Tide Rises at Callao Port — “The New Inca Trail” Paving the Way to Prosperity and Happiness

Aerial View of Callao Port

More than five hundred years ago, the Inca Trail started from the ancient Andean city of Cusco, stretching across the vast territory of the Inca Empire and facilitating the deep integration of politics, economy, and culture. Today, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Chancay Port - South America’s first smart and green port - is bustling with activity, building a brand-new maritime corridor that connects the Asia-Pacific with Latin America.

In November 2024, witnessed jointly by President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Chancay Port officially opened, marking a new milestone in China-Peru cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. President Xi remarked: “Today, Chancay Port is becoming a new starting point for the ‘New Inca Trail’ in the new era.”

Echoes of a New Era for the Inca Trail

The Inca Trail, originating from the Quechua language and meaning “The Path of the Ruler,” was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014. Chancay, located about 80 kilometers north of Lima, boasts a long history. The Chancay culture thrived between 1100 and 1400 AD along the coast. Peruvian economist Luis Vásquez noted that the Inca Trail may once have passed through today’s Chancay area, connecting numerous cultural settlements of the past.

Since the start of Chancay Port’s construction in 2021, this ancient town has embraced new development opportunities. “Previously, there was almost no industry or large-scale commercial activity here,” said Nilo Miranda, President of the Chancay Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. “We hope Chancay will seize this opportunity of the era and become the ‘Pearl of the Andes,’ just as Shanghai is the ‘Pearl of the Orient.’”

That vision is now becoming reality: in the first five months of this year, Chancay Port’s import and export volume exceeded USD 777 million. The first phase of the port is expected to generate USD 4.5 billion annually for Peru and create over 8,000 direct jobs. From the stone paths of the Andes to a modern seaport, the spirit of connectivity and cultural exchange continues to echo through time. Today, Chancay Port is extending the “New Inca Trail” across the ocean, opening a new Asia-Latin America land-sea corridor.

Opening a Road of Mutual Benefit and Prosperity

In the 15th century, traveling from Cusco to the frontiers of the Inca Empire took two to three months. Today, Chancay Port directly links Peru with China, reducing the one-way voyage time from about 33 days to 23 days. Mayra Villica, who works at a foreign trade company importing Chinese home appliances into Peru and other Latin American countries, said that since the port’s inauguration, her company imports about 400 containers from China every month. Lower logistics costs have boosted sales by 50%. “Time is money; any delay affects pricing and sales,” she noted.

Chancay Port also benefits neighboring countries. According to the Ecuador Banana Export and Sales Association, Ecuador’s banana exports to China rose by 45.56% year-on-year in the first five months of this year, thanks to the new Ecuador-China shipping route launched in February. This route connects Guayaquil in Ecuador with Shanghai via Chancay Port, cutting transit time to just 27 days.

He Bo, Executive Vice President of COSCO Shipping Ports Chancay S.A., said that in the first five months alone, Chancay Port handled 94,400 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers and 626,900 tons of general and roll-on/roll-off cargo. Six shipping routes have already been launched, covering major Chinese ports and extending to Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, and other countries, creating a two-way corridor between Asia-Pacific and Latin America. “If the Inca Trail was the land artery connecting South America, then Chancay Port has opened a much broader Asia-Latin America land-sea corridor,” Vásquez said. “It is truly a road to mutual benefit and shared prosperity.”

Building a Sustainable Modern Path

“The Chancay Port project is establishing a new global connectivity system through shipping and an open vision,” said Gonzalo Ríos, Deputy General Manager of COSCO Shipping Ports Chancay S.A. At the terminal, automated rail-mounted gantry cranes operate with precision, autonomous container trucks shuttle back and forth, and digital twin technology provides real-time operational insights. Young Peruvians sit in control rooms, remotely operating robotic arms to handle containers with accuracy.

According to He Bo, as South America’s first smart and green port, Chancay Port integrates AI, digital twin, and IoT technologies, adopting a “computing power-driven” model that enables 24/7 automated and visualized operations. All cargo handling and horizontal transport equipment is powered by green electricity, ensuring zero carbon emissions during operations and injecting green energy into the port’s activities. “In the future, Chancay Port will continue to improve equipment efficiency, strengthen safety and emergency response capacity, and steadily advance toward sustainable and modern development,” He said.

Bridging Two Ancient Civilizations

Peru is often described as China’s “neighbor across the Pacific.” Peruvians affectionately call Chinese people “paisanos” (compatriots), and the Peruvian Congress has designated February 1 as “Peru-China Friendship Day.” Chinese restaurants in Peru are called Chifa (from the Mandarin word “chīfàn,” meaning “eat rice”). Chancay and Shanghai - two port cities with similar-sounding names in Spanish - are now connected by the sea, writing a new chapter of friendship between the two nations. “From Chancay to Shanghai” has even become a popular phrase among Peruvians.

Ríos explained that over half of the port’s employees are locals. Many young people have become smart equipment operators through training. Employees from both countries work seamlessly together and celebrate festivals side by side, with many Chinese staff members considering Peru their “second home.”

In 2024, Cusco’s Inca Museum hosted the exhibition “Light of the Sun: Ancient Shu and Inca Civilizations in Dialogue,” which attracted around 8,000 visitors. “Displaying Chinese and Peruvian artifacts together not only created a cross-time dialogue but also allowed audiences to see their shared connections,” recalled Moenir Julinio Zapata, Director of the Inca Museum. “Many guests built friendships spanning thousands of miles here.”

Rafael Berón, Director of Peru’s National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History, emphasized that infrastructure projects such as Chancay Port not only shorten the geographical distance between Peru and China but also spark curiosity and deepen understanding, linking the prosperity of the East with the vibrant culture of Latin America. “This spirit of openness and inclusiveness makes Chancay Port a true new starting point of the ‘New Inca Trail.’”

Source: https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/0M8T4SLH.html

Editor & Translator:  LiWei