en.Wedoany.com Reported - At the international seminar "Dry Bulk Cargo Transport: Challenges, Solutions, and Best Practices" held in Santiago, Luis Fuentes, Sustainable Operations Manager of Puerto Ventanas S.A., stated that the company has placed sustainability at the core of its short- and long-term management strategy, implementing long-term policies to develop operations based on the "fundamental pillars of sustainability."

Fuentes emphasized the port's strategic role in Chile's foreign trade, noting that 96% of the country's trade is conducted by sea, with traffic expected to continue growing in the coming years. He highlighted the need for ports to prepare for this, pointing out the importance of the port system in the Valparaíso Region (Región de Valparaíso), where Puerto Ventanas handles approximately 50% of solid and liquid bulk cargo transport.

Over the past decade, sustainability has been a core strategic focus for Puerto Ventanas, driving the adoption of operational standards aligned with international best practices. According to Fuentes, the terminal became the first port in Chile to receive European EcoPorts certification in 2016, a status it maintains to this day. The terminal was awarded the National Sustainable Logistics Award (Premio Nacional de Logística Sostenible) at the end of 2025, one of the latest recognitions of its management. Authorities in Quintero Bay (bahía de Quintero) are promoting the adoption of best available technologies across industrial sectors, referencing the European BREF standards (Best Available Techniques Reference Documents).

Fuentes emphasized the importance of a sustainability culture at Puerto Ventanas, noting that operations are not inherently safe simply because they are technologically advanced; employee training and continuous engagement are key factors. He also highlighted the terminal's ability to diversify cargo and seize new business opportunities.

In recent years, cargo diversification and infrastructure modernization have been crucial to the transformation of Puerto Ventanas. With a storage capacity of nearly 500,000 tons, the terminal has become a key link in the foreign trade of Chile's central-southern region, where over 90% of copper concentrate exports pass through this port. The decarbonization process has forced the port to redefine its cargo structure; as of 2015, it received approximately 2.5 million tons of coal annually, a volume that has since dropped significantly, necessitating diversification into other cargoes. A major fire in 2022 that affected the facilities further exacerbated this challenge, prompting the company to drive technological transformation, introducing tubular conveyor belts and storage systems. Puerto Ventanas is the only port in Chile capable of simultaneously operating two berths using a ship loader, with a daily loading rate of nearly 30,000 tons. The port is equipped with a dual-mode cargo reception system for trucks and railways, through which over 90% of the copper concentrate transported by the port enters, and has added new infrastructure for handling sodium carbonate (soda ash).

Luis Fuentes concluded by emphasizing that the development trajectory of Puerto Ventanas is characterized by adaptation to market changes and increasingly stringent sustainability requirements. The concept of resilience well reflects the evolution experienced by the terminal, including the adoption of new technologies, cargo diversification, and the strengthening of operational standards. The port will continue to play a strategic role for the mining industry, which is expected to see significant growth over the next decade, with the development of new projects in the central region presenting important opportunities for the regional port system.

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