The importance of bioceanic corridors for Chile

More than simply routes, bioceanic corridors are an engine for regional development and the key to Latin American integration. Through its strategic location and openness to global trade, Chile is driving ambitious connectivity projects.

Bioceanic corridors have become a crucial element for Latin America’s socioeconomic, tourism, and environmental development.

Since the Asunción Declaration in 2015, which established the priority of developing the corridor between Porto Murtinho in Brazil and ports in northern Chile, these projects have been identified as essential tools for regional integration.

Bridges to the Future

With its extensive Pacific coastline and proximity to the Atlantic, Chile plays a key role in the development of bioceanic corridors.

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), these corridors offer outstanding opportunities to improve the region’s competitiveness and boost economic development.

Brazil, in particular, is aiming to take advantage of these connections to transport its exports from the Atlantic to Pacific ports in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

The bioceanic corridors that pass through Chile include Central Latitude 30, ATACALAR and Capricorn, connecting strategic ports and key regions in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

In Chile, bioceanic corridors generally pass through the north of the country, including:

Central Latitude 30

This corridor connects Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil with the port of Coquimbo in Chile. The route also passes through the Argentinean provinces of Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and San Juan.

ATACALAR

This route connects the south of Brazil with the ports of Caldera, Chañaral, and Taltal in Chile’s Atacama Region. It also passes through the Argentinean provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Tucumán, and Córdoba.

Capricorn

The   starts in the port of Santos, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and connects with the Antofagasta and Tarapacá regions in Chile.

The route also passes through the Chaco region in the north of Paraguay and the Salta and Jujuy provinces in Argentina. In Chile, it connects with the ports of Antofagasta, Mejillones, Tocopilla, and Iquique.

New Bioceanic Corridors: Beyond National Borders

The "Bioceanic Route”, a 2,396-kilometer project that connects the port of Santos in Brazil with ports in the north of Chile, offers major time and distance savings for export cargo transport, opening new routes to Asian markets and Pacific ports.

Flagship projects such as the Agua Negra Tunnel which will cross the Andes Mountains and Paso Las Leñas, which connects Mendoza in Argentina with Chile’s O’Higgins Region, demonstrate Chile’s ongoing commitment to connectivity.

The "South Trans-Andean Railway", which aims to connect Chile’s Biobío Region with Neuquén and Bahía Blanca in Argentina, and the Comodoro Rivadavia – Puerto Chacabuco road corridor in Patagonia, are projects that strengthen integration and promote economic development in the region.

Bioceanic corridors not only connect territories and promote international trade; they also generate opportunities for investment in infrastructure and services for foreign companies looking to develop new business.

Chile’s concessions system has been developing public works for the last 30 years, awarding their construction and subsequent operation to private-sector players. Since its introduction, more than 100 contracts have been signed for a total of more than US$27.0 billion as of March 2022.