Chile approves $4.45 billion San Antonio Outer Port project

Chile has cleared a major expansion of the Port of San Antonio after six years of environmental review, moving forward a project considered strategic for the country’s logistics capacity.

The Environmental Evaluation Commission of Valparaíso unanimously approved the Outer Port of San Antonio after a favourable report from the Environmental Assessment Service. The project entered the system in May 2020 and had to respond to around 7,200 requirements from public bodies and citizen observations.

The investment is estimated at US$4.45 billion. Of this, US$1.95 billion will come from the State through Empresa Portuaria San Antonio, mainly for a 4-km breakwater, support areas, access roads and environmental mitigation measures. Another US$2.5 billion is expected from private port concessions for the construction and operation of berths.

Six international consortia are currently competing for the breakwater contract. Economic offers are expected to be received and opened in July 2026, with the works scheduled for completion between 2033 and 2034.

The project includes dredging, yards and two semi-automated terminals of 1,730 metres each. The first stage is expected to begin operations in 2036, with an 865-metre quay and initial capacity of 1.5 million TEU per year.

Once fully operational, around 2046, the port could handle up to 6 million TEU annually, equal to about 60 million tonnes of cargo. It would also be able to receive up to eight 400-metre vessels at the same time and is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs in the area.

source and photo: frutasdechile.cl