South America

A berth in the Port of Itajai that was damaged by floods two years ago is now ready for APM Terminals to install crane rails and electric power infrastructure for ship-to-shore cranes.

The Transport and Communications Ministry in Peru has approved applications to build a new port terminal at Pucallpa, which it calculates will require investment of at least $16.7m.

Chiles Constitutional Tribunal has overturned an attempt by the port workers at Coquimbo to prevent modernisation of their facility from going ahead.

Chiles Public Companies System (SEP) has approved the issue of tenders for new terminal concessions in the ports of San Antonio and Valparaiso.

Three-quarters of Altamira’s expansion work has been completed, with operations scheduled to commence in the first quarter of next year, according to officials.

Ricardo Sanchez, head of the Infrastructure Services Unit of the Economic Commission for Latin America, says Chile faces a 14.4% annual traffic growth in its ports in the near future.

Ports in Central America are investing as a means of remaining regionally competitive, according to the Central American Commission for Maritime Transport (Cocatram).