Port Overview

The Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla  is located at East Coast Central America, Gulf of Honduras, Amatique Bay in Guatemala at  295 Km from Guatemala City.  The official UN/Locode of this port is GTSTC. It is also known as SANTO TOMAS , also called Matías de Gálvez port. Santo Tomás has become the busiest port of Guatemala, handling chiefly general cargo, while Puerto Barrios is limited to agricultural produce. It is the gateway for 60% of Guatemala's containerized cargo, and 65% of liquid bulk. Likewise, it is the export port for Nickel from the Atlantic coast of Guatemala. It is also the headquarters of the Guatemalan navy. Guatemala City is linked to Santo Tomás by highway, and air. Santo Tomás is a  medium-sized port. The terminal can handle dry bulk (grains and fertilizers), cruise ships, barges, and reefers, roll on roll off, liquid bulk and containerized cargo.  

The Santo Tomás de Castilla National Port Company is the institution responsible for managing and providing maritime port services, such as passenger embarkation and disembarkation, loading, unloading, transfer of merchandise and related services, also to facilitate trade logistics and operations

The Port of Santo Tomás has a fiscal area for liquid bulk, called the Free Zone for Industry and Commerce, also known as ZOLIC, which has 90% of the liquid cargo storage terminals for the aforementioned port.

 Zolic:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zolic    http://www.zolicguate.com/

Port website: https://santotomasport.com.gt/    

Port picture

1. Cruise Terminal
2. Customs bonded warehouse
3. Container terminal
4. Liquid bulk terminal
5. Solid bulk terminal
6. Industrial park

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

Proveedora Maya Tzutujil Ship Chandlers

Phone:  +502 3103-1379

Fax :     +502 4051-4410

sales-jgm@mayatzutujil-supplier.com

www.mayatzutujil-supplier.com

Alopsa,

Asistencia y Logistica Portuaria, S.A. Shipping Agency, Ship Chandlers and Container Terminal

Phone:  +502 2224-6400

Fax :     +502 2224-6422

manifiesto@alopsa.com

www.alopsa.com

MECO Ship Chandlers

Phone:  +502 3151-4848

mecostc@gmail.com

www.mecostc.com

Comercializadora Pahame Bulk Logistics, Port and Terminal Services

Phone:  +502 2224-6400

Fax :     +502 2224-6422

infocomercial@pahame.com

gteproyectos@pahame.com

www.pahame.com

For more information on port contacts, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Port Performance

The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 244 meters. The maximum draught is 10.2 meters. The maximum Deadweight is 74,996 t.

The types of vessels regularly calling at Puerto Santo Tomás are Oil/Chemical Tanker (29%), Container Ship (27%), Bulk Carrier (15%), General Cargo (7%), Crude Oil Tanker (5%).

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

For information on port rates and charges, please see the following link: https://santotomasport.com.gt/tarifas/

Berthing Specifications

 Water Depth

Cargo Pier:       26 – 30 feet, 7.1 – 9.1 m.

Anchorage:       26 – 30 feet, 7.1 – 9.1 m.

Oil Terminal:      26 – 30 feet, 7.1 – 9.1 m.

Mean Tide:        2 feet

Channel:           26 – 30 feet, 7.1 – 9.1 m.

The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 244 meters. Maximum vessel length overall (LOA) is 229 m. The maximum draught is 10.2 meters.

Control Tower            

Located on channel 16 VHF

Access

The access channel to the Port of Santo Tomas de Castilla is located in the entrance of the bay of Amatique (15° 57' 8" North 88° 37' 24’’ West), 2 km towards the West (15° 53 ' 36") it has a turn of 90º degrees. The channel has draught restriction of 11m, length of 10.7 km and a width of 90m

Maritime signalling

Buoys, beacons, leading lights (21 signals plus the Villedo lighthouse) (direction of N 4 degrees 53')

 General Cargo Handling Berths

Santo Tomás de Castilla has 6 berths, each one 152.20 meters long, making a total of 913.2 meters of berthing frontage. Of these 6 berths, all are multipurpose, which gives versatility and flexibility to port operations, being berth number 6, the one with the connections for unloading liquid bulk; Likewise, during the cruise season in the Guatemalan Caribbean, the pier assigned to attend to passenger ships is Berth 1.

Berth Nº1 Maximum Draft: 10 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Passengers, containers, RO/RO, conventional vessels, general cargo

Berth Nº2 Maximum Draft: 10 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Passengers, containers, RO/RO, conventional vessels, general cargo

Berth Nº3 Maximum Draft: 10.30 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Solid bulk, containers, RO/RO.

Berth Nº4 Maximum Draft: 10.30 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Solid bulk, containers, RO/RO.

Berth Nº5 Maximum Draft: 10 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Containers, RO/RO, general cargo, perishable and refrigerated cargo

Berth Nº6 Maximum Draft: 10 m. Length: 152.20m. Most common uses: Liquid bulk

Port Handling Equipment

The port is own and administered by the Government. Most of the equipment is private own but administered by the Port Authority. The port has 5 mobile cranes, clamshells as well as hoppers and all the necessary equipment for loading and unloading products in containers and bulk.

Container Facilities

Terminal A for full containers: 10,680 m² / 768 TEU’s

Terminal B for full containers and reefers: 16,418 m² / 1,104 TEUs Terminal C for full containers: 16,400 m² / 1,174 TEUs

Container yard (Private Company Cobigua): 14,128 m² / 1,125 TEUs

Container yard (Private Company Almasilos): 4,000 m² / 200 TEUs

Container yard (Private Company Maersk): 16,400 m² / 1,176 TEUs

Container yard (Private Company Servicios Portuarios): 42,230 m² / 4,450 TEUs

Customs Guidance

When all necessary documentation is presented to the customs authorities and OIRSA, https://www.oirsa.org/  the cargo release process will take an estimate of 5 or 6 days from the time the vessel arrives until cargo is release.   The Government of Guatemala has launched since May 2021 a new project with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation that will simplify, standardise, and digitise documentation and procedures at its major ports, with benefits that can ripple across its economy. Shipping companies, terminal operators, and captains will spend less time meeting administrative demands when ships arrive, dock at, or leave Guatemalan ports. For the public sector, the switch to automated processes will ease the controls performed by customs, health, agriculture, and immigration authorities and permit more effective coordination. The time saved by improving authorisation and inspection processes can allow ports to receive more ships and save operators as much as USD 3,000 in operational costs per hour for each vessel. Delays in port arrivals and departures stemming from incorrect paperwork and discoordination among several actors can cost ships their place at port berths and lead to late fees and time lost in loading or unloading cargo.

Santo Tomas de Castilla Customs

Inside the Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla Maritime Port on the main street to the pier at kilometer 298 of the Central American highway CA-9 north, municipality of Puerto Barrios, Department of Izabal. Phone (502) 7960-0350 to 54

Services provided: Dispatch of merchandise (import, export and transit, authorization of tourist permits and their movements).

In the administrative area from Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 22:00.

For more information on customs in GUATEMALA please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information. 

Terminal Information

MULTIPURPOSE TERMINAL

The general cargo handling berth is on the 810 m long. The “Commercial wharf” which is composed of four berths of 202.5 m is divided as follows: 1 berth for the handling of general cargo, 2 for general solid/liquid cargo, and1 multipurpose ramp (Ro-Ro). The depth is 11m BHZ.

GRAIN AND BULK HANDLING

The grain terminal is located in Zone 1, with an area extension of 39,800 m², 75 m away from the wharf’s platform. The terminal counts with six silos with a storage capacity of 3,880 t and a 10,000 t warehouse capacity. It operates using a system of treadmills to load and discharge. The treadmills’ output is of 1,000 t per hour. The mechanism is designed to handle different products simultaneously

MAIN STORAGE TERMINAL

The port has various storage facilities for containers, both reefers and dry cargo, full and empty, as well as storage space for vehicle. The storage area also includes space for stripping, re-stuffing and transhipment cargo of containers which have short storage time. There is a ramp and cover space for stripping of container and customs inspection. There is also an area for the loaded trucks to wait for customs inspection.

Stevedoring

The port has three stevedoring companies for the vessel operations.  They are unionized in the organization SINTRAPSATCA

Hinterland Information

Port Security

Port Santo Tomas de Castilla fulfils all the ISPS regulations. Vessels visiting Santo Tomas de Castilla have to fulfil the regulations and requirements of the ISPS code. It is prohibited within the port premises: washing, painting, welding, refuelling.

Port Overview

Puerto Barrios is located at East Coast Central America, Gulf of Honduras in Guatemala at coordinates N 15° 43' 56.09" - W 088° 36' 26.08". The official UN/Locode of this port is GTPBR. It is also known as PTO BARRIOS,BARRIOS,PBARRIOS Access to the port is done via the Santo Tomas de Castilla Port access channel. The Amatique Bay is used as the anchor area. The breakwater concrete pier handles containerized cargo, general cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk cargo. The types of ships which can moor are: cruise ships, container ships, tankers, barges, general cargo ship, roll on-roll off cargo and vessels other than the above. 

The direction of the pier is to the west. There are four berths: Berth #1 (South) 155m, #2 (South) 140m, #3 (North) 175m and #4 (North) 65m.  The draft berths of both South and North of the pier is 9.50m. 

With the exception of Berth #4 is used for roll-on roll-off and tugs docking port, the other berths are used for container ships, bulk liquids and solids and general cargo. 

The port has storage areas for containers (refrigerated, dry) as well as storage areas for vehicles. The port has a capacity for 2,440 TEU’s. There is no storage area for bulk cargo; therefore grains need to be directly transferred to the trucks. 

There are 3 shifts which operate from 07:00 to 16:00, from 16:00 to 23:00 and from 23:00 to 07:00 giving 24 hour attention to vessels. Administrative staff works from Monday to Friday, 07:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 

Port website: https://puertobarrios.net/ 

Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com 

Port Picture

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

The loading/unloading goods of handled is by the port’s operations personnel who supervise the labourers. Private companies carry out stevedoring operations on board of the ships. 

Three private companies provide transport services from the quay side to the storage areas. Those companies, and the port management, own and operate front loaders and forklifts to move the cargo and containers in the yard. 

An indoor area is used for the stripping of containers for Customs (SAT) revision. The port also counts with a parking lot for loaded trucks waiting for the SAT inspection. There are also three container storage areas for export outside the port area, two of them specifically used by DOLE Company and one by COBIGUA. 

For more information on port contacts, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Port Performance

Puerto Barrios is a small port, but woks very efficiently.  Average waiting time is less than 5 hours if vessels are included in the weekly   program. For humanitarian cargo, contact the port superintendent. 

The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 226 meters. The maximum draught is 11.1 meters. The maximum Deadweight is 63495t. 

The types of vessels regularly calling at PUERTO BARRIOS are Container Ship (47%), General Cargo (18%), Oil/Chemical Tanker (18%), Reefer (2%), Reefer/Containership (2%). 

Guatemala, cargo volume movement by type of cargo (Thousands of MT) year 2021 

Source: Empresas Portuarias de Centroamérica y Autoridad Marítima de Panamá 

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

THC rates are highly variable. Please check rates on case by case basis. 

THC/L - Terminal Handling Charge in Port of Loading, Puerto Santo Tomas De Castilla (GTZST), Puerto Barrios (GTPBR): 20',40'&40'HC: USD 145  40' reefer  USD 195 (Effective : 25/03/2022) 

Berthing Specifications

Port Barrios shares part of the Puerto Santo Tomas access channel.  It is located in the entrance of the bay of Amatique (15° 57' 8" North 88° 37' 24’’ West), 2 km towards the West (15° 53 ' 36") it has a turn of 90º degrees. The channel has draught restriction of 11m, length of 10.7 km and a width of 90m 

The direction of the pier is to the west. There are four berths: Berth #1 (South) 155m, #2 (South) 140m, #3 (North) 175m and #4 (North) 65m.  The draft berths of both South and North of the pier is 9.50m. 

With the exception of Berth #4 is used for roll-on roll-off and tugs docking port, the other berths are used for container ships, bulk liquids and solids and general cargo 

Channel: 31-35 feet, 9.4-10 m Cargo Pier: 16-20 feet, 4.9-6.1m. Oil Terminal: 16-20 feet, 7-9m 

Max size: LOA 183M.   Max draft:  9.5m.  Mean Tide: 1 foot Anchorage: 26-30 feet, 7.1-9.1m 

The port has facilities for handling bananas, grain, fertilisers and oil. 

The port has storage areas for containers (refrigerated, dry) as well as storage areas for vehicles. The port has a capacity for 2,440 TEU’s.  

There is no storage area for bulk cargo; therefore grains need to be directly transferred to the trucks. 

General Cargo Handling Berths

Port Handling Equipment

Container Facilities

Customs Guidance

Puerto Barrios is a Temporary Customs Warehouse (DAT) for @SATGT.  When all necessary documentation is presented to the customs authorities and OIRSA, https://www.oirsa.org/  the cargo release process will take an estimate of 5 or 6 days from the time the vessel arrives until cargo is release.   The Government of Guatemala has launched since May 2021 a new project with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation that will simplify, standardise, and digitise documentation and procedures at its major ports, with benefits that can ripple across its economy. Shipping companies, terminal operators, and captains will spend less time meeting administrative demands when ships arrive, dock at, or leave Guatemalan ports. For the public sector, the switch to automated processes will ease the controls performed by customs, health, agriculture, and immigration authorities and permit more effective coordination. The time saved by improving authorisation and inspection processes can allow ports to receive more ships and save operators as much as USD 3,000 in operational costs per hour for each vessel. Delays in port arrivals and departures stemming from incorrect paperwork and discoordination among several actors can cost ships their place at port berths and lead to late fees and time lost in loading or unloading cargo. 

Puerto Barrios Customs 

Within the Puerto Barrios seaport on 9th Final Street, Colonia Las Champas, Municipality of Puerto Barrios, Department of Izabal. Tel. (502)7948-0595, (502)7948-0132, (502)7948-2375, (502)7948-1554 and (502)7948-7943. 

Services provided: Dispatch of goods (import, export and transit). 

Open from, to: In the administrative area: from Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 16:00. 

In the operational area: Monday to Sunday, from 07:00 to 23:00. Extraordinary services are authorized from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Delegation Entre Ríos: From Monday to Sunday, from 06:00 to 18:00. 

For more information on customs in GUATEMALA, please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information. 

Terminal Information

MULTIPURPOSE TERMINAL

No information available

GRAIN AND BULK HANDLING

There is no storage area for bulk cargo; therefore grains need to be directly transferred to the trucks. The port has handling facilities for discharge grain and bulk directly from ship, but no bagging equipment. 

MAIN STORAGE TERMINAL

The Port of Barrios has no functional storage space for dry cargo.

Stevedoring

The stevedoring services are subcontracted by Puerto Barrios.  Fees are already included in the port tariffs. The loading/unloading goods of handled is by the port’s operations personnel who supervise the labourers. Private companies carry out stevedoring operations on board of the ships.  Stevedoring services can be coordinated directly with companies such as Serpa or Omarsa, and they will organize the vessel unloading.  

Hinterland Information

Heavy and light vehicle access to the terminal in/out is normally done through the main avenue Avenida de Puerto Barrios. Inside the terminal premises three private companies provide transport services from the quay side to the storage areas. Those companies, and the port management, own and operate front loaders and forklifts to move the cargo and containers in the yard. An indoor area is used for the stripping of containers for Customs (SAT) revision. The port also counts with a parking lot for loaded trucks waiting for the SAT inspection. There are also three container storage areas for export outside the port area, two of them specifically used by DOLE Company and one by COBIGUA. 

Port Security

Non-intrusive X-ray inspection system for containers. Since 1990, Puerto Barrios has continually increase security in the port premises. In 2004 the port implemented the international code of Vessel Protection.  Also the port has CCTV in all port premises, access control, Vessel Monitoring (AIS), Canine unit. 

Port Overview

Puerto Quetzal, UN/LOCODE GTPRQ, also known as PTO QUETZAL,QUETZAL is located on the southwestern Pacific Ocean coast of Guatemala about 55 kilometres northwest of the border with El Salvador. It is Guatemala’s biggest Pacific Ocean port, important for both cargo and as a stop-over for cruise passengers, located about five kilometres east of Guatemala’s Port of San Jose;  98  kilometres from Guatemala City, about 80 minutes on the highway to Puerto Quetzal. 

It is the gateway for solid bulk and containers from Guatemala, and for fuels for the western part of the country. Likewise, it is the door through which sugar and its derivatives such as molasses and alcohols are exported. It has an annual container throughput capacity of 450,000 TEU’s (2022) and is currently the largest facility between the port of Lázaro Cardenas in México, and the Panama Canal, on the west coast of Central America. It is the only terminal in Guatemala capable of handling 10,000 TEU vessels due to its 14.5 m max. draft. 

Puerto Quetzal has a privileged geographical position in the Central America Region as it is situated in an equidistant point to the Panama Canal and the big Mexican ports in the Pacific.  

The Empresa Portuaria Quetzal is the institution responsible for the management and administration of Puerto Quetzal; they foresee that in 2023 Puerto Quetzal will be an intelligent port, the first of its kind in all of Central America, the third or fourth in Latin America excluding Panama. 

APM Container Terminal, https://www.apmterminals.com/en/puerto-quetzal , is the main terminal operator, according to its master plan [1mn TEU’s / year] it should have carried out its second phase of invetsments, which is another berth, equipment and yards, in 2019. Due to a current legal situation with the Guatemalan government, it has not been done, so the capacity of the port has already reached its limit above 60%, and that the international demand is very high, so it is required that the expansion phase continue that it had in its port conception plan when it began operations. If more investments are not made, there will be more and more congestion with delays in container export cargo.  

At the closure of the present LCA edition 2022, the Guatemalan government is currently negotiating with APM the purchase of the container terminal.   

APM Institutional video Puerto Quetzal: https://youtu.be/yow5OBs2NQM 

Port website: www.puertoquetzal.gob 

Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com 

Port Picture

Puerto Quetzal facilities can accommodate Panamax-size vessels and can serve carriers of solid and liquid bulk cargoes, containers, roll-on/roll-off cargoes, cruise fleets, fishing boats, sailboats, frigates, and recreational vessels. The port authority or the Empresa Portuaria Quetzal operates and administers the port functions. The harbour of this port is sheltered by breakwaters. The main dock is near the eastern side of the harbour and is 1,140 meters long. 

The port contains 437 thousand square meters of storage space, 5.6 thousand square meters of warehouse, 8 thousand square meters of sheds, and an open storage area of 21.3 thousand square meters. An additional 2.1 thousand square meters is available for handling roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and 16.4 thousand square meters is available for vehicles. Its facilities are home to the largest storage facilities for grain, fuel, molasses, sugar and other solid and liquid cargo that moves in the port.

List of the areas identified in the Port Picture:  http://www.puertoquetzal.gob.gt/muelle/ 

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

Index 

http://www.puerto-quetzal.com/wp-content/themes/total-child-theme/files/_1589480470_9028_directorio2020-FINAL_2020(1).pdf 

For more information on port contacts, please see the following link:  4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Port Performance

It is the only terminal in Guatemala capable of handling 10,000 TEU vessels due to its 14.5 m max. draft.  

The port can handle huge vessels and is operational all year. The commercial dock has four berths. Its main berth is 820 meters long and can accommodate ships with 11 meters draft. It handles general cargo. The other two berths handle both solid and liquid cargo and it also has a multipurpose ramp, plus a 203 m long container berth and three berthing tugs. 

List of main shipping lines serving the port: ALIANCA, APL, CCNI, COSCO, CHINA SHIPPING, CMA CGM, CP SHIPS, HAMBURG SUD, Hapag Lloyd, HANJIN, LIBRA, Maersk, NORASIA, NYK, Seaboard, Wan Hai 

Traffic figures:  Approx 5,000,000 mt of cargo, 1,100 vessels, 17,000 passengers and 550,000 TEU are handled annually. Reduced waiting time for vessels due to dedicated berthing windows 

The main commercial dock is situated in the eastern part of the harbour. The W basin houses a cruise jetty, with a power station on its N side and an LPG terminal on the S side. 

The harbour is protected by breakwaters; the major dock is 1,140m in length; the minor of 307m in length; with also a dyke of 367m. The main dock is situated in the eastern part of the harbour. 

Control tower: Located on channel 16 VHF. 

Max vessel size: LOA 280m, beam 32m, draught 10.5m.   

Max. Size:   Draft 11.1 m. (tidal).  Containers: Draft 11.1 m. (tidal).  Passengers: Draft 12.0 m. (tidal).  Ro-Ro: Draft 11.1 m. (tidal).  Bulk: Draft 11.1 m. (tidal).  Tankers: Draft 11.6 m. (tidal).  Gas: Draft 12.5 m. (tidal). 

The types of vessels regularly calling at PUERTO QUETZAL are Bulk Carrier (31%), Container Ship (29%), Oil/Chemical Tanker (20%), General Cargo (6%), Vehicle Carrier (5%). 

Guatemala cargo movement chart, by type (Thousands of MT) during year 2021 

Guatemala vessel movement chart, year 2021 

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

THC rates are highly variable. Please check rates on case by case basis. 

For information on port rates and charges, please see the following link:  

http://www.puerto-quetzal.com/web/guest/tarifa 

Berthing Specifications

The main berth is 820m long with 11 meters draft. It offers space for four (04) vessels. 

The “Commercial wharf”  which is composed of four berths of 202.5 m is divided as follows: 1 berth for the handling of general cargo, 2 for general solid/liquid cargo, and1 multipurpose ramp (Ro-Ro). The depth is 11m BHZ. 

Coal and Fuel Terminal: 1 berth formed by 4 dolphin pilings, for unloading mineral coal and fuels. 

Dimensions: 10.67 meters long and 10.36 meters wide 

Depth: 12 meters.  

Cruise Terminal: 1 berth formed by 6 dolphin piling, for the berthing of passenger ships. 

Dimensions: 185 meters long 

Depth: 13 meters.  

Services or Link Dock: connection between the general dock and the south dock, it is used to maintain small boats. 

Dimensions: 50 meters long and 40 meters wide 

Depth: between 5 and 11 meters.  

Auxiliary Dock: 1 berth to handle general cargo (shallow draft vessels) on the north side. 

Dimensions: 170 meters long 

Depth: 5 meters  

Gas Terminal: 1 berth formed by 2 retention piles and 6 mooring piles, with specialized connections for the discharge of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). 

Dimensions: 58 meters long 

Depth: 13 meters.  

General Cargo Handling Berths

The general cargo handling berth is on the 810 m long. The “Commercial wharf” which is composed of four berths of 202.5 m is divided as follows: 1 berth for the handling of general cargo, 2 for general solid/liquid cargo, and1 multipurpose ramp (Ro-Ro). The depth is 11m BHZ. 

Port Handling Equipment

Is the port equipment managed by the government or privately? Privately  

Currently operating at around 60% capacity, the terminal is equipped with three Super Post Panamax Ship-to-Shore cranes (20 container outreach) on a 350m quay. With 610 reefer plugs, the terminal handles fruits and vegetables, coffee, grains, fertilizer, fish, cotton, textiles and tobacco. 

Container Facilities

Terminal A for full containers: 10,680 m² / 768 TEU’s 

Terminal B for full containers and reefers: 16,418 m² / 1,104 TEU’s Terminal C for full containers: 16,400 m² / 1,174 TEU’s 

Container yard APM: 130,000 m2 

Container yard (Private company Cobigua): 14,128 m² / 1,125 TEU’s  

Container yard (Private company Almasilos): 4,000 m² / 200 TEU’s 

Container yard (Private company Maersk Sealand): 16,400 m² / 1,176 TEU’s 

Container yard (Private company Servicios Portuarios): 42,230 m² / 4,450 TEU’s 

Customs Guidance

There are no unique customs formalities for Port of Quetzal. Inside Port Quetzal the SAT   office is the busiest customs office from Guatemala, followed by Santo Tomas and Guatemalan central customs office.When all necessary documentation is presented to the customs authorities and OIRSA, https://www.oirsa.org/  the cargo release process will take an estimate of 5 or 6 days from the time the vessel arrives until cargo is release.   The Government of Guatemala has launched since May 2021 a new project with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation that will simplify, standardise, and digitise documentation and procedures at its major ports, with benefits that can ripple across its economy. Shipping companies, terminal operators, and captains will spend less time meeting administrative demands when ships arrive, dock at, or leave Guatemalan ports. For the public sector, the switch to automated processes will ease the controls performed by customs, health, agriculture, and immigration authorities and permit more effective coordination. The time saved by improving authorisation and inspection processes can allow ports to receive more ships and save operators as much as USD 3,000 in operational costs per hour for each vessel. Delays in port arrivals and departures stemming from incorrect paperwork and discoordination among several actors can cost ships their place at port berths and lead to late fees and time lost in loading or unloading cargo. 

Puerto Quetzal Customs 

Kilometer 111 of the Central American Highway number CA-9 South, Puerto Quetzal. Municipality of San José, Department of Escuintla. Tel. (502) 23297070 Ext. 6130, 6131, 6140 and 6143. 

Services provided: Dispatch of goods (import, export and transit). 

Open from, to: In administrative areas: Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 22:00. The Collection and Management area: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 12:00. In operational areas: from Monday to Sunday, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., carrying out extraordinary services during the hours that users request from the Coordination of Modules, Shipments and Landings, and Exports. 

For more information on customs in Guatemala, please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information here. 

Terminal Information

Please see APM Puerto Quetzal institutional video:   https://youtu.be/yow5OBs2NQM 

MULTIPURPOSE TERMINAL

The main berth is 820m long with 11 meters draft. It offers space for four (04) vessels. 

The “Commercial wharf” which is composed of four berths of 202.5 m is divided as follows: 1 berth for the handling of general cargo, 2 for general solid/liquid cargo, and1 multipurpose ramp (Ro-Ro). The depth is 11m BHZ. 

GRAIN AND BULK HANDLING

The grain terminal is situated in Zone 1 and spans 39,800 m². The terminal has six silos with a storage capacity of 3,880 tonnes. It also has a warehouse with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes. The terminal has treadmills for loading and unloading grains. They can handle different products together. 

MAIN STORAGE TERMINAL

The Compania Bananera Independiente Guatemala – COBIGUA owns warehouses for storing dry and refrigerated cargo. The warehouse for refrigerated cargo spans 10,620 m² with a capacity of 4,115 tonnes. It is said to be the biggest refrigerated cargo warehouse in Latin America. 

The warehouse for dry cargo is spread across 10,500 m² and it receives, stores and ships general cargo and cargo packed in containers. . It has a storage capacity of approximately 4,000 t. Another container yard of 14,400 m² with a capacity for 1,125 TEU’s is available in the port. 

Stevedoring

Port operations are from Monday to Friday, operating in three shifts as follows: 1st shift:  07:00 to 14:30 Hours. 2nd shift: 14:30 to 21:30 Hours, 3rd shift: 21:30 to 07:00 Hours, 

• Administration Monday thru Friday 8:00 to 16:00 hrs 
• Non-Working days: New Year, From 14:30 hrs. December 31 to 07:00 hrs. January 02 
• Holy Week: From 21:30 hrs. Holy Thursday to  07:00 hrs. Holy Saturday. 
• International Worker´s Days. From 00:00 hrs. May 01 to 07:00 hrs. May 02. 

• Christmas: From 14:30 hrs. December 24 to  07:00 hrs. to December 26. 

Hinterland Information 

Good road infrastructure provides a fast link to the Caribbean Sea coast. 

Port Security

The port is quite safe with fixed cameras installed in all the areas, 24/7 live monitoring through high resolution equipment. There is an Access Control System with digital fingerprints, biometric readers and mechanised vehicle barriers. It also has a maritime surveillance system and trained staff which performs regular port inspections. All this has led to greater port productivity.  

Gantry crane control cabins provide customers officials with access to 10 strategically located cameras, to supervise and control the codes of each container entering or leaving a ship. Recordings from the cameras are available for up to 90 days for internal use by the authorities to give greater traceability to container loading. 

Both maritime and land surveillance system, with highly trained personnel to perform access control, intrusive and non-intrusive inspections. The port has an integrated communication system via VHF marine radio band, mobile telephones, internet, internal network and vessel detection system.

Port Overview

Located on the Pacific coast, San Jose is used as a liquid bulk terminal. In 2013, 136 vessels were attended in San Jose for a total of 1.788 million t of liquid bulk (mainly imports). The San Jose port also has a 150m wharf that is currently not operational.

Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com