New Edition of "Get to Know Your Port" Held in Valparaíso

Experiencing port activity firsthand and learning about the work of more than a dozen organizations linked to the maritime and port industry, tourism, heritage, and security was the objective of a new edition of "Get to Know Your Port," which brought together hundreds of families who visited the port facilities and Muelle Prat in Valparaíso, in the context of Maritime Month.

The organizers of "Get to Know Your Port" 2026 were Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaíso (TPS), Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso (EPV), and Terminal Portuario Valparaíso (TPV), who facilitated access to the terminals so that people of all ages could see in detail the port operation and the different types of cranes used to move cargo, with two enormous container ships as a backdrop at TPS.

Cristian Rodríguez, General Manager of TPS, commented that "we are very happy once again with the community's reception of this invitation we extend through Get to Know Your Port, especially in the context of Maritime Month, to bring our work closer to people and to show them not only port activity but also what important institutions in our city do, linked to heritage, art, tourism, life care, and educational training. This is part of the port pride we have in Valparaíso and which has grown year after year, thanks to families who come with great enthusiasm from different cities, so we hope to continue carrying out this activity for a long time to come."

Nicole Pastene, President of the EPV Board of Directors, stated that "today we had a very nice day at Get to Know Your Port. This type of initiative is part of the work we have been doing to bring port activity closer to people, and that is why we are also working on the remodeling of Muelle Prat, where we will build the first port center in Latin America, and all these types of initiatives are also hand in hand with our longed-for port expansion project, where, in addition to increasing our cargo transfer capacity, response and foreign trade, job creation, and economic reactivation, we will deliver important urban works for the city, such as a promenade of more than one kilometer in length, and also a new elevator for Valparaíso, the Arrayán elevator."

Among this year's novelties is the participation of the Chilean Navy with the institution's instrumental band and numerous stands to showcase the different units that interested young people can apply to.

On behalf of the Chilean Navy, Rear Admiral Raúl Silva, Commander-in-Chief of the First Naval Zone, emphasized that "as the Chilean Navy, we have been in the port of Valparaíso for more than 200 years; it has always been a job for society, to grow together with the citizenry. Today we also had the parade of schools from the Valparaíso area that are at the Monument to the Heroes, and the opportunity was taken for all people, families with their children, to have the opportunity to get to know all the port infrastructure, why the port is so important, why it is a multidimensional engine of work among the Prosecutor's Office, Customs, the Navy, the PDI, and all of them allow our ports and our economy to continue growing and contributing to our country."

Humberto Paredes, Operations Manager of Terminal Puerto Valparaíso (TPV), stated that "this version is very important for us to make ourselves known to the community, for them to see what types of cargo we move, for them to get to know the mobile equipment we have, and to get closer to the port. The reception has been very good; people are very impressed and ask with great interest to know more."

Raquel Meza, President of the Mascarona Foundation, an entity present for the second year, said that "it has been a great experience; we have had more than 300 visits to our stand, and this year we worked on the theme of the Sea Explorers, who are in a two-year program to promote knowledge of maritime activity. This is a tremendous opportunity that people really like and that is linked to our maritime territory."