Chile adds the port of Talcahuano to export fruit to the US The Chilean fruit industry set a new milestone with the first shipment from Talcahuano (Puerto San Vicente), destined for California in the US.

The Chilean fruit industry and the authorities have marked the first shipment from the port of Talcahuano (Puerto San Vicente) destined for Los Angeles, California. This adds another option for Chile's fruit production to reach northern markets for fruit harvested in both central and northern Chile.

The first shipment was made last week and included 9.210 pallets of fresh fruit, including blueberries, grapes, pears and stone fruit.

The development is part of a strategy by port concessionaire San Vicente Terminal Internacional (SVTI) and port operator Puertos de Talcahuano to diversify the sectors served by the facility.

“This first shipment of refrigerated fruit this year confirms the multipurpose work of our SVTI concessionaire, and at the same time demonstrates that the Port of San Vicente is an attractive option for agro-exporters not only from central and southern Chile, but also from the rest of the world. north,” said Guacolda Vargas, manager of development and sustainability at Puertos de Talcahuano.

This first logistics run had the participation of around 300 refrigerated trucks that moved merchandise from the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, O'Higgins, Maule and others. Authorities from the Chilean agricultural and livestock service SAG and the association of fruit exporters ASOEX were also present.

Chile's fruit industry relies heavily on the ports of San Antonio and Valparaíso in the center of the country, both of which have suffered from logistical bottlenecks and labor problems in the past.

Through the ports of the Biobío Region (including the terminals of SVTI, TTP, Cabo Froward, Lirquén, Coronel, among others) 3.230.921 tons of cargo were mobilized in December 2021, with an increase of 10,3% in twelve months.