Policy – July 17, 2026
Chile: could trains be the future of salmon transport?
Chile’s state railway company EFE is working to launch a regular freight service carrying salmon from the Los Lagos Region to ports in Biobío during the fourth quarter of 2026.
The proposed service would operate two trains a week between Frutillar and Biobío, carrying a combined total of approximately 100 refrigerated containers, EFE Logistics General Manager Alejandro Merello told regional publication SABES.
“There is a positive assessment from everyone involved, and we are working to launch a regular service,” Merello said. “We are aiming for two trains a week, with a total of 100 containers from Frutillar and the same transit time.”
The plan follows a trial conducted in 2025, when 15 refrigerated containers of frozen salmon were transported from Puerto Montt to Greater Concepción using a combination of road and rail.
Merello said the pilot reduced the shipment’s carbon footprint by 60%.
San Vicente Terminal Internacional General Manager Juan Pablo Santibáñez said the salmon industry was already an important source of business for Biobío’s ports.
“Most frozen cargo leaves through the ports of Biobío,” he said. “Rail offers a sustainable alternative to trucks, and the capacity required for an operation such as this already exists.”
Salmon producers welcomed the additional freight option but said the service would have to demonstrate that it could protect the cold chain and compete with road transport.
Patricio Melero, president of industry organisation SalmonChile, described the proposal as “interesting”, adding that diversifying transport away from trucks was positive but that issues including cold-chain integrity would need to be addressed.
Camanchaca Corporate Logistics Manager Mario Aguilera said the service would need to be reliable and commercially competitive.
“In principle, it presents a major cost challenge because of the multiple transfers,” Aguilera said. “In the future, it could be a strong alternative, and the transit-time issue is entirely manageable.”
EFE is continuing to evaluate the service following positive feedback from salmon producers, logistics operators and the Port of San Vicente.
