Logistics services in Uruguay.

Uruguay logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Uruguay revolve around seaborne trade through Montevideo and other ports along the 660 km coastline. Containers move through Montevideo, with the country handling about 1.1 million TEU in 2024 and serving as a regional hub.

Air freight services use three airports with scheduled flights, led by Carrasco General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport. Rail connections link to Montevideo and other ports over a network of about 1,673 km. Cross-border road freight connects Uruguay with Argentina and Brazil via land borders of 541 km and 1,050 km.

Uruguay trades heavily with China, Brazil, the USA, Argentina and the Netherlands on the export side. Main export goods are wood pulp, beef, milk, rice and wood, while imports include crude and refined petroleum, cars, trucks and fertilizers, shaping typical cargo flows for forwarders and carriers.

Freight forwarders in Uruguay should understand container flows through Montevideo and the network of 8 ports including Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Colonia and La Paloma. Uruguay ranks 61 of 169 on the Logistics Performance Index in 2022, with an LPI score of 3, so service quality is above the world median.

The LPI shows customs, infrastructure, international shipments and tracking all close to or above world medians, with customs at 2.9 and tracking at 3.3. Forwarders need experience with Mercosur trade and strong carrier relationships with lines such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, COSCO, Evergreen, ONE, OOCL, APL, PIL, CNC and HMM. Given top export partners China 21 percent and Brazil 17 percent, and import partners Brazil 22 percent and China 18 percent, check that your freight forwarder in Uruguay has routing options and documentation expertise for these lanes.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Uruguay is centered on Montevideo, a medium-size seaport with cargo pier depth around 9.4 m and rail access. The country handles about 1.1 million TEU, ranking 66 of 168 worldwide and 15 of 38 in Latin America & Caribbean, reflecting moderate container scale.

Uruguay has 8 ports, including Montevideo, Colonia, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, La Paloma, Fray Bentos, Jose Ignacio and Puerto Sauce, mostly small or very small. Liner shipping connectivity stood at 35.19 in 2021, ranking 49 of 169 worldwide. Major container shipping lines with offices in Montevideo include Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, OOCL, APL, PIL, CNC and HMM, supporting both FCL and LCL flows. No all-in FCL or LCL rate examples are listed.

Three airports in Uruguay have scheduled air services: Carrasco General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport (MVD), Capitan Corbeta CA Curbelo International Airport (PDP), and Pres. Gral. Óscar D. Gestido Binational Airport (RVY). Total air freight volume was about 3.8 million tonne-km in 2009. Air makes sense for higher value or time-sensitive shipments complementing exports such as wood pulp, beef, milk, rice, and wood.

Uruguay has about 1,673 km of railway, providing inland connections to ports like Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Colonia, La Paloma, and others. The port of Montevideo has rail access to its cargo piers. Uruguay shares land borders with Argentina over 541 km and Brazil over 1,050 km, so road freight serves cross-border trade in goods such as crude and refined petroleum, cars, trucks, fertilizers, and agricultural exports.

Customs clearance in Uruguay operates within a framework aligned with the World Customs Organization, where Uruguay has been a member since 1977-09-16. The country participates in the World Trade Organization and is a member of Mercosur, shaping its regional trade conditions.

The average applied tariff is about 4.85 percent as of 2022. Uruguay’s LPI customs score is 2.9 versus a world median of 2.6, and the overall LPI is 3 versus a median of 2.7. Import and export lead times are short, with exports taking about 4 days and imports about 3 days as of 2016. For clearance, shippers should prepare a commercial invoice, packing list and transport document for their Uruguay shipments.