A major port in Chile's south-central region has formed an alliance with a logistics company and is now planning to significantly increase reefer capacity to serve the growing fruit industry. 

The Port of Coronel, located in the major blueberry and cherry-growing region of Bio-Bio, has teamed up with 'strategic ally' Frigorífico Pacífico.

"In 2009 we entered the container market and since them we have been developing our logistic capacity to be able to handle different types of cargo and transform ourselves into facilitators of trade," the port's commercial manager Martín Fuentes Robles said.

He highlighted the port has been incorporating different logistical services according to the different cargo requirements, and said these would be highlighted at the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fruittrade event taking place today (Nov. 9) and tomorrow.

"In this installment we will be present along with our new strategic ally - Frigorífico Pacífico. It is an expert in the management of cargo that requires a cold chain, has a logistics center close to our terminal, and we will be providing a joint service to guarantee suitable cargo management," he said.

Reefer capacity is to increase by 500 containers through the new alliance, and large-scale storage and infrastructure will be boosted.

A new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection site was recently established in Cabrero in the BioBio region, in response to rising produce volumes from southern Chile.

"The fruit is moving further southward for a number of reasons, and that is why we are reinforcing our capacity to offer a port service that supports the competitiveness of the fruit industry, which is very important to our country," he said.

"We have advanced in our relationships with fruit growers to understand their needs and incorporate them into our services. Also, with alliance we have formed with Frigorífico Pacífico allows us to make big savings in transport, especially for growers to the south  of Talca [in the Maule region], who can certify their production in Cabrero and continue on to our installations just 80km away."

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