Maersk opens $22m logistics center near Port of Montevideo

A.P. Moller–Maersk has inaugurated a $22 million logistics center in Montevideo, expanding its container storage and cargo-handling capabilities near Uruguay’s main port as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a regional logistics hub.

The new facility occupies 71,000 square meters near the Route 1 access corridor and has storage capacity for 7,000 TEUs, along with 3,200 square meters of covered space for cargo handling and warehousing, according to Uruguay’s presidency.

Data obtained by Datamar make it possible to compare export and import cargo flows at the Port of Montevideo, excluding cabotage, transshipment, and other domestic operations. See more details below:

Port of Montevideo | Jan 2024 – Sep 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner – explore our trade data

The inauguration took place on November 11 and was attended by Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi, Transport and Public Works Minister Lucía Etcheverry and senior Maersk executives, including Antonio Domínguez, the company’s president for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The investment is Maersk’s largest to date on South America’s East Coast, according to Etcheverry.

Maersk logistics center expands container and reefer capacity

Located at the intersection of Camino Cibils and Camino Burghi, the complex brings together container services, cargo handling, storage and logistics operations in a single location, strengthening connections between inland transport and the Port of Montevideo.

Beyond its 7,000-TEU storage capacity, the facility includes more than 1,000 pallet positions and 140 electrical connections for refrigerated containers, according to Maersk.

The site also has six inbound and six outbound gates, along with container-handling equipment and terminal tractors.

Services include empty-container storage, equipment inspection, maintenance and repair, container stuffing and stripping, cargo warehousing, reefer power supply and integrated logistics management.

According to Maersk, consolidating these activities at one site is intended to reduce operational handoffs, improve cargo visibility and provide greater flexibility for customers moving goods through Uruguay.

The complex was also designed with environmental and energy-efficiency features, including solar panels, automated temperature controls and humidity-management systems. Maersk expects the project to obtain LEED Gold certification, although the certification has not yet been awarded.

Uruguay targets stronger regional logistics connections

Speaking at the inauguration, Etcheverry highlighted Uruguay’s institutional stability, existing infrastructure and established transport capabilities as factors supporting logistics investment.

The minister said more than 50% of the cargo moving through Uruguay is destined for other terminals in the region, underscoring the country’s role in regional cargo distribution.

She also outlined plans to invest approximately $2.1 billion in road infrastructure over the government’s five-year term, with an emphasis on connecting primary and secondary roads to international transport corridors.

Rail development forms another part of the strategy. Etcheverry cited the Central Railway’s existing capacity, planned improvements along the rail line toward Río Branco and infrastructure work involving a bridge over the Negro River.

The government is also pursuing measures to improve the regulatory environment for logistics operations.

Among them is a proposed Competitiveness Law, currently under parliamentary consideration, which includes provisions for a Maritime Single Window aligned with Uruguay’s existing Single Window for Foreign Trade.

The initiative is intended to improve administrative coordination and digital processing across maritime and foreign trade activities.

Etcheverry also pointed to an intergovernmental initiative involving the Transport Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the Industry Ministry, the National Ports Administration and the presidency to examine costs at port terminals.

Investment strengthens Montevideo’s logistics infrastructure

The new Maersk facility adds container storage and cargo-handling capacity near the Port of Montevideo, providing additional infrastructure for importers, exporters and logistics operators.

The investment comes as Uruguay works to improve connections between ports, roads and railways while strengthening its position in regional trade.

By combining equipment services, warehousing, refrigerated-container infrastructure and cargo operations, the complex expands the logistics services available to businesses moving goods through Montevideo.

Its opening also illustrates how private investment in logistics facilities is developing alongside the government’s broader plans for transport infrastructure and port competitiveness.

Source: Presidency of Uruguay

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