Peru-based anchoveta-fishing firm Corporación Pesquera Inca (Copeinca) has initiated arbitration against Cosco Shipping Ports Chancay Peru, a Chinese-Peruvian consortium that operates the Port of Chancay, requesting payment of USD 2.6 million (EUR 2.2 million).
The dispute arose over a submarine outfall belonging to Copeinca at Chancay Port. The two companies signed an agreement in 2021 for Cosco to relocate the submarine outfall, which discharges the fishing firm’s liquid waste.
However, the work performed was defective, according to the suit, with the new installation set up in areas other than those authorized and without sufficient technical studies completed on the geomorphology and oceanographic dynamics of the area. This led to two episodes of pipeline rupture in December 2024 and May 2025, according to the Copeinca complaint.
As reported by local publication Semana Económica, the industrial fishing firm has requested the construction of new outfalls and a definitive repair of the existing pipeline to guarantee operational continuity.
Copeinca claims to have presented technical and documentary evidence demonstrating the negative impact of the defective relocation, including halted operations, increased operating costs, and accumulated profit loss. However, Cosco Shipping has reportedly only partially recognized certain compensation without assuming full responsibility for the damages caused.
Copeinca broke down its claim into six areas: breach of contract by Cosco Shipping, the payment of USD 738,800 (EUR 638,400) for consequential damages, compensation payments of USD 883,800 (EUR 763,680) in lost profits, the payment of USD 1 million (EUR 864,000) for temporary reinforcement and reparation of the pipeline, the assumption of indemnity for third parties, and full reimbursement of all arbitration expenses.
This arbitration process comes in addition to fines levied by Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) against Cosco Shipping Ports Chancay for the equivalent of PEN 733,463 (USD 211,345, EUR 182,640) over environmental non-compliance regarding the implementation of a geotube system.
The USD 1.4 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) Chancay Port is located 75 kilometers from Peru’s capital of Lima. It is considered an intelligent, world-class, automated megaport designed as a logistics hub serving Asia.
Copeinca – Peru’s largest fishing company and one of the largest producers of fishmeal and fish oil in the world – was purchased by New Brunswick, Canada-based Cooke in 2024.
“We’re excited to welcome Copeinca’s dedicated employees to the Cooke family of companies,” Cooke CEO Glenn Cooke said at the time of the acquisition. “Copeinca will be a major contributor in furthering Cooke’s growth as a leader in strengthening global food security.”
