Logistics services in Peru.

Peru logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Peru cover sea, air, rail and road options along a long Pacific coastline. Containerized cargo moves mainly through Puerto del Callao, supported by other ports such as Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos and Talara, plus oil terminals including La Pampilla. Scheduled air services operate through at least 24 airports, including major international gateways in cities like Cusco, Pucallpa, Trujillo, Chiclayo and Iquitos.

Rail connections total about 1,854 km and support port access at locations such as Matarani and Talara. International road freight uses land borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. Shippers can route exports like copper ore, refined copper and grapes, and imports such as petroleum products, vehicles and machinery, by combining these modes according to cost and transit time needs.

Freight forwarders in Peru should be evaluated by their experience at key ports such as Puerto del Callao, Bahia de Matarani, Iquitos and Talara, and their coordination with shipping lines like MSC, ONE, CMA CGM, Maersk and others that maintain offices in Lima, Callao, Paita and Ilo. For container traffic, knowledge of Callao as the main hub for about 3.5 million TEU per year is a practical advantage.

The overall logistics performance index score of 3 is above the world median of 2.7, but customs and infrastructure ratings of 2.6 and 2.5 suggest that process handling and physical networks require careful management. When choosing freight forwarders in Peru, check how they handle flows with main partners such as China and the USA, and how they use trade bloc links through Mercosur and APEC. For customs brokers, ask about typical export and import lead times and their approach to documentation and inspections.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Peru relies on a network of about 20 seaports, with Puerto del Callao as the largest container gateway. Callao is classified as a medium port with cargo pier depth of about 9.4 m, while Bahia de Matarani and Talara provide additional capacity with rail access, and La Pampilla and Bahia San Nicolas support petroleum and other bulk flows. Total container throughput is about 3.5 million TEU per year.

Liner shipping connectivity stands at about 40, with several global shipping lines maintaining offices in Lima, Callao, Paita and Ilo, including MSC, ONE, APL, CMA CGM, X-Press Feeders, COSCO, Evergreen, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, OOCL and PIL. Observed all-in FCL rates include about 6,568 USD for a 40HC from Callao to Itapoá and about 13,529 USD from Navegantes to Callao, both dated 2026-10-29. Shippers can use these as reference points when negotiating FCL and LCL shipping from and to Peru.

Air freight in Peru uses a network of about 174 airports, of which 24 have scheduled services. Important international airports include Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ), David Abenzur Rengifo (PCL), Carlos Martínez de Pinillos (TRU), José A. Quiñones González (CIX) and Francisco Secada Vignetta (IQT), complementing Lima as the main hub.

Air cargo movements reach about 299 million tonne-km per year, ranking Peru around the middle of global flows. Air freight makes sense for high-value or time-sensitive exports like gold, refined copper and grapes, and for imports such as automotive parts, trucks and broadcasting equipment. Regional air routes link Lima with Bogota, Santiago and Campinas over distances between about 2,000 and 3,600 km, supporting fast service to major South American markets.

Rail and road freight in Peru is shaped by a relatively short but strategic rail network and multiple international road borders. Total rail length is about 1,854 km, and selected seaports such as Bahia de Matarani and Talara have rail access that supports inland movements of bulk and containerized cargo. Historical rail freight volumes reach about 599 million tonne-km.

Road freight uses borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador, with total land frontiers covering about 1,212 km with Bolivia, 2,659 km with Brazil, 168 km with Chile, 1,494 km with Colombia and 1,529 km with Ecuador. These corridors connect to coastal ports along about 2,414 km of shoreline. For regional trucking, forwarders often combine road with sea or air legs to reach gateway ports and inland production areas.

Customs clearance in Peru operates within the framework of membership in the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization, with WCO accession dating from 1970-01-27. Average applied tariffs are about 0.66 percent, which is relatively low and supports trade flows that reach about 83 billion USD in exports and about 61 billion USD in imports per year.

The logistics performance index customs score is 2.6, equal to the world median, while overall LPI is higher at 3. Export border compliance typically takes about 2 days and imports about 4 days. Peru is part of Mercosur and APEC, which influences agreements and procedures with partners such as China, the USA, Brazil and Argentina. For documentation, shippers should prepare a commercial invoice, packing list and the relevant transport document, and coordinate closely with their customs broker on local process steps.