DP World commits $250m to San Antonio to bridge Chile’s port gap

DP World has secured a 10-year extension at the Port of San Antonio, committing $250 million to expand capacity and prevent a logistics bottleneck before Chile’s next mega-terminal opens. The deal keeps the operator at the Costanera-Espigón terminal until 2041, providing a critical buffer for a facility already operating at 83% of its container capacity.

The San Antonio Port Authority (EPSA) confirmed the agreement follows a mechanism in the 2011 bidding terms. DP World must implement a $227 million investment plan within three years, with total spending reaching $250 million by the end of the concession. The operator previously began formal talks for the extension in March 2026.

The investment covers infrastructure modernization and new equipment. EPSA expects the work to increase annual transfer capacity by 300,000 TEUs for containerized cargo and up to 1.8 million tons for solid bulk cargo.

Why it matters

The investment addresses an immediate capacity ceiling. DP World saw container volumes jump 18% in 2025, reaching 835,900 TEU. With a current capacity of roughly 1 million TEU, the terminal was nearing its limit. The planned 300,000 TEU expansion buys the port several years of growth room while the market waits for larger relief.

For bulk charterers, the 1.8 million ton increase in solid bulk capacity ensures the terminal maintains its multi-purpose utility. While regional headlines often focus on container mega-projects, this investment provides assurance that solid bulk cargo will not be squeezed out by rising box volumes at Chile’s primary logistics hub.

The agreement points to a capacity gap. Even with the 300,000 TEU expansion, the terminal’s total capacity of 1.3 million TEU will likely be tested long before the Outer Port’s first phase opens in 2036. If the 18% growth rate seen in 2025 continues, San Antonio will face another capacity crunch by the end of the decade, leaving a six-year window where the port must rely on efficiency gains to handle Chilean trade.

What to watch

The construction tender for the 6 million TEU Outer Port project was due to close this week, which will determine if the 2036 timeline for the first phase remains viable.

Source: World Cargo News