A boxship terminal in San Antonio, Chile, plans to invest millions of dollars on new equipment and infrastructure that will expand capacity by almost one third.
San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI) has reached an agreement with Puerto San Antonio to spend $44.3m in dock yard and gate upgrades that will boost capacity by almost 30% to 1.6m teu per year.
The deal, which replaces a former plan to build an esplanade, also extends STI's port concession by five years to 2030.
“The agreement included several aspects aimed at improving working conditions for the over 1,000 workers who breathe life each day into Chile's busiest container terminal," Puerto San Antonio chief executive Luis Knaak said in a statement.
Calls to STI were not immediately returned.
STI said the new plan involves installing two ship-to-shore cranes, two rubber-tyred gantry cranes, six reach stackers and new civil infrastructure and technology.
The investment, which also includes bringing 26 new trucks and eight chassis, is scheduled to start in 2021 and be completed by the end of 2024.
STI has operated Chile's largest boxship terminal at the port for 20 years. It handled 1.09m teu in 2014, according to latest STI data.
“We are very pleased to conclude this process, which confirms our commitment to our employees, the city of San Antonio and foreign trade," STI chief executive Jose Iribarren said in a statement.
San Antonio also serves as the centre of fishing along Chile's coast from Rocas de Santo Domingo to Cartagena.
