The northern Chilean Port of Arica is to commence handling bulk minerals using rotainers. These will allow concessionaire Impala Terminals to eliminate traffic build ups within the heart of the port by making exclusive use of a new facility in the outer harbour.
To this end, construction work began in March 2025 on a new 11,117-square-meter dedicated, minerals handling warehouse, at an initial cost of $15 million. When it opens in early 2026, it will ensure increased environmental protection, since handling will no longer take place so close to the city centre.
At present, loading process makes use of a single, airtight conveyor belt system to fill tilting airtight containers. In future, such operations will shift to a brand new negative-pressure hermetically sealed warehouse. This will receive minerals, and then process prior to them being shifted to the dock for loading. This will cut out the need for HGVs to convey these shipments via city centre roads.
The majority of the minerals are inbound from the Bolivian cities of Cochabamba and La Paz. In future, they will enter the terminal via Route 11CH, located at kilometer 2 in the Port of Arica’s outer harbour.
In terms of new equipment, the port will acquire up to 420 rotainers, and has already purchased the necessary spreaders to handle these boxes.
Estimates suggest that the new rotainer-based system will allow Arica to handle a minimum of 200,000 tonnes annually, although the minimum guaranteed movement will be 140,000 tonnes. Nevertheless, the port expects to boost the total number of shipments because processes will be much faster.
At present, for example, all bulk carriers entering Arica have to dock at Berth 5, because the sealed conveyor system is located there. This creates some operational limitations, because that berth is prioritised for container handling, meaning bulk carriers are often forced to wait at anchor for up to a week before the berth is free.
This will no longer be the case once the new warehouse is opened, boosting flexibility, handling speed, and efficiency, as well as reducing overall costs. Crucially, it will also allow Arica to eliminate all mineral stockpiling at the port.
Arica is also hoping that its improved efficiency will also prompt some minerals exports to shift from ports in southern Peru to northern Chile.