Empresa Portuaria Iquique (EPI) has initiated the concession process for the Port of Iquique, formally submitting a request to the Tribunal de Defensa de la Libre Competencia (TDLC) for a ruling on compliance with free competition conditions outlined in the tender documents, marking a fundamental milestone.
The purpose of this procedure is for the TDLC to issue a ruling establishing the conditions under which the concession of the port's berths will be developed under a single-operator scheme, safeguarding compliance with free competition regulations. This regulatory process could extend up to 18 months and constitutes a prior and indispensable step to open the tender process, currently scheduled for 2028.
The proposal includes the joint tender of all terminals, configuring an integrated port operation model. As part of the mandatory investments, the extension of Terminal N°1 is considered, along with a set of optional works that will allow the future concessionaire to expand the facility's capacity, raise service standards, and respond to projected demand growth.
In this regard, the Chairman of the Board of Empresa Portuaria Iquique, Max Barrera Perret, highlighted the strategic relevance of this progress: "With the submission to the Tribunal de Defensa de la Libre Competencia, we are taking a decisive step to strengthen foreign trade and project the port and our region towards a sustainable logistics model for the next 20 years. The design of this new concession responds to future challenges and reaffirms our commitment to the development of modern infrastructure, increased competitiveness, and the consolidation of Iquique and Tarapacá as a strategic logistics hub and growth engine for northern Chile."
The competition analysis included in the submission addresses the operational efficiencies derived from an integrated administration of both terminals, as well as safeguard mechanisms aimed at ensuring equitable access conditions, tariff transparency, and the competitive and non-discriminatory provision of port services.
The new concession will begin operations on July 1, 2030, and will have an initial term of 20 years, with the possibility of extension for an additional 10 years. This new cycle will strengthen the Port of Iquique's position within logistics chains and international maritime trade.
The port's growth projections are based on various structural factors, including the development of bioceanic corridors, the expansion of mining activity, the opening of maritime cabotage, the gradual recovery of trade flows with Bolivia, and opportunities associated with a new management model for the Zona Franca de Iquique, aimed at promoting greater value aggregation for goods.
The new concession project is part of a broader strategy promoted by EPI to strengthen Tarapacá's logistical competitiveness. This vision considers the construction of a Regional Logistics Policy, developed through long-term multi-sectoral work, which incorporates strategic axes, management indicators, and enabling infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting the logistics-port development of Iquique and its area of influence.
