Peru bets US$190mn to boost mining shipments in Callao

The Mineral Concentrate Shipping Terminal at the port of Callao in Peru will be modernized with an investment of around US$190 million (mn) to improve its logistics infrastructure, strengthening the country’s export capacity.

The work will be carried out by Transportadora Callao S.A., the terminal’s concessionaire, and includes the evaluation of investments aimed at optimizing the conveyor belt and its services.

According to information from the regulator Ositran, the main clients of the terminal are exporters of copper and zinc concentrates. In 2024, Trafigura Perú S.A.C. led with 35.4% of the cargo handled, followed by Glencore Perú, with 33.8% and Chinalco, with 11%.

In Trafigura's case, more than half of its cargo (55.3%) consisted of copper concentrates, while 31.3% were other minerals.

The terminal’s area of influence includes the city of Lima and the regions of Pasco, Junín, and Huancavelica, where the main mining companies operate and export their products through this infrastructure.

The modernization includes improvements to the conveyor belt, essential infrastructure for transporting minerals to the ships. The work will make it possible to ensure operational continuity, reduce risks, and raise safety standards at the terminal, according to Peru's ministerio de transporte y comunicaciones.

The relevance of these works lies in the fact that the conveyor belt accounts for a large part of the efficiency of the loading system, so any limitation in its performance can result in longer loading times and lower vessel turnover.

In this context, the investment aims to ease operational constraints at a terminal that last year handled around 3.1 million metric tonnes, a volume that reflects its role within the mining export chain.

The works will also make it possible to optimize operating times and strengthen the international logistics chain, since the Port of Callao is the main exit point for Peruvian products to international markets.

Mining currently accounts for 60% of Peru's total exports, 10% of GDP and 20% of tax revenue, confirming its structural weight in the national economy. In 2025, mining exports reached around US$62 billion (bn).

The operational efficiency of the terminal acquires strategic importance, as it has a direct impact on the country’s ability to sustain and expand its mining export flows.

Once the pier has been expanded, greater loading capacity and reduced waiting times are planned, which will strengthen the country’s competitiveness compared with other port hubs in the region.

In addition, the modernization will help sustain the growth of mining exports, the country’s main source of foreign currency.

(The original version of this content was written in Spanish)