It was created on August 18, 1952 with the 'Declaration on the Maritime Zone” subscribed in Santiago by the Governments of Chile, Ecuador and Peru; Colombia adhered to the System on August 9, 1979.

This is a Regional Maritime Agency, as well as a strategic alliance and a political and operating option in the southeast Pacific in order to consolidate the presence of costal countries in this important geographic area; it also offers effective and coordinated projection to the surrounding areas and a relationship with the Pacific Basin.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs chairs the National Section of the CPPS, through the Office for Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs. Thus, it operates as the coordinator between the General Secretariat and the agencies with jurisdiction in the areas dealt with by the Agency.

Some of the roles performed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include the proposal and operation of a plan for strengthening the CPPS, striving to reposition the agency to respond to the new international demands. This process was formalized in 2010 during the IX Ordinary Assembly, and now, thanks to this, the CCPS has a 4-year Strategic Action Plan (SAP), and a Biennial Operating Plan that accompanies the SAP.

At present, an organic adjustment process is taking place, which includes the revision of the Bylaws and internal regulations of the Agency.