The port of Corío, located in Arequipa, Peru, is gaining relevance as a possible key "port hub" for South America. After the success of the Chancay megaport, Corío could consolidate the Peruvian port system, attracting investments from China, the US, South Korea and Portugal. North American companies have already shown interest with an investment
Strategically located in southern Peru, the port of Corío is emerging as a key hub for connecting South America with global markets. Its potential attracts the attention of foreign investors.

Chancay is just the first
If the Chancay Megaport was the first big push, Corío could consolidate the port system and revolutionize trade in South America.
The possibility of having these two ports would place Peru in a privileged position compared to other countries in the region, such as Chile, Brazil, Argentina and even Mexico.

“Chancay helped us a lot because now Peruvians understand the importance of ports. And we must understand that Corío will consolidate the national port system, due to Peru's deep water morphology, which is not the case in countries in the south or north,” said Mario Zúñiga Martínez, technical secretary of the Arequipa Development Agency.

Development plan
According to the president of the National Port Authority (APN), Juan Carlos Paz Cárdenas, the port is seen as a “key piece” to strengthen national logistics and the connection with international markets.
“Corío is included as a port development area in our plan. We want it to become a reality,” he added.
The geographical location of Corío gives the project significant strategic value. The port could receive cargo from neighbouring regions such as Bolivia and Brazil, as well as from other countries in the region, the minister stressed.

Challenges
The development of the port of Corío is not exempt from technical and financial challenges. According to the National Port Authority, a key factor in determining the viability of the project is the depth of the waters in the area.
Although some studies suggest depths of up to 28 metres, the agency believes that ranges between 16 and 18 metres (as in Chancay) would be more than sufficient to accommodate deep-draft vessels.
Economic development
The development of Corío is part of a broader context of port modernization in Peru, which includes ports such as Chancay, Matarani and Callao, as well as new initiatives in regions such as Lambayeque and Tacna. According to Paz Cárdenas, the integration of ports with road and rail networks is essential to maximize their impact.

The APN president also highlighted the importance of the free trade agreements that Peru has with 23 global economies, which represent markets of more than 3.000 billion people.
“Peru has room for more ports. With projects like Corío, we seek to take advantage of our coast and our connection to the Pacific to boost trade with economies like China, Japan and Australia,” he said.
This article is a fragment of an extensive note on Peruvian port infrastructure from the next edition of Blue Magazine, which will begin to be distributed in the Blueberry Consulting Seminar from Lima, in March.

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