Port of Iquique activates contingency storage amid Bolivian truck blockades

Facing severe congestion at Iquique Terminal International due to blockades of Bolivian truckers, the Empresa Portuaria Iquique (EPI) coordinated with the National Customs Service and the terminal concessionaire ITI to open a temporary storage area. The plan creates a 10,000‑square‑metre zone in the "ex Marco" sector of the port, capable of holding more than 500 containers, to decompress the terminal and keep the flow of imports and exports for the Tarapacá region.

The measure is intended to protect the continuity of Chile’s external trade while the border routes remain partially closed. Officials emphasized that the main multi‑user terminal continues operating normally and that the temporary zone will expedite the receipt and dispatch of cargo destined for or originating in Bolivia as routes gradually reopen.