762" }, { "article": "Art. 5 inciso 4", "law": "Ley 7762" }, { "article": "Art. 262", "law": "Código Civil" }, { "article": "Art. 4", "law": "Decreto 30064-MOPT" }, { "article": "Art. 5", "law": "Ley 7593" } ], "keywords_es": [ "dominio público", "actividad portuaria", "JAPDEVA", "concesión", "permiso de uso", "servicio público", "demanio", "Artículo 121 Constitución Política", "Ley 7762", "Decreto 30064-MOPT", "puerto", "muelle", "operación portuaria", "fiscalización", "precariedad", "intuito personae" ], "keywords_en": [ "public domain", "port activity", "JAPDEVA", "concession", "use permit", "public service", "demesne", "Article 121 Political Constitution", "Law 7762", "Decree 30064-MOPT", "port", "dock", "port operations", "supervision", "precariousness", "intuito personae" ], "excerpt_es": "A manera de conclusión sobre este considerando se puede extraer que la actividad portuaria esta en el marco del dominio público del Estado, sujetas al dominio y control del Estado a través de JAPDEVA. El marco regulatorio por ende de la prestación de los servicios operados dentro de la infraestructura portuaria debe regirse por los principios propios del demanio público y el desarrollo de éstos, está sujeto al control y fiscalización de la Autoridad Portuaria, así como el ingreso de personas y mercancías. Las figuras permitidas para la explotación de la actividad portuaria son la concesión y el permiso de uso, debidamente regulado y autorizada por la Autoridad Portuaria, conforme a los principios del dominio público.", "excerpt_en": "In conclusion, port activity falls within the framework of the State's public domain, subject to the State's control and domain through JAPDEVA. The regulatory framework for the provision of services operated within the port infrastructure must therefore be governed by the principles of public demesne, and their development is subject to the control and supervision of the Port Authority, as well as the entry of persons and goods. The permitted mechanisms for the exploitation of port activity are the concession and the use permit, duly regulated and authorized by the Port Authority, in accordance with the principles of public domain.", "outcome": { "label_en": "On the Merits", "label_es": "De Fondo", "summary_en": "The court issues a majority opinion that defines the public domain regime for ports, detailing concession and permit as the sole mechanisms for third-party exploitation in the port area administered by JAPDEVA.", "summary_es": "El tribunal emite un voto de mayoría que define el régimen de dominio público de los puertos, detallando las figuras de concesión y permiso como únicos mecanismos para la explotación por terceros en la zona portuaria administrada por JAPDEVA." }, "pull_quotes": [ { "context": "Citando sentencia 1307-F-S1-2014", "quote_en": "The case of docks falls within the so-called property of the Nation, which is those that, for reasons of national security or strategy, have a special constitutional status.", "quote_es": "El caso de los muelles, se ubica dentro de los denominados bienes de la Nación, que son aquellos que por razones de seguridad o estrategia nacional tienen una categoría de rango constitucional especial." }, { "context": "Artículo 121 inciso 14 Constitución Política", "quote_en": "National railways, docks, and airports—the latter while in service—may not be sold, leased, or encumbered, directly or indirectly, nor leave in any form the domain and control of the State.", "quote_es": "Los ferrocarriles, muelles y aeropuertos nacionales estos últimos mientras se encuentren en servicio no podrán ser enajenados, arrendados ni gravados, directa o indirectamente, ni salir en forma alguna del dominio y control del Estado." }, { "context": "Citando Voto 3451-96 Sala Constitucional", "quote_en": "The permit has a unilateral and precarious content. Its precariousness is inherent to the figure itself, such that the permit holder, except for the prerogative of carrying out their activity, lacks concrete rights that can be demanded from the State.", "quote_es": "El permiso tiene un contenido unilateral y precario. Su precariedad es consubstancial con la figura misma, de manera que el permisionario salvo la prerrogativa de ejercitar su actividad carece de derechos concretos que pueda exigir al Estado." }, { "context": "Conclusión del considerando VI", "quote_en": "The permitted mechanisms for the exploitation of port activity are the concession and the use permit, duly regulated and authorized by the Port Authority, in accordance with the principles of public domain.", "quote_es": "Las figuras permitidas para la explotación de la actividad portuaria son la concesión y el permiso de uso, debidamente regulado y autorizada por la Autoridad Portuaria, conforme a los principios del dominio público." } ], "cites": [], "cited_by": [], "references": { "internal": [ { "target_id": "norm-30464", "kind": "concept_anchor", "label": "Ley 7762 Art. 2" }, { "target_id": "norm-47762", "kind": "concept_anchor", "label": "Decreto 30064-MOPT Art. 4" }, { "target_id": "norm-26314", "kind": "concept_anchor", "label": "Ley 7593 Art. 5" } ], "external": [] }, "source_url": "https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/ext-1-0034-156744", "tier": 2, "_editorial_citation_count": 0, "regulations_by_article": null, "amendments_by_article": null, "dictamen_by_article": null, "concordancias_by_article": null, "afectaciones_by_article": null, "resoluciones_by_article": null, "cited_by_votos": [], "cited_norms": [], "cited_norms_inverted": [ { "doc_id": "norm-26314", "norm_num": "7593", "norm_name": "Ley de la Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "09/08/1996" }, { "doc_id": "norm-30464", "norm_num": "7762", "norm_name": "Ley General de Concesión de Obras Públicas con Servicios Públicos", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "14/04/1998" }, { "doc_id": "norm-38622", "norm_num": "3091", "norm_name": "Ley Orgánica de JAPDEVA", "tipo_norma": "Ley", "norm_fecha": "18/02/1963" } ], "sentencias_relacionadas": [], "temas_y_subtemas": [], "cascade_only": false, "amendment_count": 0, "body_es_text": "“VI.\r\nSOBRE LA ACTIVIDAD\r\n PORTUARIA SUS SERVICIOS Y OPERACIÓN: Lo primero que debe indicarse es\r\nque la materia portuaria entendiendo ésta como muelles y puertos y concibiendo\r\nal puerto como el conjunto de obras instalaciones, organizaciones que\r\npermiten aprovechar un lugar de la costa favorable para realizar las\r\noperaciones de intercambio en el tráfico marítimo terrestre; así como atender\r\nlas necesidades de los medios de transporte y facilitar el desarrollo de las\r\nactividades relacionadas con el transporte marítimo internacional; forman\r\nparte del dominio público, esto de conformidad con lo regulado en el artículo\r\n121 inc 14 de la Constitución Política\r\nel cual indica expresamente “Articulo 121.- Además de las otras atribuciones\r\nque le confiere esta Constitución, corresponde exclusivamente a la Asamblea Legislativa:\r\n(...) 14) Decretar la enajenación o la aplicación a usos públicos de los bienes\r\npropios de la Nación. No\r\npodrán salir definitivamente del dominio del Estado: a. Las fuerzas que puedan\r\nobtenerse de las aguas del dominio público en el territorio nacional; b. Los\r\nyacimientos de carbón, las fuentes y depósitos de petróleo, y\r\ncualesquiera otras sustancias hidrocarburadas, así como los depósitos de\r\nminerales radioactivos existentes en el territorio nacional; c.Los servicios\r\ninalámbricos; Los bienes mencionados en los apartes a), b) y c) anteriores solo\r\npodrán ser explotados por la administración pública o por particulares, de\r\nacuerdo con la ley mediante concesión especial otorgada por tiempo limitado y\r\ncon arreglo a las condiciones y estipulaciones que establezca la Asamblea Legislativa.\r\nLos ferrocarriles, muelles y aeropuertos nacionales estos últimos mientras se\r\nencuentren en servicio no podrán ser enajenados, arrendados ni gravados,\r\ndirecta o indirectamente, ni salir en forma alguna del dominio y control del Estado \". De tal norma se extrae la habilitación de\r\nla Asamblea\r\n Legislativa para decretar la enajenación de usos públicos de\r\nlos bienes propios de la Nación,\r\nseñala además que estos bienes definitivamente no pueden salir del control y\r\ndominio del Estado entre ellos los muelles y puertos, pero permite la\r\nexplotación a través de la figura de la concesión. Es claro, además que este\r\nartículo debe interpretarse armónicamente con normas reguladoras del dominio\r\npúblico como son los artículos 262 del Código Civil y las leyes 4964 del 21 de\r\nmarzo del 1972 del INCOOP y la ley No. 5337 del 27 de agosto del 1973 de\r\nJAPDEVA. Como se indicó, entonces, el dominio portuario pertenece al Estado,\r\nsiendo los organismos portuarios meros administradores del mismo, lo que\r\nimplica una serie de potestades y obligaciones con relación al demanio cuya\r\nadministración se encomienda, éste dominio público portuario abarca aguas\r\nmarítimos, terrenos, obras e instalaciones fijas de los puertos de competencia\r\nestatal, su gestión, conservación y policía está a cargo del organismo que\r\nadministra el muelle a la que el ordenamiento le atribuye competencias\r\nespecíficas. Sobre ese concepto de demanio público la Sala Primera de la Corte Suprema de\r\nJusticia en sentencia 1307-F-S1-2014 desarrollo \"\r\nEl caso de los muelles, se ubica dentro de los denominados bienes de la Nación, que son aquellos\r\nque por razones de seguridad o estrategia nacional tienen una categoría de\r\nrango constitucional especial. La mayoría de éstos, -dentro de la concepción\r\ndecimonónica- son demanio; no obstante, en la actualidad, esa titularidad que\r\nse ejerce a través de la\r\n Administración, permite su uso y disfrute con la finalidad de\r\ndisponerlo al uso común o a la vinculación directa a un servicio público; o\r\nbien, porque se trata de riqueza o relevancia nacional; y en ese tanto, debe\r\nentenderse expandido el concepto tradicional, incorporando aquellos de la Nación, propios de su\r\nriqueza nacional. La Carta\r\n Magna, precepto 121 inciso 14, establece que los\r\nferrocarriles, muelles y aeropuertos, mientras estén en servicio, no\r\npueden salir en forma alguna del dominio y control del Estado. Luego, el uso\r\nque se les dé, y las actividades a las que están afectos (y que por demás son\r\nla razón misma de su régimen (y su finalidad), no pueden abstraerse del Estado.\r\nSe trata de bienes de titularidad pública cuya vocación es una actividad\r\nprestacional que constituye su esencia. En ese tanto, y en lo que al sub lite\r\ninteresa, los muelles, así como los servicios que necesariamente requieren ese\r\nobjeto, pueden ser utilizados, prestados y –en suma- gestionados en forma\r\ndirecta o indirecta por el Estado. Pero tanto este bien como las actividades\r\nque le son inherentes pertenecen al Estado, son de su titularidad, lo que\r\nexcluye el comercio privado con ellos. (Voto 1307-F1-2014 del nueve de octubre\r\ndel dos mil catorce) Para el caso que nos ocupa, es de interés revisar las\r\natribuciones legales otorgadas a la\r\n Junta de Administrativa Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico\r\nde la Vertiente\r\n Atlántica, por ser ésta la entidad a la que el ordenamiento\r\nle ha encargado la administración del demanio de los puertos de Limón-Moín;\r\nésta se creó como un ente autónomo del Estado, con carácter de empresa de\r\nutilidad pública, quien debe asumir las prerrogativas y funciones de Autoridad\r\nPortuaria. Dentro de sus funciones se encuentra la de construir, administrar,\r\nconservar y operar el puerto actual de Limón y su extensión a Cieneguita, así\r\ncomo otros puertos marítimos y fluviales de la Vertiente Atlántica,\r\ncon la salvedad de los que operen al amparo del inciso h) del artículo 6 de su\r\nLey de Creación. Asimismo, se encarga de administrar la canalización del\r\nAtlántico y las tierras y bienes que esta ley le otorga. Debe administrar las\r\nempresas de transporte ferroviario del Estado que presten servicios de y hacia\r\nlos puertos de la\r\n Vertiente Atlántica que específicamente contemple el Poder\r\nEjecutivo en los planes nacionales de desarrollo. Es una Institución de derecho\r\npúblico con personería jurídica y patrimonio propio, que goza de independencia\r\nadministrativa, y se rige por las decisiones de su Consejo de Administración. La\r\nrelación entre JAPDEVA y el Poder Ejecutivo, se mantiene a través del Ministerio\r\nde Obras Públicas y Transportes. Como administración portuaria, a JAPDEVA, le\r\ncorresponde:“a) Realizar la planificación específica de las obras e\r\ninstalaciones portuarias que requiera el país en el litoral Atlántico, de\r\nconformidad con la planificación general y la política de desarrollo portuario\r\nque determine el Poder Ejecutivo; b) De conformidad con el inciso anterior,\r\nconstruir las obras que se requieran para un eficiente servicio portuario, así\r\ncomo mejorar, mantener, operar y administrar los servicios e instalaciones que\r\nestén a su cargo; c) Recibir y controlar directamente, las naves que entren o\r\nsalgan de los puertos del litoral atlántico, extendiendo el zarpe y los demás\r\ndocumentos de rigor; d) Recibir, trasladar, almacenar, custodiar y entregar\r\ndentro de la zona portuaria, cuando procesa, la carga, mercancías o bienes que\r\nse embarquen o desembarquen por los puertos de la Vertiente Atlántica.\r\nEn ningún caso habrá entrega de la carga desembarcada a los consignatarios o a\r\nsus agentes, ni permitirá el embarque de carga, sin el previo trámite aduanal y\r\nde conformidad con lo que al respecto determinen las leyes y reglamentos, con\r\nexcepción de los equipajes cuya recepción, custodia y entrega corresponderán a la Aduana; e Otorgan a las\r\nautoridades fiscales, de migración y sanidad, cooperación para el desempeño de\r\nsus respectivas funciones; f) Organizar el servicio propio de resguardo y\r\nseguridad en la zona portuaria, para vigilar las instalaciones, bienes, equipos\r\ny carga en custodia. Este cuerpo estará investido de suficiente autoridad para\r\nprevenir y perseguir a quienes cometan contravenciones, faltas o delitos dentro\r\nde la zona portuaria e imponer el cumplimiento de los reglamentos de servicio. Colaborará\r\nen cuanto esté a su alcance con las demás autoridades del país; g) Coordinar\r\nlas actividades portuarias y de transporte que le son conexas; y h) Tramitar\r\nlas solicitudes de concesión, dentro de los tres meses siguientes a la\r\npresentación de las mismas, para el establecimiento de servicios portuarios y\r\nde transporte privados en la Vertiente Atlántica, trasladándolas con las\r\nrecomendaciones pertinentes al Poder Ejecutivo, quien deberá resolver en un\r\nplazo no mayor de tres meses. Debe entenderse que la falta de resolución de\r\nparte del Poder Ejecutivo, implica aceptación de la solicitud.” En lo referido\r\nal cobro por servicios públicos, el artículo 17 de la Ley antes citada, indica que\r\nel Consejo de Administración está autorizada para establecer tarifas, cánones o\r\ncobrar por éstos, previa aprobación del Poder Ejecutivo; así como, a dar los\r\npermisos de usos y prestación de servicios, sujetos a cánones sobre\r\ndeterminados espacios portuarios y actividades portuarias, siempre que estén\r\ndestinados a las funciones propias de empresas navieras, aduanales o de transporte.\r\nEs claro en este marco, que es a ésta Autoridad Portuaria a quien le\r\ncorresponde la autorización de usos y provechos desarrollados en los muelles y\r\nPuertos del área de Limón, en asocio con el Poder Ejecutivo, de acuerdo a lo\r\nregulado en la ley 7593 y 7762. Además se le concede la potestad de dictar\r\nreglamentos de funcionamiento y servicios, dirigidos a regular la actividad. Es\r\nclaro a la luz de lo regulado, que es en manos de esta Junta Administrativa que\r\nse otorgan las potestades de regulación y explotación de los muelles y puertos,\r\nes a partir de este razonamiento que figuras como la concesión y permisos de\r\nuso toman relevancia en materia portuaria. Las concesiones como se visualiza\r\ndel marco constitucional es la figura constitucional permitida para la\r\nexplotación económica del muelle en manos de un tercero o ajeno al Estado. En\r\nprimer término tenemos\r\nla figura de la concesión, la Sala Constitucional en su Voto Nº 3451-96 define\r\na la concesión como un medio para la prestación de un servicio público en el\r\nque el Estado satisface necesidades generales valiéndose para ello de la\r\ncolaboración voluntaria. Por el contrato de concesión de servicio público se\r\nencomienda a una persona –física o jurídica-, por un tiempo determinado, la\r\norganización y el funcionamiento de un determinado servicio público. El\r\nconcesionario lleva a cabo su tarea, por su cuenta y riesgo, percibiendo por su\r\nlabor la retribución correspondiente, que puede consistir en el precio o\r\ntarifas pagadas por los usuarios, en subvenciones o garantías satisfechas por\r\nel Estado, o ambas a la vez (…)”. Entendemos entonces que la concesión de\r\nun servicio público, es el contrato por el cual la Administración le\r\nda a un particular, por los trámites de ley, la concesión en la explotación de\r\nun servicio público y en consecuencia, el instrumento jurídico del que el\r\nconcesionario parte para organizar y poner en funcionamiento un servicio\r\npúblico en forma temporal, ostentando los poderes y facultades que para ese fin\r\nle son temporalmente delegados, asumiendo por su cuenta y en forma directa los\r\ncostos y riesgos propios del servicio. La administración por su parte, controla\r\ny vigila el servicio público a fin de que el concesionario no se aparte de\r\ndichos parámetros. Estas consideraciones se retoman en la materia portuaria a\r\npartir de los numerales 2 y 5.4 de la Ley General de Concesión de Obra Pública con\r\nServicios Públicos que expone “Articulo 2.- Toda obra y su explotación son\r\nsusceptibles de explotación de concesión cuando existan razones de interés\r\npúblico, que deberán constar en el expediente mediante acto razonado. Se\r\nexceptúan de la aplicación de esta ley las telecomunicaciones y la\r\nelectricidad. Los ferrocarriles, las ferrovias, los muelles y los aeropuertos\r\ninternacionales, tanto nuevos como existentes, así como los servicios que allí\r\nse presten, únicamente podrán ser otorgados en concesión mediante los\r\nprocedimientos dispuestos en esta ley. Articulo 5. inciso\r\n4. Corresponde exclusivamente al Poder Ejecutivo considerado en los términos\r\ndel artículo 21.2 de la\r\n Ley General de la Administración Pública,\r\nadjudicar y suscribir los contratos de concesión de los ferrocarriles, las\r\nferrovias, los muelles y los aeropuertos internacionales, tanto nuevos como\r\nexistentes.” Por otro lado, existe puntualmente, el Reglamento para los\r\nContratos de Concesión de gestión de los Servicios Públicos Portuarios, emanado\r\npor Decreto Ejecutivo No 30064-MOPT, desarrollando la figura contractual\r\nmediante la cual la\r\n Administración Pública contratante gestiona indirectamente y\r\npor concesión, aquellos servicios portuarios de su competencia que, por su\r\ncontenido económico, sean susceptibles de explotación empresarial, siempre y\r\ncuando la prestación del servicio no implique el ejercicio de potestades de\r\nimperio o de actos de autoridad y conservando la Administración los\r\npoderes de supervisión e intervención, necesarios para garantizar la eficacia y\r\neficiencia en la prestación de servicios públicos. El objeto de este contrato\r\npuede incluir la gestión o administración de la prestación de todos los\r\nservicios públicos relacionados con escalas comerciales realizadas por los\r\nbuques de carga en las instalaciones portuarias nacionales por un concesionario\r\nespecializado en la gestión y operación portuaria. Los servicios portuarios se\r\nprestaran en las instalaciones existentes, en particular los puertos de atraque\r\ny los muelles, así como todas las superficies comprendidas dentro de los\r\nlinderos del puerto de que se trate, según el plano incluido en los respectivos\r\ncarteles de licitación, así como los depósitos y demás edificaciones existentes\r\ndentro de los citados límites. El artículo 4 del Reglamento de cita, señala que\r\nlos servicios portuarios que pueden darse en concesión de gestión de servicios\r\npúblicos son: Atención a embarcaciones: amarre y desamarre de buques, remolque\r\nde buques, facilitación de su aprovisionamiento y demás suministros. Atención a\r\nla carga: recibo, carga, descarga y entrega de toda mercadería resultante del\r\ncomercio exterior de Costa Rica y habitualmente transportada por vía marítima,\r\nincluyendo su estiba y desestiba a bordo de las respectivas embarcaciones, así\r\ncomo su almacenamiento. Todos aquellos servicios que formen parte del negocio\r\nportuario y que pueden ser considerados como adicionales a las actividades de\r\ntrasbordo. Es importante agregar, que de acuerdo a lo regulado en el artículo 5\r\nde la ley 7593, estos servicios se entiende dentro de la gama de servicios\r\npúblicos y por ende las tarifas aplicables por los servicios portuarios serán\r\nfijadas de conformidad con los procedimientos legales establecidos, y la Autoridad Reguladora\r\nde los Servicios Públicos regulara tales tarifas según los términos de la misma\r\nley y su reglamento. Las concesiones\r\nen el área portuaria como por ejemplo la de prestación del servicio de carga,\r\nestiba y desestiba conlleva la delegación de un servicio público, como se ha\r\nvenido desarrollando al ser prestado en uso de bienes de naturaleza demanial,\r\nque puede ser de libremente transferibilidad a terceros, siempre y cuando medie\r\nautorización por parte de la\r\n Administración en especial atención a las características que\r\npresenta aquel en quien se delega. En cuanto a las actividades de carga, los\r\nprincipales servicios relativos a ésta, que constituyen el núcleo fundamental\r\nde los servicios portuarios en régimen de concesión, son auténticos servicios\r\npúblicos, en cuanto actividades que no obstante sean delegadas en manos\r\nprivadas son en alto grado de un interés de la especie, y sólo son susceptibles\r\nde ser ejecutadas por quien para su ejercicio, haya cumplido toda una serie de\r\nrequisitos y acreditado poseer ciertas condiciones dentro del procedimiento\r\npara ello previsto. El acto de delegación de estos servicios se encuentra,\r\npues, amparado en la ley pero también sometido a ella. El ejercicio de las\r\natribuciones y actividades de la concesión están sometidas a reservas. Las\r\nconcesiones se otorgan “intuito persona” y por consiguiente, cuando impliquen la utilización de un uso de\r\nbienes del dominio público, y aún y cuando únicamente comprendan la prestación\r\nde un servicio público, lo serán de forma exclusiva, directa y para uso y\r\nprovecho propio, sometido a las debidas condiciones de eficacia y seguridad. La\r\notra figura que surge en el ordenamiento jurídico como posibilidad de\r\nexplotación de servicios por terceros es la figura del permiso la cual ha sido\r\ndesarrollada por la\r\n Sala Constitucional en los siguientes términos “El permiso\r\nes un acto que autoriza a una persona – administrado – para el ejercicio de un\r\nderecho, en principio, prohibido por el propio ordenamiento jurídico. Es\r\nuna exención especial respecto de una prohibición general en beneficio de quien\r\nlo solicita. Con el permiso se tolera o permite realizar algo muy\r\nespecífico y determinado. Su naturaleza consiste en remover un obstáculo legal\r\npara el ejercicio de un poder preexistente, se dice que es una concesión de\r\nalcance restringido, puesto que, otorga derechos de menor intensidad y de mayor\r\nprecariedad. La doctrina del Derecho Público señala como caracteres del permiso\r\nlos siguientes: a) crea una situación jurídica individual condicionada al\r\ncumplimiento de la ley, siendo que su incumplimiento implica la caducidad del\r\npermiso; b) se da intuito personae en consideración a sus motivos y al\r\nbeneficiario, en principio se prohíbe su cesión y transferencia; c) confiere\r\nun derecho debilitado o un interés legítimo, la precariedad del derecho del\r\npermisionario se fundamenta en que el permiso constituye una tolerancia de la Administración Pública\r\nrespectiva que actúa discrecionalmente; d) es precario, razón por la cual la Administración Pública\r\npuede revocarlo en cualquier momento, sin derecho a resarcimiento o\r\nindemnización; e) su otorgamiento depende de la discrecionalidad\r\nadministrativa, por lo que la Administración Pública pueda apreciar si el\r\npermiso solicitado se adecua o no al interés general. Sobre el particular,\r\nesa Sala Constitucional en el Voto No. 3451-96 de las 15:33 hrs dispuso:\r\n\"La doctrina del Derecho público admite de manera casi unánime, que la\r\ntrascendencia que tiene la concesión, por ser la forma ordinaria para la\r\nsatisfacción de la necesidad del servicio, desaparece en el permiso, que al ser\r\notorgado por la administración tiene aplicación en supuestos carentes de esa\r\nmayor importancia, de donde se deriva su naturaleza esencialmente temporal. Por\r\nello el permiso tiene un contenido unilateral y precario. Su precariedad es\r\nconsubstancial con la figura misma, de manera que el permisionario salvo la\r\nprerrogativa de ejercitar su actividad carece de derechos concretos que pueda\r\nexigir al Estado y que vayan más allá de lo que dispone el acto administrativo\r\nde autorización. La facultad emergente para conceder un permiso no constituye\r\nun derecho subjetivo completo y perfecto y su propia esencia admite que sea\r\nrevocado sin responsabilidad para la administración, es decir, sin derecho a\r\nindemnización, cuando desaparecen las causas que le han dado origen, o cuando la Administración\r\nformaliza el contrato de concesión. La posibilidad que tiene la administración\r\nde revocar el permiso, sin necesidad de que exista una cláusula especial que\r\nasí lo establezca es de principio general, pero de todas formas, cuando la\r\nrevocación sea jurídicamente posible, ésta no puede ser intempestiva, ni\r\narbitraria, conceptos jurídicos que han sido suficientemente desarrollados por la Sala. Se parte de que\r\nquien se vincula a la administración sobre bases tan precarias no puede luego\r\nquejarse de las consecuencias que de ello se derivan. Ahora bien, el\r\notorgamiento de permisos depende de la discrecionalidad administrativa y la Administración puede\r\napreciar si el permiso que se pide está o no de acuerdo con el interés público\r\ny conforme a ello decidir si lo otorga o lo niega...\"( Voto 4976-2003 del\r\n09 de junio del dos mil tres, Sala Constitucional) La figura del permiso en las\r\nactividades portuarias autorizadas por la Junta Administrativa\r\nPortuaria y de Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica se encuentra desarrollada en\r\nel reglamento General para el otorgamiento de permisos y regulación de\r\nactividades privadas dentro del Área Portuaria de Limón y Moín, el cual en su\r\nartículo 4 expone que las actividades privadas sujetas al otorgamiento de\r\npermisos y regulación entre ellos: Venta de agua potable de buques, servicio de\r\nship Chandler, servicio de extracción de aceites quemados y aguas oleaginosas\r\nde los barcos, servicio de extracción de desechos sólidos y aguas grises de los\r\nbarcos, servicios de seguridad privada, servicios de transporte de combustible,\r\nservicios de mantenimiento y pintura de buques, inspección y chequeo de\r\nmercancías de las instalaciones portuarias. Este reglamento además expone los\r\nlineamientos para el otorgamiento de los permisos y régimen jurídico aplicable\r\na la actividad prestada. Este tipo de servicios no se pueden calificar\r\nnecesariamente de públicos, porque no satisfacen ninguna necesidad esencial ni\r\ngeneral. Uno de los servicios esenciales de la actividad portuaria, el que si\r\nse puede calificar de servicio público es de carga y descarga la cual no sólo\r\nincluye la puesta de las mercancías a bordo del buque y las de extracción y\r\ndescenso del cargamento a tierra respectivamente, sino toda una serie de\r\noperaciones de muy diversa naturaleza de hecho con las que se prepara y se pone\r\ntérmino al estricto desplazamiento marítimo. Se comprende también en ellas, las\r\noperaciones de depósito y almacenaje de las mercancías previas a su embarque y\r\nposteriores a la descarga y puesta en muelle del cargamento transportado; las\r\noperaciones de manutención en tierra, determinación de peso, separación y\r\nclasificación de las mercancías; los desplazamientos de las mismas dentro de la\r\nzona portuaria, por vía terrestre o fluvial o en la rada del puerto, en orden a\r\nla aproximación al buque en el embarque o a los almacenes de tierra en la\r\ndescarga. En ese tipo de operaciones portuarias intervienen una serie de elementos\r\ny sujetos que desarrollan esta operación, en el reglamento de Operaciones\r\nPortuarias se definen estos en sus artículos 1, 3, y 4. Una de las figuras de\r\nrelevancia en la operación portuaria es la figura del agente naviero la cual se\r\ndefine como la persona jurídica que por delegación de los armadores,\r\npropietarios u operadores de las embarcaciones, ejerce la representación de los\r\nintereses comerciales de éstos en el puerto, debidamente inscrito en el\r\nRegistro Administrativo de la Dirección General de Transporte Marítimo, del\r\nMinisterio de Obras Públicas y Transportes y acreditado como tal ante JAPDEVA. Esta\r\nfigura es de vital importancia en la prestación de los servicios públicos\r\nportuarios, considerando que es a través de dicho agente que las embarcaciones\r\nreciben los servicios necesarios para la su desembarque en el puerto, lo cual\r\nconstituye sin lugar a dudas uno de los ejes principales de la actividad\r\neconómica de los puertos. Es importante retomar dentro de las regulaciones\r\nportuarias, el marco de control y fiscalización de los puertos o régimen de\r\npolicía, el cual por su naturaleza es pública reservada a la Autoridad Portuaria\r\nnormada para el caso de la Junta Administrativa de Puertos y Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica\r\nen el reglamento de operaciones Portuarias, que expone aspectos como el ingreso\r\nde personas y mercancías a las instalaciones portuarias, el medio de\r\nidentificación para el ingreso al puerto, el control de ingreso de los\r\nvehículos, el tránsito y estacionamiento de vehículos y estaciones de ingreso y\r\nsalida, aspectos que se vincula como es lógico a aspectos de seguridad. A\r\nmanera de conclusión sobre este considerando se puede extraer que la actividad\r\nportuaria esta en el marco del dominio público del Estado, sujetas al dominio y\r\ncontrol del Estado a través de JAPDEVA. El marco regulatorio por ende de la\r\nprestación de los servicios operados dentro de la infraestructura portuaria\r\ndebe regirse por los principios propios del demanio público y el desarrollo de\r\néstos, está sujeto al control y fiscalización de la Autoridad Portuaria,\r\nasí como el ingreso de personas y mercancías. Las figuras permitidas para la\r\nexplotación de la actividad portuaria son la concesión y el permiso de uso,\r\ndebidamente regulado y autorizada por la Autoridad Portuaria,\r\nconforme a los principios del dominio público. Estas figuras permiten la\r\nsatisfacción de los servicios necesarios para el buen desarrollo de los\r\nservicios portuarios de orden público y por consiguiente la buena atención de\r\nnecesidades de los usuarios de esos servicios […].”", "body_en_text": "**VI.**\n**PORT ACTIVITY, ITS SERVICES AND OPERATION:** The first thing that must be indicated is that port matters—understanding these as docks and ports and conceiving the port as the set of works, installations, and organizations that make it possible to take advantage of a favorable coastal location to carry out exchange operations in maritime-land traffic, as well as to meet the needs of transportation means and facilitate the development of activities related to international maritime transport—form part of the public domain, in accordance with what is regulated in Article 121, section 14 of the Political Constitution, which expressly indicates: “Article 121.—In addition to the other powers conferred by this Constitution, the Legislative Assembly shall have the exclusive authority to: (...) 14) Decree the alienation or application to public uses of the Nation’s own property. The following may not permanently leave the domain of the State: a. The forces obtainable from public domain waters in the national territory; b. Coal deposits, petroleum sources and deposits, and any other hydrocarbon substances, as well as radioactive mineral deposits existing in the national territory; c. Wireless services; The property mentioned in subsections a), b), and c) above may only be exploited by the public administration or by private parties, in accordance with the law, through a special concession granted for a limited time and under the conditions and stipulations established by the Legislative Assembly. National railways, docks, and airports—the latter while in service—may not be alienated, leased, or encumbered, directly or indirectly, nor leave the domain and control of the State in any way.” From this norm, the authorization of the Legislative Assembly to decree the alienation of public uses of the Nation’s own property is extracted; it also indicates that these properties, including docks and ports, definitively cannot leave the control and domain of the State, but it permits exploitation through the concession figure. It is also clear that this article must be interpreted harmoniously with regulatory norms of the public domain, such as Articles 262 of the Civil Code and Law 4964 of March 21, 1972, of INCOOP, and Law No. 5337 of August 27, 1973, of JAPDEVA. As indicated, then, port domain belongs to the State, with port organisms being mere administrators thereof, which implies a series of powers and obligations regarding the demesne (demanio) whose administration is entrusted; this port public domain (dominio público portuario) encompasses maritime waters, lands, works, and fixed installations of state-competent ports; their management, conservation, and policing are the responsibility of the organism that administers the dock to which the legal system attributes specific competencies. Regarding this concept of public demesne (demanio público), the First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, in ruling 1307-F-S1-2014, developed: “The case of docks is situated within the so-called property of the Nation, which are those that, for reasons of national security or strategy, have a category of special constitutional rank. Most of these—within the nineteenth-century conception—are demesne (demanio); however, currently, that ownership exercised through the Administration allows its use and enjoyment for the purpose of making it available for common use or for direct linkage to a public service; or, because it concerns national wealth or relevance; and to that extent, the traditional concept must be understood as expanded, incorporating those of the Nation, proper to its national wealth. The Magna Carta, precept 121 section 14, establishes that railways, docks, and airports, while in service, cannot leave the domain and control of the State in any way. Then, the use given to them, and the activities to which they are affected (which moreover are the very reason for their regime and their purpose), cannot be abstracted from the State. These are publicly owned assets whose vocation is a service-provision activity that constitutes their essence. To that extent, and regarding what is of interest in the sub lite, docks, as well as the services that necessarily require that object, may be used, provided, and—in summary—managed directly or indirectly by the State. But both this asset and the activities inherent to it belong to the State, are its ownership, which excludes private commerce with them. (Voto 1307-F1-2014 of October 9, 2014). For the case at hand, it is of interest to review the legal attributions granted to the Junta de Administración Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente Atlántica (JAPDEVA), as this is the entity entrusted by the legal system with the administration of the demesne (demanio) of the ports of Limón-Moín; it was created as an autonomous entity of the State, with the character of a public utility enterprise, which must assume the prerogatives and functions of the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria). Among its functions is that of building, administering, conserving, and operating the current port of Limón and its extension to Cieneguita, as well as other maritime and river ports of the Vertiente Atlántica, with the exception of those operating under subsection h) of Article 6 of its Creation Law. Likewise, it is responsible for administering the Atlantic canalization and the lands and property that this law grants it. It must administer the State railway transport enterprises that provide services to and from the ports of the Vertiente Atlántica that the Executive Branch specifically contemplates in national development plans. It is a public law Institution with legal personality and its own patrimony, which enjoys administrative independence and is governed by the decisions of its Board of Directors. The relationship between JAPDEVA and the Executive Branch is maintained through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. As port administration, JAPDEVA is responsible for: “a) Carrying out the specific planning of port works and installations required by the country on the Atlantic coast, in accordance with the general planning and port development policy determined by the Executive Branch; b) In accordance with the previous subsection, building the works required for efficient port service, as well as improving, maintaining, operating, and administering the services and installations under its charge; c) Directly receiving and controlling vessels entering or leaving the ports of the Atlantic coast, issuing the departure clearance (zarpe) and other required documents; d) Receiving, transferring, storing, guarding, and delivering within the port zone, when appropriate, the cargo, merchandise, or goods embarked or disembarked through the ports of the Vertiente Atlántica. In no case shall disembarked cargo be delivered to consignees or their agents, nor shall cargo embarkation be permitted, without prior customs processing and in accordance with what the laws and regulations determine in this regard, with the exception of baggage, the reception, custody, and delivery of which shall correspond to the Customs Authority (Aduana); e) Granting cooperation to fiscal, migration, and health authorities for the performance of their respective functions; f) Organizing the service of guarding and security in the port zone, to watch over the installations, property, equipment, and cargo in custody. This body shall be vested with sufficient authority to prevent and pursue those who commit contraventions, misdemeanors, or crimes within the port zone and to enforce the service regulations. It will collaborate, to the extent possible, with the other authorities of the country; g) Coordinating the port and transportation activities that are related; and h) Processing concession requests, within three months following their submission, for the establishment of private port and transport services on the Vertiente Atlántica, forwarding them with the pertinent recommendations to the Executive Branch, who must resolve within a period not exceeding three months. It must be understood that the lack of resolution by the Executive Branch implies acceptance of the request.” In reference to the charging for public services, Article 17 of the aforementioned Law indicates that the Board of Directors is authorized to establish tariffs, fees, or charges for these, with prior approval of the Executive Branch; as well as to grant use and service provision permits, subject to fees on certain port spaces and port activities, provided they are intended for the specific functions of shipping, customs, or transportation companies. It is clear within this framework that it is this Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria) that is responsible for the authorization of uses and benefits developed on the docks and ports of the Limón area, in association with the Executive Branch, according to what is regulated in Law 7593 and 7762. Furthermore, it is granted the power to issue operating and service regulations aimed at regulating the activity. In light of the regulations, it is clear that it is in the hands of this Board of Directors that the powers of regulation and exploitation of docks and ports are granted; it is from this reasoning that figures such as the concession and use permits take on relevance in port matters. Concessions, as visualized from the constitutional framework, are the constitutional figure permitted for the economic exploitation of the dock in the hands of a third party or someone outside the State. In the first place, we have the concession figure; the Constitutional Chamber in its Voto Nº 3451-96 defines the concession as a means for the provision of a public service in which the State satisfies general needs by availing itself of voluntary collaboration for this purpose. Through the public service concession contract, a person—individual or legal entity—is entrusted, for a determined time, with the organization and operation of a specific public service. The concessionaire carries out its task, on its own account and risk, receiving for its work the corresponding compensation, which may consist of the price or tariffs paid by users, subsidies or guarantees satisfied by the State, or both at the same time (...).” We understand then that the concession of a public service is the contract by which the Administration gives a private party, through legal procedures, the concession for the exploitation of a public service and, consequently, the legal instrument from which the concessionaire proceeds to organize and put into operation a public service temporarily, holding the powers and faculties that are temporarily delegated to it for that purpose, directly assuming the costs and risks inherent to the service. The Administration, for its part, controls and oversees the public service so that the concessionaire does not deviate from said parameters. These considerations are taken up in port matters based on numerals 2 and 5.4 of the General Law on Concession of Public Works with Public Services which states: “Article 2.—Any work and its exploitation are susceptible to concession exploitation when there are reasons of public interest, which must be recorded in the file through a reasoned act. Telecommunications and electricity are excepted from the application of this law. Railways, rail tracks, docks, and international airports, both new and existing, as well as the services provided there, may only be granted in concession through the procedures established in this law. Article 5, subsection 4. It corresponds exclusively to the Executive Branch, considered in the terms of Article 21.2 of the General Law of Public Administration, to award and enter into the concession contracts for railways, rail tracks, docks, and international airports, both new and existing.” On the other hand, there exists, specifically, the Regulations for Concession Contracts for the Management of Public Port Services, issued by Executive Decree No. 30064-MOPT, developing the contractual figure through which the contracting Public Administration indirectly manages and by concession those port services under its competence that, due to their economic content, are susceptible to business exploitation, provided that the provision of the service does not imply the exercise of sovereign powers or acts of authority and the Administration retains the powers of supervision and intervention necessary to guarantee efficacy and efficiency in the provision of public services. The object of this contract may include the management or administration of the provision of all public services related to commercial port calls made by cargo vessels at national port facilities by a concessionaire specialized in port management and operation. Port services shall be provided at the existing facilities, particularly the berthing ports and docks, as well as all surfaces within the boundaries of the port in question, according to the plan included in the respective bid documents, as well as the warehouses and other existing buildings within the aforementioned limits. Article 4 of the cited Regulations indicates that the port services that may be granted under a public service management concession are: Vessel services: mooring and unmooring of vessels, vessel towing, facilitation of their provisioning and other supplies. Cargo services: receipt, loading, unloading, and delivery of all merchandise resulting from Costa Rica’s foreign trade and habitually transported by sea, including its stowage and unstowage on board the respective vessels, as well as its storage. All those services that form part of the port business and can be considered additional to transshipment activities. It is important to add that, according to what is regulated in Article 5 of Law 7593, these services are understood within the range of public services and therefore the applicable tariffs for port services shall be set in accordance with established legal procedures, and the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos shall regulate such tariffs according to the terms of the same law and its regulations. Concessions in the port area, such as the provision of cargo, stowage, and unstowage services, entail the delegation of a public service, as has been developed, being provided using assets of a demesnial nature (demanial), which may be freely transferable to third parties, provided there is authorization from the Administration, with special attention to the characteristics presented by the party to whom it is delegated. Regarding cargo activities, the main services related to it, which constitute the fundamental core of port services under a concession regime, are authentic public services, as activities that, although delegated to private hands, are of a high degree of public interest, and are only capable of being executed by someone who, for their exercise, has met a whole series of requirements and accredited possessing certain conditions within the procedure established for that purpose. The act of delegating these services is, then, protected by law but also subject to it. The exercise of the attributions and activities of the concession is subject to reservations. Concessions are granted *intuito personae* and consequently, when they involve the use of public domain assets, and even when they only comprise the provision of a public service, they shall be exclusively, directly, and for one’s own use and benefit, subject to the due conditions of efficacy and safety. The other figure that emerges in the legal system as a possibility for the exploitation of services by third parties is the permit (permiso) figure, which has been developed by the Constitutional Chamber in the following terms: “The permit (permiso) is an act that authorizes a person—an administered party—for the exercise of a right that is, in principle, prohibited by the legal system itself. It is a special exemption from a general prohibition for the benefit of the one who requests it. Through the permit (permiso), something very specific and determined is tolerated or allowed. Its nature consists of removing a legal obstacle for the exercise of a pre-existing power; it is said to be a concession of restricted scope, since it grants rights of lesser intensity and greater precariousness. The doctrine of Public Law indicates the following as characteristics of the permit (permiso): a) it creates an individual legal situation conditioned on compliance with the law, its non-compliance implying the expiration of the permit (permiso); b) it is given *intuito personae* in consideration of its reasons and the beneficiary; in principle, its assignment and transfer is prohibited; c) it confers a weakened right or a legitimate interest; the precariousness of the permit holder’s right is based on the fact that the permit (permiso) constitutes a tolerance of the respective Public Administration, which acts discretionally; d) it is precarious, which is why the Public Administration may revoke it at any time, without the right to restitution or compensation; e) its granting depends on administrative discretion, for which the Public Administration may assess whether the requested permit (permiso) is in accordance with the general interest or not. In this regard, this Constitutional Chamber, in Voto No. 3451-96 at 3:33 p.m., ordered: ‘The doctrine of public Law admits, almost unanimously, that the transcendence of the concession, as it is the ordinary form for satisfying the service need, disappears in the permit (permiso), which, when granted by the administration, applies in situations lacking that greater importance, from which its essentially temporary nature derives. Therefore, the permit (permiso) has a unilateral and precarious content. Its precariousness is consubstantial with the figure itself, such that the permit holder, except for the prerogative to exercise its activity, lacks concrete rights that it can demand from the State and that go beyond what the administrative act of authorization provides. The emergent faculty to grant a permit (permiso) does not constitute a complete and perfect subjective right, and its own essence admits that it be revoked without liability for the administration, that is, without the right to compensation, when the causes that gave rise to it disappear, or when the Administration formalizes the concession contract. The administration’s ability to revoke the permit (permiso), without the need for a special clause to establish this, is a general principle, but in any case, when revocation is legally possible, it cannot be untimely or arbitrary, legal concepts that have been sufficiently developed by the Chamber. It is understood that whoever links themselves to the administration on such precarious grounds cannot later complain about the consequences that derive from it. Now, the granting of permits depends on administrative discretion, and the Administration may assess whether the requested permit (permiso) is or is not in accordance with the public interest and, accordingly, decide to grant or deny it...’ (Voto 4976-2003 of June 9, 2003, Constitutional Chamber). The permit (permiso) figure in port activities authorized by the Junta Administrativa Portuaria y de Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica is developed in the General Regulations for the Granting of Permits and Regulation of Private Activities within the Port Area of Limón and Moín, whose Article 4 states that the private activities subject to the granting of permits and regulation include: Sale of drinking water to vessels, ship chandler service, extraction service of burnt oils and oily waters from ships, extraction service of solid waste and greywater from ships, private security services, fuel transport services, ship maintenance and painting services, inspection and checking of merchandise at port facilities. These regulations also set out the guidelines for granting permits and the legal regime applicable to the activity provided. These types of services cannot necessarily be classified as public, because they do not satisfy any essential or general need. One of the essential services of port activity, which can indeed be classified as a public service, is loading and unloading, which not only includes the placement of merchandise on board the vessel and the extraction and lowering of the cargo to land, respectively, but also a whole series of operations of a very diverse nature, in fact, with which the strict maritime movement is prepared and concluded. Also included in them are the deposit and storage operations of merchandise prior to its embarkation and subsequent to the disembarkation and placement on the dock of the transported cargo; the maintenance operations on land, weight determination, separation, and classification of merchandise; the movements thereof within the port zone, by land or river route or in the port roadstead, for the purpose of approaching the vessel during embarkation or the land warehouses during disembarkation. In that type of port operations, a series of elements and subjects intervene who develop this operation; in the Port Operations Regulations, these are defined in their Articles 1, 3, and 4. One of the figures of relevance in port operations is the figure of the shipping agent (agente naviero), which is defined as the legal entity that, by delegation of the shipowners, owners, or operators of the vessels, exercises the representation of their commercial interests in the port, duly registered in the Administrative Registry of the General Directorate of Maritime Transport of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and accredited as such before JAPDEVA. This figure is of vital importance in the provision of public port services, considering that it is through said agent that vessels receive the necessary services for their disembarkation at the port, which undoubtedly constitutes one of the main axes of the ports’ economic activity. It is important to revisit, within port regulations, the framework of control and supervision of the ports or policing regime, which by its nature is public and reserved to the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria), regulated for the case of the Junta Administrativa de Puertos y Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica in the Port Operations Regulations, which sets out aspects such as the entry of persons and merchandise into port facilities, the means of identification for port entry, the control of vehicle entry, the transit and parking of vehicles, and entry and exit stations, aspects that are logically linked to security aspects. As a conclusion to this considerando, it can be extracted that port activity falls within the framework of the State’s public domain, subject to the domain and control of the State through JAPDEVA. The regulatory framework for the provision of services operated within the port infrastructure must therefore be governed by the principles inherent to the public demesne (demanio público), and the development of these is subject to the control and supervision of the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria), as well as the entry of persons and merchandise. The figures permitted for the exploitation of port activity are the concession and the use permit (permiso de uso), duly regulated and authorized by the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria), in accordance with the principles of the public domain.\n\nThese figures allow the satisfaction of the services necessary for the proper development of public-order port services and, consequently, the proper attention to the needs of the users of those services […].”\n\nOne of the essential services of port activity, which can indeed be classified as a public service, is loading and unloading (carga y descarga), which not only includes placing goods on board the vessel and extracting and lowering the cargo to land, respectively, but also a whole series of operations of a very diverse nature that prepare and conclude the strictly maritime leg of the journey. Also included within them are the operations of deposit and storage (depósito y almacenaje) of goods prior to their shipment and after the unloading and placement on the dock of the transported cargo; ground handling operations, weight determination, separation, and classification of goods; the movement of the same within the port area, by land or river or in the port roadstead, for the purpose of approaching the vessel during loading or the land-based warehouses during unloading. In this type of port operations, a series of elements and subjects that carry out this operation are involved; these are defined in the Regulations of Port Operations (Reglamento de Operaciones Portuarias) in its articles 1, 3, and 4. One of the relevant figures in the port operation is the figure of the shipping agent (agente naviero), which is defined as the legal entity that, by delegation of the shipowners, owners, or operators of the vessels, exercises the representation of their commercial interests in the port, duly registered in the Administrative Registry of the General Directorate of Maritime Transport (Dirección General de Transporte Marítimo), of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes), and accredited as such before JAPDEVA. This figure is of vital importance in the provision of public port services, considering that it is through said agent that vessels receive the necessary services for their disembarkation at the port, which undoubtedly constitutes one of the main axes of the economic activity of the ports. It is important to revisit, within the port regulations, the control and supervision framework of the ports or police regime (régimen de policía), which by its nature is a public function reserved to the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria), regulated for the case of the Administrative Board for Ports and Development of the Atlantic Slope (Junta Administrativa de Puertos y Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica) in the Regulations of Port Operations, which sets out aspects such as the entry of persons and goods to the port facilities, the means of identification for entering the port, vehicle entry control, the transit and parking of vehicles, and entry and exit stations, aspects that are logically linked to security aspects. By way of conclusion on this recital, it can be deduced that port activity falls within the framework of the public domain (dominio público) of the State, subject to the dominion and control of the State through JAPDEVA. The regulatory framework, therefore, for the provision of services operated within the port infrastructure must be governed by the principles inherent to the public domain (demanio público), and the development thereof is subject to the control and supervision of the Port Authority, as is the entry of persons and goods. The permitted figures for the exploitation of port activity are the concession (concesión) and the use permit (permiso de uso), duly regulated and authorized by the Port Authority, in accordance with the principles of the public domain. These figures allow for the satisfaction of the services necessary for the proper development of public order port services and consequently for the proper attention to the needs of the users of those services […].”\n\nIt falls exclusively to the Executive Branch, as defined under the terms of article 21.2 of the General Public Administration Act (Ley General de la Administración Pública), to award and execute the concession contracts for railways, rail lines (ferrovias), docks, and international airports, both new and existing.” On the other hand, there is specifically the Regulation for Concession Contracts for the Management of Port Public Services (Reglamento para los Contratos de Concesión de gestión de los Servicios Públicos Portuarios), issued by Decreto Ejecutivo No 30064-MOPT, developing the contractual figure through which the contracting Public Administration indirectly manages, by concession, those port services under its jurisdiction that, due to their economic content, are susceptible to business exploitation, provided that the provision of the service does not involve the exercise of sovereign powers or acts of authority, and the Administration retains the powers of supervision and intervention necessary to guarantee effectiveness and efficiency in the provision of public services. The object of this contract may include the management or administration of the provision of all public services related to commercial calls made by cargo ships at national port facilities by a concessionaire specialized in port management and operation. The port services shall be provided at the existing facilities, particularly the berthing ports and docks, as well as all surfaces within the boundaries of the port in question, according to the map included in the respective bid documents, as well as the warehouses and other existing buildings within the aforementioned boundaries. Article 4 of the cited Regulation states that the port services that may be granted under a public service management concession are: Care of vessels: mooring and unmooring of ships, towage of ships, facilitation of their provisioning and other supplies. Care of cargo: receipt, loading, unloading, and delivery of all merchandise resulting from Costa Rica's foreign trade and habitually transported by sea, including its stowage and unstowage on board the respective vessels, as well as its storage. All those services that are part of the port business and may be considered additional to transshipment activities. It is important to add that, according to the provisions of article 5 of Law 7593 (ley 7593), these services are understood to be within the range of public services and, therefore, the rates applicable to port services shall be fixed in accordance with the established legal procedures, and the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos) shall regulate such rates according to the terms of the same law and its regulations. Concessions in the port area, such as the provision of loading, stowage, and unstowage services, entail the delegation of a public service, as has been developed when provided using public domain assets, which may be freely transferable to third parties, provided that authorization is granted by the Administration, especially in consideration of the characteristics of the person to whom it is delegated. Regarding loading activities, the main services related to it, which constitute the fundamental core of port services under a concession regime, are genuine public services, as activities that, notwithstanding being delegated to private hands, are of a high degree of public interest and are only capable of being executed by someone who, for their exercise, has fulfilled a whole series of requirements and accredited certain conditions within the procedure provided for that purpose. The act of delegating these services is, therefore, protected by law but also subject to it. The exercise of the powers and activities of the concession is subject to reservations. Concessions are granted \"intuito persona\" and, consequently, when they involve the use of public domain assets, and even when they only comprise the provision of a public service, they shall be exclusive, direct, and for one's own use and benefit, subject to the due conditions of efficiency and safety. The other figure that arises in the legal system as a possibility for the exploitation of services by third parties is the figure of the permit, which has been developed by the Constitutional Chamber (Sala Constitucional) in the following terms: \"The permit is an act that authorizes a person – the administered party – to exercise a right, in principle, prohibited by the legal system itself. It is a special exemption from a general prohibition for the benefit of the applicant. With the permit, something very specific and determined is tolerated or allowed. Its nature consists of removing a legal obstacle to the exercise of a pre-existing power; it is said to be a concession of restricted scope, since it grants rights of lesser intensity and greater precariousness. Public Law doctrine indicates the following as characteristics of the permit: a) it creates an individual legal situation conditioned upon compliance with the law, such that non-compliance implies the expiration of the permit; b) it is granted intuito personae in consideration of its motives and the beneficiary; in principle, its transfer and assignment are prohibited; c) it confers a weakened right or a legitimate interest; the precariousness of the permittee's right is based on the fact that the permit constitutes a tolerance by the respective Public Administration, which acts discretionally; d) it is precarious, which is why the Public Administration may revoke it at any time, without the right to restitution or compensation; e) its granting depends on administrative discretion, so the Public Administration may assess whether the requested permit is in accordance with the general interest or not.\" Regarding this, the Constitutional Chamber in Voto No. 3451-96 of 15:33 hrs. stated: \"Public law doctrine admits almost unanimously that the importance of the concession, being the ordinary form for satisfying the need for the service, disappears in the permit, which, when granted by the administration, is applied in cases lacking that greater importance, hence its essentially temporary nature derives. For this reason, the permit has a unilateral and precarious content. Its precariousness is consubstantial with the figure itself, so that the permittee, except for the prerogative to carry out their activity, lacks concrete rights that they can demand from the State and that go beyond what the administrative act of authorization provides. The emerging power to grant a permit does not constitute a complete and perfect subjective right, and its very essence admits that it be revoked without liability for the administration, that is, without the right to compensation, when the causes that gave rise to it disappear, or when the Administration formalizes the concession contract. The administration's possibility of revoking the permit, without the need for a special clause establishing it, is a general principle, but in any case, when revocation is legally possible, it cannot be untimely or arbitrary, legal concepts that have been sufficiently developed by the Chamber. It is premised that whoever associates with the administration on such precarious grounds cannot later complain about the consequences derived from it. Now, the granting of permits depends on administrative discretion and the Administration may assess whether the requested permit is in accordance with the public interest and, accordingly, decide whether to grant or deny it...\" (Voto 4976-2003 of June 9, two thousand three, Constitutional Chamber) The figure of the permit in port activities authorized by the Port Administration and Development Board of the Atlantic Coast (Junta Administrativa Portuaria y de Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica) is developed in the General Regulation for the Granting of Permits and Regulation of Private Activities within the Port Area of Limón and Moín, which in its article 4 states that the private activities subject to the granting of permits and regulation include: Sale of potable water to ships, ship chandler service, extraction service for burned oils and oily waters from ships, extraction service for solid waste and gray waters from ships, private security services, fuel transportation services, ship maintenance and painting services, inspection and checking of merchandise at port facilities. This regulation also sets out the guidelines for the granting of permits and the legal regime applicable to the activity provided. These types of services cannot necessarily be classified as public, because they do not satisfy any essential or general need. One of the essential services of port activity, which can be classified as a public service, is loading and unloading, which not only includes placing merchandise on board the ship and extracting and lowering the cargo to land, respectively, but a whole series of operations of a very diverse nature in fact that prepare and conclude the strict maritime movement. These also include the operations of deposit and storage of merchandise prior to its shipment and after the unloading and placing of the transported cargo on the dock; ground handling operations, weight determination, separation, and classification of merchandise; the movements of the same within the port area, by land or river or in the port roadstead, in order to approach the ship for loading or the land warehouses for unloading. In this type of port operations, a series of elements and subjects involved in carrying out this operation intervene; the Regulation of Port Operations defines these in its articles 1, 3, and 4. One of the relevant figures in port operations is the figure of the shipping agent, which is defined as the legal entity that, by delegation from the shipowners, owners, or operators of the vessels, exercises representation of their commercial interests in the port, duly registered in the Administrative Registry of the General Directorate of Maritime Transport (Dirección General de Transporte Marítimo) of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes) and accredited as such before JAPDEVA. This figure is of vital importance in the provision of public port services, considering that it is through this agent that vessels receive the necessary services for their disembarkation at the port, which undoubtedly constitutes one of the main axes of the economic activity of the ports. It is important to revisit, within port regulations, the framework of control and supervision of ports or police regime, which by its nature is a public function reserved to the Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria), regulated for the case of the Port Administration and Development Board of the Atlantic Coast (Junta Administrativa de Puertos y Desarrollo de la Vertiente Atlántica) in the Regulation of Port Operations, which sets out aspects such as the entry of persons and merchandise to port facilities, the means of identification for entering the port, the control of vehicle entry, the transit and parking of vehicles, and entry and exit stations, aspects that are naturally linked to security aspects. By way of conclusion on this considerando, it can be extracted that port activity falls within the public domain of the State, subject to the dominion and control of the State through JAPDEVA. The regulatory framework, therefore, for the provision of services operated within the port infrastructure must be governed by the principles inherent to public domain, and their development is subject to the control and supervision of the Port Authority, as well as the entry of persons and merchandise. The figures permitted for the exploitation of port activity are the concession and the use permit, duly regulated and authorized by the Port Authority, in accordance with the principles of public domain. These figures allow for the satisfaction of the services necessary for the proper development of port services of a public nature and, consequently, the proper attention to the needs of the users of those services […].”" }