DP World's Concession at Chile's San Antonio Terminal Approved for 10-Year Extension

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 10, Empresa Portuaria San Antonio (EPSA) of Chile reached an agreement with DP World San Antonio to extend the concession term for the Costanera-Espigón terminal by 10 years to 2041. As a condition of the extension, DP World will implement a US$227 million investment plan over the next three years to upgrade port infrastructure and renew cargo-handling equipment, with an expected increase of 300,000 TEUs in annual container handling capacity and 1.8 million tons in annual bulk cargo handling capacity.

The extension covers the berth operating area of the Costanera-Espigón multipurpose terminal at the Port of San Antonio. Under the arrangement between the two parties, the concession term will be extended from the originally scheduled 2031 to 2041. The extension mechanism was incorporated into the 2011 port concession tender documents, with the original contract stipulating a 20-year operating term and retaining an option to extend by 10 years. This agreement converts that extension arrangement into a specific operating term and investment commitment.

The US$227 million investment plan must be implemented within three years of the agreement's conclusion, covering port infrastructure works, modernization of existing facilities, and new cargo-handling equipment. In addition to this investment, other investments are scheduled during the extended operating period, with total related investment expected to approach US$250 million by the end of the concession term in 2041.

Upon completion of the expansion, the terminal's annual container transshipment capacity is expected to increase by 300,000 TEUs, and its annual solid bulk cargo handling capacity by up to 1.8 million tons. The terminal currently handles containers, automobile imports, bulk cargo, and cruise passengers, and this investment will cover both infrastructure and cargo-handling equipment upgrades.

This agreement represents the final progress in DP World's previous concession extension negotiations with EPSA. In March 2026, DP World publicly stated that it had initiated formal investment negotiations with Chile's state-owned port enterprise EPSA, proposing to extend the concession to 2041 and expand terminal capacity through additional works and equipment investment. The agreement reached by both parties further clarifies the extension period, investment scale, and additional cargo handling capacity.

The Port of San Antonio is located in Chile's Valparaíso Region and is an important maritime and logistics hub for the country. The Costanera-Espigón terminal extension arrangement proceeds in parallel with the advancement of the Port of San Antonio's Outer Port project (Puerto Exterior), while the existing terminal will continue to handle port operations.