Marcona Port: Peru Unblocks US$404.8 Million Chinese-Run Terminal

Peru has removed the main obstacle to a new US$404.8 million Chinese-run port terminal on its southern coast, five months after a land deal stalled. The port, located at San Juan de Marcona in Ica, is part of a 30-year concession held by China's Jinzhao group, specifically through its subsidiary San Juan Port S.A. The project, which includes two docks, three berths, and facilities for bulk, general, and container cargo, has been delayed due to Shougang Hierro Perú, the Chinese-owned iron miner, holding mining rights over part of the site.

The deal, signed on September 24, 2026, between Peru's investment promotion agency, ProInversión, and Shougang, resolves the issue. Shougang has agreed not to exercise or assert its mining rights within the port area, allowing the project to move forward. The transport ministry, known as MTC, retains title to the land.

Jinzhao has proposed design changes worth about US$6 million, including two conveyor belts capable of moving 3,050 tonnes per hour. The terminal is expected to become Peru's third-largest port and serve 29 provinces and 280 districts in the southern regions of Ica, Ayacucho, Arequipa, Apurímac, and Cusco. It will be a key logistics option for the south's productive activities and mining projects.

The project also includes a social fund equal to 3% of gross revenue, which will benefit the Marcona district and Nazca province. ProInversión estimates this fund will generate over US$85 million over 25 years. However, some skeptics, such as La República, question the port's impact beyond mineral exports and the transparency of the social fund's spending.

The deal clears the way for the unfreezing of the concession, the handover of the site to San Juan Port, and the commencement of engineering studies and permits. Construction is targeted for 2027.