Chile Approves Outer Port Construction
Chile has approved the long-awaited Puerto Exterior (Outer Port) construction at the Port of San Antonio, a major new gateway for South American container trade.
Project Overview
The Outer Port is described as the largest port infrastructure project in the country’s history, aiming to transform Empresa Portuaria San Antonio’s San Antonio complex into a next-generation mega port capable of handling the world’s largest containerships.
The $4.45 billion project, a decade in the making, is designed to dramatically expand cargo capacity in the country’s central zone, beginning in the second half of the next decade.
Key Features
- A 4 km-breakwater
- Extensive dredging works
- Reclaimed terminal areas
- Two semi-automated container terminals stretching 1,730 metres each
Once fully completed, Puerto Exterior is expected to handle up to 6 million teus annually while simultaneously accommodating up to eight 400m-long containerships, among the largest ships currently operating globally.
First Phase
The first phase will have a capacity of 1.5 million teu with completion expected around 2036.