Dry bulk an important asset

Woodchips are the biggest export, being shipped to Japan. Also outbound is sulphuric acid, which is despatched to ports in northern Chile, where it is used in the creation of copper cathodes. Imports revolve around corn and wheat, which are shipped in mainly from Argentina, Canada and the US, among others.

Containers are also just one segment of SPRBUN’s Buenaventura business. Coal traffic remains significant, amounting to 785,000 tonnes in 2009, while imported grain accounts for significant volume, too. Typical vessel size in these trades vary. Bulk carriers conveying coal are around 38,000 dwt, although those carrying cereals can be as large as 46,000 dwt.

“As part of our investment plan for 2010, SPRBUN is going to convert the existing liquid bulk quay 14 into a multi-purpose facility. In effect, we will load coal there using a hopper and conveyor system that will have productivity of 1,000 tonnes/hour, considerably upgrading our existing ability to handle coal,” says Mr Chinea.

Total capacity across all trades, which he says is presently 12m tonnes, will rise to 18m tonnes once all expansion plans are realised.

Significantly, the 500km Western Railway network, which helps brings much of the coal to the port, also has a new concessionaire: Ferrocarril del Oeste, whose concession expires in 2030.