Chile: Biobio ports are alternatives for Argentine exports to Asia

Chilean ports in the Biobio region, such as the Puerto Coronel terminals, San Vicente International Terminal (SVIT), and DP World Lirquen, have become a logistical alternative for Argentine producers and businessmen interested in shipping their products to the Asian market.

According to Rodrigo Schilling, Puerto Coronel’s commercial manager, “the Argentine cargo (which leaves through the Terminal) is mainly made up of fruits and at the end of the first semester reached 1,200 containers, in line with our projections. Even though fruit production in the Neuquen Valley has fallen for several years due to internal economic factors, exports from Chilean ports are growing steadily because Argentina is betting heavily on the Asian market, especially China.”

According to Gloria Romero, SVIT’s commercial director, the ports of the Biobio region transferred 2,500 containers from Argentina in 2018. So far this year, the number has already exceeded 3,000 containers.

Argentina fruit (HS 08) export trends to the world | Jan 2015 to June 2019 | TEU

Source: Datamar

Regarding the prospects of continuing to consolidate this type of services for Argentinean cargo, Romero stressed that “SVIT is projected as a real alternative, which has comparative advantages over other ports. We invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure that enables us to offer faster, more efficient and safer service. In addition,” she said, “the terminal, located in San Vicente Bay, has an important infrastructure that can handle dry and reefer cargo and our people have been trained to consolidate different cargo formats.”

DP World Lirquen reported that the transit time they offer for Argentinean cargoes destined for Asia is shorter than what Argentine ports currently offer.

The port authorities highlighted the role of regional authorities “as engines that generate conditions of efficiency and reliability in the export and import processes, allowing us, as a region, to add value to the logistics chain of foreign trade.”

Source: Mundo Marítimo

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