Peru's Callao port is set become South America's deepest inland port, allowing some of Asia's largest ships to enter the port terminal, according to President Alan Garcia.

 

The president visited the port to oversee the early stages of improvement works, which are being carried out by Codralux Peru, part of Belgian firm Jan De Nul, according to a presidential release.

 

The project involves building an entrance channel with a depth of up to 17m, removing up to 1.6Mm3 of mud and rock. The firm is also expanding the port's entrance from 140m to 240m and reinforcing the north and south breakwalls.

 

The work will allow ships up to 300m in length and carrying up to 7,500 TEUs to access the port, which is the country's busiest.

 

Lima's chamber of commerce expects traffic at Callao to grow by 14% up to 2020.