Chilean Port System: Infrastructure, Trade, and Potential
SHIPPING WORKS
The global maritime activity in 2003 totaled 24.589 billion tonne-miles of goods loaded, with an annual growth rate of 0.5%. Crude oil, iron ore, coal, cereals, and containerized cargo are the main goods transported. Overall, all ports on the west coast of South America are not enough to move 1% of the global burden, and only 5% of the global burden moves to or from the Southern Hemisphere.
RELEVANCE OF THE PORT SECTOR IN CHILE
In the national context, Chilean trade policy has been characterized by an open and competitive search for foreign trade. In this way, close to 90% of the burden of our foreign trade is transferred. The cargo moved in the period 1991 – 2005 by the ports grew from 31.8 million to 70.7 million tonnes. This represents an average annual rate of 5.9%. At this rate of growth, the load capacity required will double in about 12 years.
The growth experienced has been absorbed, thanks mainly to increases in the efficiency of existing ports. This is not a minor challenge for the country since it does not have enough space to build or expand port activity, as the length of our coast might suggest.
In short, we have required:
- Deeper sites
- Longer sites
- Major areas of support
- Specialized equipment for container handling
- Increased capacity and ground transportation, both rail and rodoviaria
IMPORTS
Of the total cargo imported in the last four years, about 75% of it has been transported in bulk (liquid and solid). This mode is projected to continue for several more years, albeit declining, given the worldwide trend of containerized cargo.
EXPORTS
The most exported products are derived from minerals and metals, forest products, pulp and paper, copper, and salt. These charges move as dry bulk (50% approx.) and to a lesser extent as break bulk (20% approx).
CAPABILITIES
60 port facilities designed to serve the national foreign trade, 40 vessels that make up the national fleet.
Main Chilean Ports
Chile’s main commercial ports are San Antonio and Valparaiso, where over 70% of cargo to and from the country is handled.
- San Antonio: To a greater extent, container and dry bulk.
- Valparaiso: Mainly, container and breakbulk.
Other major ports are those of Quintero, Huasco, and Talcahuano-San Vicente.
POTENTIAL
According to a study by the English consultant Drewry’s, Chilean ports are designed as a gateway for trade between countries of Asia and South America. This situation is being driven by the initiative of Regional Infrastructure Integration in South America (IIRSA) and Chile’s membership of APEC.
The National Port System
The Chilean coast is characterized by being open, bleak, and shallow. However, the good work done by specialists has allowed the construction of ports in much of the coastal bays by taking advantage of available national resources. Chile has the infrastructure to meet the needs generated by the type of product mobilized (liquid, refrigerated, bulk, general cargo, passengers, pleasure boats, tourism).
PORT COMPANIES IN CHILE
In Chile, there are 10 State port companies, which administer the state’s 10 commercial ports in the country for public use. There are 13 companies that manage 14 private commercial ports in the country for public use.
COMMERCIAL SERVICES FOR USE BY PUBLIC PORTS
a) USE OF PORT SERVICE: Consists of the right to use port infrastructure for sheltered waters inside the pool. Your billing unit is “Gross Registered Tonnage” and the tariff is differentiated for commercial vessels and non-commercial ships, such as passenger ships.
b) USE OF BERTH SERVICE: Consists of the allocation of sites for the docking of the ships, according to existing Service Rules and Resolutions of the Maritime Authority.
c) STORAGE SERVICE: This service is for the custody and preservation of import cargo, export customs or other destination, or from a landing for boats at the place determined by the company.
d) ALTERNATIVE COLLECTION SERVICES OF STORAGE: Oriented to deposit large loads for prolonged periods.
e) TRANSFER OR SERVICE BOARDING AND LANDING LOADS: This service is defined as the transfer of cargo from the shore side of a ship into their holds or decks, or vice versa.
f) PASSENGER BOARDING
g) GROUND SERVICE TO CONTAINER: For example, energy for refrigeration.
h) ADDITIONAL SERVICES
USE OF PRIVATE PORTS
These ports serve a particular company and their existence is attached to the work going on. It is due to the complexity of transporting large volumes of cargo that move. In our country, private ports can be divided into 15 ports and 17 oil mining ports.
WHAT IS A PORT?
Port: “Joint physical elements on which it is developing a series of activities that allow humans to make transfers of cargo between land and sea.”
DETERMINANTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORT
Geographical factors: Derived from the geographical location of the port facing the international shipping routes and the extent of its area of influence.
Economic factors in the country: Level of development and agricultural, industrial, or mining activities determine more or less intense traffic and the type of merchandise will be in one or another class.
Traffic factors: The type of goods determines the works to be implemented.
Local conditions: Nautical terms both subsurface, surface, or urban.
AREAS OF INFLUENCE OF A PORT
Undisputed area: In it, the port has a monopoly question, though some special loading times can go to another port for particular causes.
Debatable area: In the competition which will contribute to more ports.
Occasionally zone: Not being the port, occasionally moving cargo by special causes.
BY NATURAL CONDITIONS
Natural ports: Favorable natural conditions for access and shelter.
Protected ports: There are works that improve the conditions for they are insufficient.
Artificial Ports: Virtually all the port has been built by man without using any physical advantage.
Anchorages: More or less sheltered ports that offer certain guarantees for the permanence of the boats.
BY LOCATION
Foreign Ports: They are located on the coast and open sea.
Ports from the sea: Moving into the sea and protected springs outwardly by large breakwaters.
Excavated on land ports: Dredging and/or excavating the docks inland.
Mixed ports: Some of his works are constructed according to one or other of the previous types.
Inland Ports: They are located more or less into the country on a river or in some cases over a canal.
BY FUNCTION OR DESTINATION
Military Ports, Commercial Ports, Industrial Ports, Fishing Ports, Recreational Ports, and Marinas.
PORT TYPES OF AREAS
MARITIME ZONE: SPACES AND WORKS FOR THE SHIP (protection works, ACCESS, DOCKING, ETC.).
LAND AREA: SPACES AND WORKS FOR THE CHARGE (SPRINGS, SITES).
CLASSIFICATION OF MARINE WORKS
EXTERNAL WORKS: REMOTE WORKS GREAT DEPTH AND THE COAST.
COASTAL WORKS: LOCATED IN THE COASTAL ZONE, A SHALLOW AND SUBJECTED TO WAVE.
INTERIOR WORKS: COATS LOCATED IN AREAS NOT SUBJECTED TO WAVE.
EXTERNAL WORKS
Undersea conduit: Emissaries, liquids and solids, which can also be coastal works.
EXTERNAL DOCKING STRUCTURES AND TIE: Dolphin or Dukes of Alba.
EXTERNAL STRUCTURES OF EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION: Oil Platforms.
ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS
COASTAL WORKS
Protection works: Protection from waves and facilitate port operations.
Undersea conduit: For the carriage of liquids and solids.
DOCKING WORKS: Mooring and docking (dolphin)
SIGNALLING WORKS: Management of coastal navigation.
Dredging: To maintain sufficient draft.
INTERIOR WORKS
DOCKING WORKS: Mooring and docking (dolphin)
SIGNALLING WORKS: Management of coastal navigation.
Dredging: To maintain sufficient draft.
SERVICE WORKS OF FLOATING STRUCTURES: For maintenance, construction, or conversion of floating structures.
PORT SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
The ability of a given sector to house and build a port depends on:
- Type and size of ships in port.
- Cargo volumes (number of sites).
- Availability of physical space, both sea and land.
- Natural conditions (depth, wind, waves, risk of silting, etc.).
PORT TYPE DEFINITION AND REQUIREMENTS
It is necessary to establish, determine the type of port, a classification from the point of view of infrastructure requirements and natural conditions.
These requirements, in turn, are defined by the type of boat used and the load transfer.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
Containerized cargo: Cargo transported in containers.
General Freight: Freight transported in the form of individual packages, such as packaged goods (e.g., in bags).
Individual parts: (machinery, automobiles, etc.)
Pallets
Bulk Liquids: Liquids or liquefied gases as loading and unloading is done by pipeline.
Bulk Solids: All goods are not transported individually or in containers.
TYPE OF VESSEL AND CARGO BY BERTH
CONTAINER SHIP AND PIER: Docking sites are required to have: Esplanades to store the containers. Cranes to load and unload ships. Protection works to allow the operations. And ships suitable for transporting containers.
CARGO VESSEL AND GENERAL BERTH: Vessel and port facility designed for the transport and transfer of general cargo. At present, it is possible to expect that these facilities are also transferred cargo in containers, bulk solids, and eventually liquids.
SHIPS AND BERTH OF BULK SOLIDS: Vessel and port facility designed for the exclusive transport and transfer of solid products such as wood chips, coal, minerals, etc. Generally, the ports of this type have: Esplanades for bulk storage. Conveyor belts for loading. Special cranes for bulk cargo.
SHIPS AND BERTH OF BULK LIQUID: Vessel and port facility designed for the exclusive transport of liquid bulk transfer through piping systems.
SIZE OF THE CRAFT
The definition of infrastructure requirements has a large impact on the size of ships. Following the reconstruction of the port of Valparaiso and San Antonio, damaged during the earthquake of 1985, the State has undertaken projects to develop port infrastructure for container ships.
SHIP DESIGN
For the design of these projects, a ship design has been taken with the following characteristics:
- Draft 11.2 Mts
- Length 220 Mts
- Manga 32.2 Mts
- Tons 36,000 DWT (Dead Weight)
- Displacement 50,000 Tons
- Capacity 1832 TEU
This corresponds to a typical Panamax ship, determined by the planning studies carried out during the years 1987-1988.
PORT PLANNING
3 PHASES OF PORT PLANNING
PHASE I: PRELIMINARY PLANNING
- Choose the location of the Port
- Economic Feasibility Study
- Environmental Impact
- Port Security
PHASE II: DETAILED PLANNING
- Selection of optimal layout for the port.
- Selection of types and sizes of port facilities.
- Estimated Prices
- Port Policy.
PHASE III: STRATEGIC PLANNING