MODERNIZACIÓN PORTUARIA EN CHILE

Abstract

It was evident that the Chilean Port Model was extremely inefficient and exhausted by 1985. The cargo movement had grown and the system was unable to face the challenges and dynamism that global economy demanded at that time. For this reason, the State Port Sector generated a process of port modernization, that had as principal activator the Port Law ( Law Nbr. 19,542) published on the official newspaper (Diario Oficial) on December 19th, 1997. Thus, the central objective of port modernization was to obtain an accelerated development of the main state-owned ports, improving its efficiency and reducing its costs. In conclusion, the new legislation should foster competition and improve the capacity, efficiency and competitiveness of the state-owned ports through private participation in port management and in the necessary investment on efficiency in order to enhance the competitive position of Chilean Foreign Trade.