Global port operator DP World has processed the largest single maritime delivery of new energy vehicles (NEVs) to Chile, discharging 1,918 fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles at its multipurpose terminal in San Antonio.
The operation marked the maiden South American call for BYD’s purpose-built car carrier, BYD Changzhou, highlighting expanding clean transportation supply chains between Asia and Latin America.
Shipment Specifications and Chilean Market Metrics
The delivery reflects accelerating consumer adoption and fleet electrification trends across the Chilean automotive sector:
- Record NEV Volume: Discharged 1,918 BYD electric and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles from a single vessel, representing the largest single-shipment NEV delivery in Chilean maritime history.
- Rapid Market Expansion: Aligns with Chilean Automotive Association (ANAC) data showing a 165.4% year-over-year increase in NEV sales in H1 2026, with plug-in models capturing 6.5% of light- and medium-duty vehicle sales.
- Strategic Gateway Position: DP World’s San Antonio facility handles over 95% of Chile’s total vehicle import volume using specialized roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) handling infrastructure.
Terminal Handling Milestones and Fleet Capability
The operation adds to a series of high-volume automotive logistics milestones achieved at the San Antonio gateway:
- All-Time Discharge Record: Set a Chilean national record in February 2026 when the RoRo vessel M/V Morning Lily discharged 6,338 vehicles in a single operation, surpassing the terminal’s previous 2021 record of 6,185 units.
- Public Transit Electrification: Processed and discharged over 400 electric buses during 2025 to support municipal public transit fleet decarbonization across Chilean urban centers.
Executive Perspective
Curtis Doiron, CEO of DP World in Chile, noted that the arrival of the BYD Changzhou underscores the terminal’s specialized RoRo capabilities and logistical capacity to manage increasingly complex, high-volume automotive supply chains for global manufacturers expanding into South America.
อัพเดตข่าวสารและบทความที่น่าสนใจในอุตสาหกรรมโลจิสติกส์ก่อนใคร ผ่าน Line Official Account @Logistics Mananger เพียงเพิ่มเราเป็นเพื่อน @Logistics Manager หรือคลิกที่นี่
