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The Port of Iquique transferred a total of 875,633 tons of cargo in the first quarter of 2026, a figure that exceeded the 863,327 tons managed in the same period of 2025 by 1%.
According to the Empresa Portuaria Iquique (EPI), this result was particularly significant considering the context of the comparison, as last year represented an exceptionally high baseline, a result of unprecedented performance.
Rubén Castro Hurtado, general manager of EPI, commented that "the Port of Iquique has sustained the growth evidenced last year, which is a very positive result considering that the 2025 fiscal year represented the best year in our facility's history. However, we must visualize how events unfolding in the Middle East will impact international trade and, especially, the effects we will experience in logistics and port activity in the South American macro-zone. Global effects have been significant, and in the case of Chile and our region, there is a high dependence on what happens in various latitudes."
Among the most relevant results of the period is the increase recorded in project cargo, which experienced a growth of 104%, rising from 65,786 tons in the first quarter of 2025 to over 134,000 tons in the same period of 2026.
Exports also showed positive performance during the quarter, with a 37% increase, reaching 190,090 tons transferred, compared to 138,530 tons in the same period of the previous year. Cargo destined for various countries experienced a 167% increase, rising from 12,549 to over 33,000 tons between one period and the next, reinforcing the Port of Iquique's role as a regional logistics hub.
Meanwhile, automotive cargo also saw positive growth, with a 40% increase in the period, while TEUs increased by 3%, totaling 109,237 units. In the containerized cargo segment, a contraction of 8% was observed during the quarter, reaching 711,583 tons.
A noteworthy aspect is the management of the Multi-Operated Terminal administered by Empresa Portuaria Iquique, whose performance in the first quarter of 2026 was particularly outstanding. In the analyzed period, this terminal recorded a 202% increase in transferred tonnage and an 814% increase in managed project cargo.
The dynamism of this terminal has been primarily driven by cargo associated with lithium exploitation projects in Northwest Argentina, specifically in the province of Catamarca, which has chosen the Port of Iquique as the gateway for its supplies and equipment. This was complemented by the reception of cargo destined for photovoltaic projects in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions, which have found optimal conditions for their logistical operations at this port facility.
In the automotive segment, the Multi-Operated Terminal also showed a 71% growth, consolidating its position as a relevant player in the regional logistics chain for the import and distribution of vehicles.
Source: portalportuario
