Jaramillo outlines resilience and sustainability strategy for Port of Arica

By Sebastián Betancourt

August 31, 2026

The Port of Arica is heading towards a decisive stage marked by the preparation of the next concession of the maritime terminal and the consolidation of its strategic role in the Andean Macrozone.

Facing a challenging scenario, which includes other challenges such as adapting to increased rough seas or absorbing cargo growth, Empresa Portuaria Arica (EPA) is working on articulating a roadmap focused on resilience, sustainability, and modern governance in line with current standards.

From a comprehensive short, medium, and long-term perspective, the current president of the state-owned company, Pedro Jaramillo Valdés, -who arrived last June- told PortalPortuario the direction his management will take to guide the Port of Arica to the next level, enhancing its role as a relevant and strategic player for markets that see the port facility as a gateway to the Pacific.

What challenges does the Port of Arica face to continue its progress?

The Port of Arica faces major challenges in both the short and medium term. In this sense, long-term development strategies are strongly focused on the next bidding process for the berthing front. Therefore, short and medium-term challenges are key to ensuring the competitiveness of our terminal in the coming decades. We know the port we have, what its strengths and weaknesses are, to which more than twenty years of concession have contributed great learning and shaped the port we desire.

What are the main objectives that the port's development strategies will focus on?

Our strategic objectives for the next five years, in general terms, are four: to develop a highly competitive port terminal with robust governance that guarantees efficient control of the concession contract, respect for international commitments, and a high standard of regulatory and environmental compliance.

In addition, to consolidate an efficient logistics model, that is, one that is optimal and comprehensive in tune with a multipurpose port like ours; to enhance productivity by improving the capabilities, talents, and technological development of our work teams; harmonious development that cares for the city-port relationship, that favors the generation of growth opportunities for the community and that places the city of Arica at the center of the development of eventual corridors that connect us with western Brazil.

And looking at the medium term?

In the medium term, we are interested in encouraging new investments that incorporate greater operational capacity in terms of cargo backup areas, as well as promoting the development of new logistics activity zones and extra-port areas to provide timely responses to the expected growth of cargo linked to Bolivia, southern Peru, and the Central Bioceanic Corridor that links us with Rondonia, without neglecting our options regarding the Capricorn Corridor.

Along with this, we will seek to strengthen logistics efficiency, not only through better infrastructure but also through technological modernization and digital transformation. We are interested in improving the integration between the port and extra-port infrastructure under high standards of sustainability, security, and community relations.

What does this process imply?

In concrete terms, this means advancing in compliance with international reporting standards such as GRI, strengthening environmental, patrimonial, and social governance in each project we develop, and incorporating climate change adaptation criteria in the design of our future infrastructure, so that the port's growth is compatible with the environment and with the community around us.

Ultimately, we want to advance so that the Port of Arica is a modern, reliable logistics platform prepared for the challenges of future international trade.

What goals have been set to be achieved throughout your management at the head of EPA?

To move forward steadily with feasible initiatives that will make up the portfolio of projects and studies that will support development for the coming years; to maintain the growing rate of cargo transfer, for which we need a port with performance, capacities, and logistical alternatives for clients.

Likewise, to maintain and encourage management with zero environmental impact, both in operation and in the development of each project that we lead, which translates into rigorous control of our environmental commitments, in strengthening our sustainability reports with high standards and the demands of the CMF, and in moving towards more efficient waste and resource management throughout our logistics chain; and to generate development alliances in harmony with the city, actively participating in the public-private instances that make up the Arica Port Logistics Community.

What are the main challenges you have identified to address and improve the operation of the Port of Arica?

Our main user is Bolivia's foreign trade, therefore, the challenges, first, are to maintain an expeditious communication channel of a high technical level in operational and strategic decisions between authorities, Bolivian entities involved in the Port of Arica, as well as their transport organizations, chambers of importers and exporters, among others. An important challenge is the port's capacity.

On the one hand, the trend growth in cargo generates challenges related to having sufficient backup areas, hence our vision of developing Logistics Activity Zones outside the port facilities, which also implies job creation. On the other hand, there is the challenge of improving the capacities of the berthing fronts. At this point, the focus is on the investments that should be considered from the next concession and that are related to improving the extensions of sites, increasing drafts, and improving the performance conditions of the dock in rough sea conditions.

How do you continue to work on the development of the Bioceanic Corridor?

The objective is for the Port of Arica to continue positioning itself as a strategic gateway to the Pacific for cargo from Bolivia, southern Peru, and the states of central-western Brazil, contributing to regional economic development and more efficient and sustainable South American integration. This implies that our work is to continue generating instances of conversation and closeness with the main cargo players in western Brazil and to contribute to making Bolivia's logistics a power that adds value to this entire foreign trade network, through the development, for example, of Dry Ports that provide services to Bolivian and eventually Brazilian cargo and transport.

What opportunities does the implementation of this new logistics axis offer for the Port of Arica?

If the previous logistics map is fulfilled, the growth opportunities will not only be historical for the Port of Arica, because it allows us to consolidate our role as a gateway to the Pacific for the Andean Macroregion, but also for neighboring countries that will be economically favored in several aspects.

The diversification of logistics services is key, as it opens space for developing storage, cargo consolidation and deconsolidation, regional distribution, extra-port services, and value-added logistics solutions.

The two previous variables bring with them greater attraction of public and private investment, because the strengthening of the corridor drives investments in port infrastructure, logistics zones, road and technological connectivity, increasing the competitiveness of Arica's port system.

Do you see benefits in this?

Undoubtedly, there are multiple benefits, but we can highlight that through Arica we will be able to reach Asian markets with a greater volume of cargo and in less time, both from Bolivia and southern Peru and the states of central-western Brazil, especially in agricultural, mining, and industrial export cargo.

And, at the regional level, the corridor directly impacts employment, generating opportunities for transporters, logistics operators, customs agencies, support services, and small and medium-sized companies linked to foreign trade, strengthening the economic development of Arica and Parinacota.

From the board's perspective, what is the position or role that the Port of Arica currently has for northern Chile, southern Peru, and Bolivia?

The operational results accumulated up to June reflect the adaptability and resilience of the Arica port community. Despite facing a particularly complex scenario, marked by 52 days of blockades in Bolivia and a record 892 hours of port closure due to rough seas, we managed to maintain operational continuity and record a 6% growth in cargo transfer and an 18% increase in TEU movement.

These figures demonstrate the coordinated commitment of Empresa Portuaria Arica, Terminal Puerto Arica, logistics operators, and public services, and reaffirm our strategic role as the main logistics platform for Bolivian foreign trade and for the development of the Andean Macrozone. I am convinced that this is the great value of the Port of Arica, coupled with its privileged geographical position in the Central Corridor, allows us to strengthen a leadership that will be consolidated as we advance in better infrastructure works.

In particular, the problem of rough seas, how are you facing it?

Precisely, that record of hours of closure due to rough seas leaves us a clear lesson: climate variability is already part of our daily operation and, therefore, we are incorporating climate change adaptation criteria in the design of future works on the berthing front, in order to gain resilience without losing operational continuity.

How does the Port of Arica compete or what advantages can it offer over nearby Peruvian maritime terminals to be attractive as a gateway for cargo?

The Port of Arica has a significant advantage over other nearby terminals: we know the needs of Bolivian and southern Peruvian cargo very well, because we have been working with these markets for decades.

Our main advantages are related to our geographical location in the Andean Macroregion and direct land connectivity to Bolivia and Peru, plus the logistical support provided by Zeap and emerging extra-port facilities that contribute to better and more efficient alternatives for cargo and transport.

Arica is one of the few multipurpose ports in the area, so, being a complex condition, the technical experience acquired and the constant innovation that has been going on for 60 years places it as a preferred port. More than competing on rates, we seek to be a reliable, agile, and specialized alternative, with a network of services and operational coordination that facilitates both the entry and exit of goods to the markets of Asia, the United States, and Europe.

Considering the strategic importance of the Port of Arica for the Bolivian market and vice versa, how will relations with the neighboring country be strengthened to streamline the transit of its exports and imports?

The relationship between Arica and Bolivia is historical and complementary, therefore, continuing to strengthen it allows us to continue advancing in the positioning of our terminal. The key is to continue working with Bolivian and Chilean authorities to optimize logistics processes, on the one hand, while, on the other, it is essential to continue working with trade associations, with chambers, to know their opinions, what their needs are in terms of the operational chain and how we continue to be a good offer.

Maintaining permanent dialogues, explaining how we are advancing as a port, the incorporation of new technology, and how we envision the terminal of the future, are also essential issues for those who make decisions about where to move their cargo. This work is often done in coordination with TPA, because ultimately the role we both play translates into how the Port of Arica operates and how it responds to Bolivia's logistical needs.

What specific actions will strengthen this relationship?

We will continue to deepen the relationship through our participation in seminars, meetings, and working meetings with Bolivian authorities who are our counterparts in generating port development, such as ASP-B, with whom we have achieved important advances for the benefit of Bolivian foreign trade.

In the area of cruises and tourism, how will the EPA board work to boost this segment?

The cruise industry is important for Arica because it boosts job creation in the tourism sector and generates income, especially for regional SMEs. Each season allows us to showcase the city's tourist offerings. The work will continue to focus on strengthening coordination with the Regional Government, Sernatur, the Municipality of Arica, tourism operators, and the Corporation of Ports of the Southern Cone, with the aim of positioning Arica as an attractive stop within the South Pacific routes. The more cruises that call, the greater and better the impact for the region.

At this point, it is important to note that there are still opportunities for improvement in terms of the region's tourist offerings, an issue that we at EPA are committed to. Arica has many tourist attractions that position us in the cruise industry, which is why we want to continue contributing to their dissemination. This also requires us to work hand in hand with the different stakeholders so that the growth of this industry is orderly and sustainable, taking care of the coastline and the city's capacity to receive visitors without affecting the quality of life of Ariqueños.