Investors from countries including the US, China and India are interested in a new port project in southern Peru estimated to cost around $844 million, officials said on Monday.
The port is expected to have a greater draught depth than Chancay, the northern Peru port operated by China's COSCO Shipping Ports since late 2024, which accommodates large vessels making non-stop voyages between South America and Asia.
"Several companies have approached us," regional governor Rohel Sanchez told reporters after signing an agreement with the state agency Proinversion, aimed at showcasing the project to domestic and foreign investors.
"We have investors from the US, China and India who are very interested," he added, without identifying the specific companies involved.
China has become a key investor in Peru at a time when Washington is seeking to curb Beijing's influence in Latin America, while the Asian nation remains a key market for Peruvian minerals.
While Corio could be a terminal for general cargo and containers, Proinversion President Luis del Carpio did not rule out its use for shipping minerals such as copper sourced from the area to Asia.
The government announced in September that China's Jinzhao would begin construction in 2027 of a $405 million port in the town of Marcona, in the Ica region.
Sanchez said companies from Turkey and the Netherlands have also shown interest, as have investors from South Korea regarding technological development within the logistics park.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino in Lima; Writing by Paolo Laudani; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
