Terminal Portuario Paracas, concessionaire of the General San Martín port in Pisco (Ica), has commenced the 2026-2027 grape export season. This marks the first campaign since the terminal came under the control of Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), the port arm of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The inaugural operation was handled by a vessel from the shipping line itself.
The vessel in question is the MSC Müge, a newly built container ship making its first voyage along the west coast of South America. The vessel called at Paracas as part of MSC's Northwest Continent (NWC) service.
According to the terminal, the first containers of the campaign belonged to Siembra Alta—which had previously expressed interest in this fruit—and Sociedad Agrícola 3P. Over 200 containers with various fruits were moved in this operation, and 250 empty containers were replenished to supply the preparation for the season.
"We know it will be a demanding season," the port stated. It also added that it is strengthening its operational capacity to serve agro-exporters along with shipping lines.
The MSC Müge is 335 meters long, 46 meters wide, and has a deadweight (maximum cargo capacity) of up to 131,000 tons, with a maximum speed of 20 knots (about 37 km/h).
Since 2014, the port had been managed by a consortium of Spain's Servinoga (35%) and Brazil's Pattac and Tucumann (32.5% each), which in December 2025 agreed to sell their stakes to TiL.
According to sources close to the port's operation, the transaction was closed for an amount close to US$ 200 million, and in February, Indecopi approved it without conditions, concluding that the purchase did not generate significant market risks.
TiL is among the largest port operators in the world. Its main shareholder is MSC, the Swiss shipping company with a presence in 155 countries.
MSC controls 70% of TiL, while Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)—now owned by BlackRock—holds 20%, and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) holds the remaining 10%.
Locally, TiL already has a presence through APM Terminals Callao, concessionaire of the North Multipurpose Terminal of the Port of Callao, where it participates through Callao Port Holding B.V., a firm that currently owns 36.25% of the shares.
Under its new management, the operator submitted a Technical Support Report (ITS) to Senace in May to expand its containerized cargo capacity. In detail, it proposes US$ 9.6 million for two RTG cranes (stack containers in the yard) and US$ 23.7 million for two STS cranes (load and unload vessels at the dock). In total, more than US$ 33 million.
The objective is to meet a demand that could reach 143,574 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) per year. The project will also enable three currently unused areas for storing empty containers, without new civil works or physical expansions of the terminal.
According to the document, the cranes will be assembled in about 30 days and will have a useful life of 30 years. The RTGs will operate with diesel generators, and the STSs with electrical power from the port's internal grid.
