Port of Montevideo secures $113.5 million in private investment contracts

The Port of Montevideo has secured $113.5 million in private investment through three contracts signed so far in 2026, as Uruguay seeks to strengthen its role as a regional logistics hub.

The agreements cover a liquid bulk terminal, a floating dock for ship repair and a specialized krill storage facility, according to Pablo Genta, president of Uruguay’s National Ports Administration, known as ANP.

The figure was announced during the commemoration of ANP’s 110th anniversary, where Genta highlighted the agency’s recent progress and outlined the main priorities for positioning Uruguay as a regional distribution platform.

Genta said the strategy includes modernizing ANP’s institutional structure, rebuilding career paths within the agency, improving competitiveness and ensuring continuity in port services.

The ANP president said the agency is undergoing a restructuring process with support from the National Civil Service Office and the Office of Planning and Budget. The goal is to implement a new organizational chart and redesign career structures based on transparency and technical rigor.

ANP is also negotiating with the union to modify the agreement covering crew members working on dredgers. The proposed change would link extraordinary wage payments to the effective execution of dredging works.

Uruguay seeks regional logistics role

Genta said Uruguay’s port platform must strengthen its regional reach if the country is to consolidate itself as a distribution hub. That strategy depends on attracting cargo from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.

He also referred to new requirements tied to the Mercosur-European Union trade agreement and called for agreements that ensure predictability and continuity in port operations during labor actions, while preserving full respect for labor rights and union freedoms.

According to Genta, port disruptions damage Uruguay’s image and create risks for the smooth operation of the logistics chain.

“Interruptions to port services generate delays, distortions and extra costs that affect the entire chain and compromise the country’s competitiveness. Eventually, they may also lead to canceled calls and even the loss of services and connectivity,” Genta said.

“We believe it is urgent to move toward agreements that allow port services to continue when labor measures are applied. That is why I propose that, as a port community, we work together to move in that direction,” he added.

ANP reports stronger 2025 results

On the financial and commercial front, Genta reported a positive result of $57 million in 2025, up 32% from the previous year. The increase came despite the loss of 25% of transshipment containers from Paraguay.

In 2025, passenger traffic rose 5%, bulk cargo volumes in Montevideo increased 29%, and Nueva Palmira posted an 8% gain. Iron ore volumes reached a record 2.9 million tonnes.

Genta also highlighted the consolidation of the Port of Nueva Palmira as a logistics hub on the Hidrovía waterway, with total iron ore volumes of 6.9 million tonnes across all terminals.

The ANP president said the 2025 results were especially relevant because, in the first year of the new administration, the agency reversed the previous trend by increasing investment and reducing expenses in relation to revenue.

Cargo and passenger traffic rise in 2026

The positive trend continued in the first five months of 2026. From January to May, container throughput rose 9% in TEUs, while passenger movement in Montevideo and Colonia increased 7%.

For containerized cargo exports, Datamar data indicate an 11.5% increase in deep-sea shipments, while imports rose 4.7%. The chart below compares the operations recorded in both directions:

Exports & Imports | Port of Montevideo | Jan 2023 – May 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Iron ore volumes tripled to 1.4 million tonnes, and vehicle arrivals reached a record level. In the first quarter of 2026, bulk cargo volumes in Montevideo increased 27%.

For shipping lines, exporters and logistics operators, the Port of Montevideo private investment push points to Uruguay’s effort to expand capacity, strengthen service reliability and compete more effectively for regional cargo flows.

The new contracts, combined with higher cargo volumes and institutional reforms at ANP, reinforce the port’s role in Uruguay’s foreign trade strategy and its ambition to serve as a logistics platform for the Southern Cone.

Source: Portal Portuario

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