Port of Montevideo Achieves Record Container Throughput in 2023

The National Ports Administration (ANP) of Uruguay announced a record container throughput in 2023 for the Port of Montevideo, reaching 1,120,000 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units). This figure includes the operations of Uruguayan exports and imports, as well as transshipments of goods from regional countries, as reported by Juan Curbelo, the organization’s president.

For the third consecutive year, the Port of Montevideo has outdone itself in terms of container throughput, up from 1,084,812 TEUs in 2022 to 1,120,000 last year, Curbelo informed Presidential Communication on Wednesday, the 3rd.

The chart below compares containerized exports and imports at the Port of Montevideo from Jan 2019 to Nov 2023, according to data obtained with DataLiner, which is Datamar’s maritime intelligence service.

Exports and Imports | Montevideo Port | Jan 2019 – Nov 2023 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

These numbers demonstrate that the measures taken effectively positioned the Port of Montevideo among the most important in South America and, notably, in the La Plata River, stated Curbelo.

Curbelo also added that the container throughput calculation includes Uruguayan imports and exports, plus transit cargo from third countries such as Paraguay, southern Brazil, and southern Argentina. In this regard, he noted that to expand and increase regional freight, it is necessary to work on the country’s main port terminal’s efficiency, competitiveness, and productivity.

Curbelo emphasized that deepening the navigation channel to 13 meters, completed in 2022, was crucial to expanding services and allowing larger vessels to enter Montevideo, positively impacting the number of containers. Additionally, he asserted that the reorganization of port infrastructure, the implementation of specialized areas, and the role of public docks were other factors that led to the record.

The administration’s goal is to surpass this figure and reach 3,000,000 TEUs. To achieve this, work is underway on expanding the specialized container terminal. He indicated that this project began in September 2023 and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2024 after an investment of over $600,000,000.

Furthermore, he mentioned the process of transformation and modernization at the Port of Montevideo, including infrastructure projects such as the viaduct and entry points, specialized terminals for cellulose and grains, and the fishing terminal at the Capurro port, which required an investment of over $100,000,000 financed by the ANP.

Source: Presidency of Uruguay

Sharing is caring!