Puerto Mejillones

What Puerto Mejillones does

Puerto Mejillones S.A. operates a multipurpose bulk port terminal in the Bahía de Mejillones, Antofagasta Region, Northern Chile, approximately 65 km from Antofagasta. Founded in 1995, the port specializes in two core operations: solid bulk handling (mineral concentrates, petcoke, clinker, and sulfur) via conveyor belt systems capable of serving vessels up to 230 meters with drafts to 14.4 meters; and liquid bulk handling of sulfuric acid through its affiliated Terminal Mejillones Ltda., which operates 11 storage tanks with 220,000 tons of simultaneous capacity and dispatches acid by rail and truck. Since inception the port has transferred more than 63 million tons of cargo and serves more than 20 mining operations monthly, primarily copper producers in Northern Chile. The terminal combines maritime, rail, and road logistics under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISPS certifications.

The company is jointly owned in equal 50/50 stakes by Inversiones Neltume Ltda. (via Neltume Ports S.A., a subsidiary of the Ultramar group operating 15 port terminals across Chile plus Uruguay and Argentina) and Inversiones y Construcciones Belfi S.A. (a major Chilean construction firm founded in 1950 with extensive maritime and port infrastructure experience). In 2025 Puerto Mejillones deployed three notable capability additions: the Centro Integrado de Operaciones (CIO), a 24/7 centralized control room consolidating all operational monitoring; an AI-based port prediction platform that forecasts swell-related closures with 98% sensitivity and 83% precision, supported by an ADCP ocean measurement system; and a fourth truck loading arm that expanded sulfuric acid road dispatch capacity by 33% to 300 trucks per day.

The business model is transaction-based with publicly disclosed tariffs (Tarifario Público) for port services including berthing, cargo handling, storage, and transfer. Customers are enterprise mining companies operating copper leaching and concentrate export logistics in Northern Chile. Revenue is generated per-ton of cargo handled and per-unit of sulfuric acid terminal service, with no subscription or platform-revenue component. Distribution is direct enterprise sales; marketing combines a corporate website, social media channels, community programs, and selective industry event participation.

Name

Puerto Mejillones

Legal name

Puerto Mejillones S.A.

Website

https://puertomejillones.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Puerto Mejillones is a multipurpose bulk port terminal in Northern Chile, founded in 1995 and jointly owned by Neltume Ports and Belfi. It serves more than 20 copper mining operations with solid and liquid bulk transfer, sulfuric acid storage and dispatch, and rail/road logistics under publicly disclosed transaction-based tariffs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Terminal Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)

akta.pro primary industry

Minerals & Ores Terminals (Iron Ore, Bauxite/Alumina, Concentrates) (TLAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Terminal Services & Operations (Stevedoring, Sampling, Weighing, Blending) (TLAHABAO), Terminal Cargo Handling & Yard Operations (Receiving, Staging, Delivery) (TLAHALAB)

Keywords

• Bulk port services
• Mineral concentrate handling
• Sulfuric acid logistics
• Port terminal operations
• Maritime cargo transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Mejillones

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Port Operations and Transfer Services: Revenue generated from loading, unloading, storage and transfer of solid and liquid bulk cargo including mineral concentrates, sulfuric acid, petcoke, clinker, and sulfur. Services include berthing, cargo handling, and logistics coordination.
2. Sulfuric Acid Storage and Dispatch: Specialized terminal services for sulfuric acid storage in 11 tanks with total capacity of 220,000 tons, and dispatch to trains and trucks via dedicated loading facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Puerto Mejillones is a multipurpose port terminal in the Antofagasta Region of Chile that provides specialized bulk transfer services to the mining industry. Its core activities are loading/unloading and storage of solid bulks (mineral concentrates, petcoke, clinker, sulfur) via conveyor belt systems and liquid bulk handling — primarily sulfuric acid storage (220,000 tons across 11 tanks) and dispatch via rail and truck. Services are sold under publicly disclosed tariffs and supplemented with shipping planning, container handling, and recently introduced AI-driven port closure prediction and an integrated 24/7 operations control center.

Product overview

Puerto Mejillones operates as a specialized port terminal serving the mining industry in Chile's Antofagasta region. The core offering consists of two main operations: Graneles Sólidos (Solid Bulk Handling) for mineral concentrates, petcoke, and sulfur via conveyor systems; and Graneles Líquidos/Líquidos (Liquid Bulk - Sulfuric Acid) through Terminal Mejillones Ltda., featuring 11 tanks with 220,000 tons of storage capacity. These core services are enhanced by technology additions including the AI-based Port Prediction Platform for anticipating operational closures due to swells, the Integrated Operations Center (CIO) for centralized 24/7 monitoring, and ADCP ocean measurement systems. Additional services include shipping planning, container handling, supplier portal, and online HSEQ induction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graneles Sólidos (Solid Bulk Handling) Bulk loading, unloading and storage of solid cargo — mineral concentrates, petcoke, clinker, and sulfur — through conveyor belt systems, capable of handling large vessels. Sold to mining companies exporting mineral concentrates and importing process inputs in northern Chile.
• Graneles Líquidos — Sulfuric Acid Terminal (Terminal Mejillones Ltda.) Specialized storage and dispatch of sulfuric acid through Terminal Mejillones Ltda., featuring 11 storage tanks with 220,000 tons total capacity and dedicated loading facilities for rail and truck transport. Sold to copper miners in northern Chile that depend on sulfuric acid for leaching operations.
• Plataforma de Predicción Portuaria (AI-Based Port Prediction Platform) AI-powered climate intelligence platform that predicts port closures due to swells with 98% sensitivity and 83% precision by analyzing historical data combined with local bathymetric and geographic parameters. Used internally to support operational planning for mining clients and port logistics scheduling.
• Centro Integrado de Operaciones (CIO) — Integrated Operations Center Centralized 24/7 control room integrating monitoring of all operational areas including sulfuric acid loading/unloading, mineral concentrate handling, clinker, and sulfur dispatch, consolidating three previously independent control rooms. Used to deliver reliable, integrated port services to mining clients.
• Sistema de Medición ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) Real-time ocean condition measurement system providing data on marine currents, wave height, wave direction, and wave period, complementing the AI prediction platform and supporting operational planning.
• Planificación Naviera (Shipping Planning Service) Shipping planning service providing vessel arrival and operational data for both Site 1 and Site 2, supporting clients in coordinating their inbound and outbound maritime logistics.
• Sistema de Contenedores (Container Handling Service) Container handling service that allows reception and storage of mineral concentrates in tippable containers, providing flexible, safe operations that meet high environmental standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 63+ million tons of cargo transferred since operations began
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABS Quality EvaluationscoreOthersInternational certification body that provides ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications for Puerto Mejillones through audit and recommendation.
• AI Prediction Platform Technology ProvidercoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology provider for the AI-based port prediction platform. The same platform is implemented in ports in Brazil and Europe.
• Fundación Factor de CambiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the PRODIL program (Programa Desarrollo de Proveedores Industriales Locales) along with Ilustre Municipalidad de Mejillones and DIDECO/Fomento Productivo for local supplier development.
• Corporación Deportiva de MejillonesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Tennis School program (Escuela de Tenis Puerto Mejillones) with professional coach Horacio de la Peña for youth sports development.
• Fundación Cultural de la Ilustre Municipalidad de MejillonesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ballet School program (Escuela de Ballet Mejillones) for cultural development of children and youth aged 4-18.
• Ilustre Municipalidad de Mejillones and Health FoundationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in medical operations (Operativo Vive Mejor) providing health services to residents on municipal health waitlists in specialties including ophthalmology, dentistry, neurology, and others.
• Ultraport MejillonescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint security campaigns including 'Mano a Mano' hand safety campaign, and shared participation in Safety and Occupational Health fairs. Both companies share common ownership through Neltume Ports.
• VerdicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental agreement partner for community environmental work with DIDECO and neighborhood councils.
• Tisur (Terminal Internacional del Sur)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutives from Puerto Mejillones and Ultraport visited Tisur for exchange of best practices in port operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/puertomej
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV-S6RMryIuIDw_LlFctWLQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/puerto.mejillones.sa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/puerto-de-mejillones
• Instagraminstagram.com/puertomejillonessa

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Puerto Mejillones