Latin America Cargo City (LACC) will transform the old passenger terminal at Carrasco International Airport into a courier terminal to handle e-commerce cargo.

More than $10 million will be invested in constructing a new building covering more than 5,000 square metres to expand operational capacity and consolidate LACC’s position as a logistics hub for Uruguay.

Bruno Guella, General Manager of LACC, says, “The investment will improve infrastructure, operational capacity and services, and therefore will have a direct and positive impact, both on the experience of courier companies and on the end customer of international e-commerce, who will have access to a simpler and more agile process.”

The building will have space for courier operations, new flight reception areas and loading areas for vans and lorries, providing capacity to respond to demand.

Equipment and technology in the building will include vertical warehouses for automated storage of packages and cold rooms with varying temperature ranges.

Individual areas will be made available to customers who require exclusive operations.

There will also be corporate offices and multipurpose rooms among other capacities.

The project responds to rising e-commerce shipments arriving in Uruguay with official Customs figures reporting a 170% increase in the number of shipments during the second half of 2024 compared to 2023.

Guella says, “Globally, there has been a notable increase in e-commerce products, and Uruguay is no stranger to this trend. This has been an unprecedented challenge for the different airports in the world, which are committed to solutions of various types to address this reality.”

The courier terminal will have dedicated staff and operate 24/7/365 and benefit from the integration of Customs, companies and other organisations that work in the sector.

Work will start next month (February 2025) with construction of the new building starting mid-2025 with the aim of inaugurating the building in the second half of 2026.