Port of Montevideo expands storage area amid increase in vehicles
The National Ports Administration requested and obtained exceptional authorization to use a former railway area as a temporary depot amid the expected arrival of about 14,000 vehicles between October and November 2026.
The Port of Montevideo has begun using a former railway shunting area to store vehicles after the increased flow of imported and in-transit automobiles put pressure on the terminal’s available capacity.
The measure was requested by the National Ports Administration (ANP) from the National Customs Directorate. Authorization to use the space, which belongs to the former State Railway Administration (AFE) structure, was granted on an exceptional and temporary basis, valid through December 31, 2026.
Approximately 14,000 vehicles from China and Europe are expected to arrive at the port between October 5 and November 5. The operations mentioned include the unloading of the Heroic Ace, with 2,231 units, and the Grande Melbourne, with about 1,800. The Grande Oriente is also expected to arrive, carrying 3,231 vehicles.
According to the sources consulted, the growth in vehicle arrivals during the first half of 2026 reduced the availability of areas for parking, classification, and dispatch. The ANP also pointed to a shortage of equipment and car-carrier trucks to remove the units and send them to external depots.
Restrictions on land transportation make it difficult to clear the internal areas and compromise vehicle turnover at the terminal. The use of the former railway yard seeks to ease short-term pressure, but the operation depends on the removal of the units keeping pace with unloading.
Vehicle handling requires large circulation and parking areas, making it necessary to coordinate the capacity of berths, landside areas, and access routes to the port.