Top executives of DP World have visited Chile as part of a tour of the region to identify opportunities to expand their network of Latin American port operations, writes Rainbow Nelson .

DP World's chief executive Mohammed Sharaf and Dave Sanborn, the company's managing director for the Americas, visited the TPS operation in Valparaiso.

The Dubai company is investing $400m to upgrade facilities in the Peruvian port of Callao, the largest container operation on the west coast of South America.

It also has operations at Puerto Cabello in Venezuela, and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

TPS is the largest container terminal in Chile and is owned by the Von Appen family. It has seen growth of more than 40% in the past 12 months following the arrival of two new post-panamax gantry cranes.

Operating with an area of 12.8 hectares and with forecast volumes of 700,000 teu for this year, it is one of the most efficient terminals in the western hemisphere.

At the start of this month the company received the last two of 12 RTGs to complete the automation of the container terminal.