Chile has granted environmental approval for the long-awaited Puerto Exterior expansion at the Port of San Antonio, marking a major milestone for what is set to become the largest port infrastructure project in the country’s history and a key gateway for South American container trade.
The Valparaiso regional environmental commission unanimously approved the environmental qualification resolution following a six-year review process that included public consultations, technical revisions, and indigenous engagement.
The $4.45bn public-private project, led by Empresa Portuaria San Antonio (EPSA) and backed by the Chilean government, is designed to transform the port into a mega-hub capable of handling the world’s largest container vessels.
Located at Chile’s busiest port, the development will significantly expand capacity and modernise infrastructure, reinforcing the nation’s competitiveness in global trade. Authorities said the initiative is critical for ensuring Chile can keep pace with evolving shipping demands and intensifying competition along South America’s Pacific coastline.
The project’s scope includes the construction of a nearly 4 km pier, extensive dredging and land reclamation, and the development of two semi-automated container terminals, each approximately 1,730 m in length.
These facilities will be built in four phases and are designed to accommodate up to eight 400 m-long container ships simultaneously.
Once fully operational, Puerto Exterior is expected to handle up to 6m teu annually, effectively tripling the port's current cargo transfer capacity. This scale positions San Antonio among the region's leading container hubs.
The first phase, comprising an 865 m berth with an annual handling capacity of around 1.5m teu, is scheduled to come online by approximately 2036. Subsequent phases will further expand operational capacity and automation capabilities.
The expansion comes at a time of rising strategic competition in regional port infrastructure, particularly following significant China-backed investment in Peru’s Chancay deepwater port. With Puerto Exterior, Chile aims to secure its role as a central logistics node on the Pacific coast and strengthen its position in global shipping networks.
