Neltume presents project for a new container terminal in Montevideo

Neltume Ports presented the government of Uruguay with a project worth approximately US$ 900 million to build a new container terminal at the Port of Montevideo. The proposal, called Montevideo Container Terminal (MCT), will still be reviewed by the country’s authorities.

The project was presented as a private initiative aimed at expanding Uruguay’s port capacity and strengthening Montevideo as a regional cargo-distribution platform. The company intends to serve especially flows originating in or destined for Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

According to the information released, MCT would have capacity to handle up to 1.15 million TEUs per year. The planned structure includes approximately 940 meters of quay, with the possibility of receiving two post-Panamax vessels simultaneously, as well as a berth for transshipment operations with barges.

The project also includes 38 hectares of operating area, independent access routes, and technology and security systems. During construction, Neltume estimates that approximately 1,800 jobs would be created.

The proposal comes as activity at the Port of Montevideo recovers. According to data cited by the sources, the complex handled 857,491 TEUs in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, 232,680 TEUs were recorded, up 6% from the same period a year earlier.

The capacity projected for MCT exceeds the port’s annual volume in 2025 and could expand Montevideo’s role in competing for transshipment cargo and deep-sea calls. The port’s location and its connection to the Paraná–Paraguay waterway are cited as relevant factors for serving Paraguayan and Argentine cargo.

The new facility could also alter competition among Southern Cone ports. In Brazil, Rio Grande is among the complexes potentially most exposed to competition for services and cargo because of its geographic proximity. Terminals in Santa Catarina and Paraná are also monitoring the possibility of changes in the configuration of regular lines and regional connections.

The carriers’ decision, however, will depend on factors such as port costs, channel depth, productivity, customs rules, berth availability, and service regularity. Project approval, its implementation schedule, and the ability to turn the infrastructure into new routes will be decisive in measuring the initiative’s regional impact.

Neltume Ports, which already operates at the Port of Montevideo through Montecon, says the new structure could attract international services and expand Uruguay’s connectivity with other markets. With the presentation to the government, the authorities’ evaluation of the proposal begins.