Port Overview

Nearly 90% of Ecuadorian foreign trade (solid cargo only) is handled by the various terminals in Guayaquil. There are two major groups of facilities: Puerto Marítimo, owned/administrated by the Port Authority which has given concessions to private operators, namely Contecon Guayaquil S.A. and Andipuerto, for 20 years; and Isla Trinitaria, which has attracted private operators to invest in port infrastructure. In the latter, three companies operate terminals directly next to each other: Terminal Portuario de Guayaquil (TPG), Terminal Portuario Bananapuerto operated by Aretina (the maximum draft for all Isla Trinitaria terminals is 9.75 meters) and Puerto Trinitaria S.A. operating with: 1 dock 126 meters long, dock depth: Up to 11.5 meters (high tide) 9.75 meters (low tide), vessel length: up to 250 meters, Nº Berths: 2 . The Fertisa Terminal Portuario offers reefer and bulk facilities; and the bulk terminal of Ecuadoriana de Granos (Ecuagran) offers one berth directly on the River Guayas and on the inner side of the city. There are other private berth operators like Molinos del Ecuador, Sepresa, and Industrial Molinero along the River Guayas. All terminals have only one berth; vessels may have a maximum length of 180 meters and a maximum draft of 6.5 meters.

Dredging works in the port’s access canal

In Jannuary 2020, the Guayaquil Port Terminal (TPG) set a record in the port history of Ecuador and the region after receiving the largest ship to arrive at ports in Latin America. The arrival of the ship APL Esplanade, meant the inauguration of the deepening works of the maritime access channel and the estuaries that connect the sea buoy with the port terminals The dredging work was carried out by Canal Guayaquil, a subsidiary of the Belgian company Jan De Nul, which will maintain the sea lane for a 25 years contract.  The company dredged the 92-kilometer channel, eliminated the Los Goles rocky area, which was an obstacle to navigation. The depth of the channel went from 9.5 meters to 12.5 meters and 13 meters, with tidal benefit.

Posorja Deepwater Port (Guayaquil Area)

The Posorja Deepwater Port is the first deep water port terminal in Ecuador with a capacity to receive ships of up to 15,500 TEUS (Post-Panamax).

The deep waters of Posorja port, delegated by the Guayaquil Port Authority (APG) to the DP World Posorja Company. During the first operational year DP World Posorja has received 180 vessels. In addition, Neo Panamax vessels have sailed for the first time in Ecuadorian waters at their maximum capacity, through the new access channel with characteristics that are 16.5 meters deep and 175 meters wide.

The first phase of construction commenced in July 2017 and completed in 2019. Construction on the second phase will commence when 75% utilization of phase one is reached. The second phase will increase the project area to 63 hectares and will include the construction of additional facilities. It will double the length of the terminal’s pier to 800m and the handling capacity of the terminal to 1.5 million TEU a year.

Access Channel: A new and safer channel 16.5 m deep and 21 nautical miles long. The navigation channel will allow to occupy the maximum cargo capacity of Post Panamax type ships and larger ships that cross the Panama Canal, with a length of up to approximately 400m and a draft of 16m, with a cargo capacity of up to 15 thousand 40-foot containers. An example of this is the attention of the container ship Cartagena Express of Hapag-Lloyd, with 14 meters of draft, setting a new record for Ecuador, by the port terminal.

Equipment:  Four (04) quay cranes and 15 rubber-tire-gantry cranes (RTG). Included a boatyard located behind the pier and a container yard that allows RTG operations.

Logistics: A logistics park with direct connectivity to the deep water port of Posorja with more than 100 HA available.

Port website: http://www.puertodeguayaquil.gob.ec/

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

Port Picture

Legend

Yellow: Puerto Maritimo (Contecon Guayaquil S.A. and Andipuerto)

Red: Terminal Portuario Bananapuerto

Purple: Fertisa Terminal Portuario

Green: Ecuadoriana de Granos (Ecuagran)

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

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

Port Performance

In Jannuary 2020, Terminal Portuario Guayaquil (TPG) set a record in the port history of Ecuador and the region after receiving the largest ship to arrive at ports in Latin America. The arrival of the ship APL Esplanade, which has a length of 368.82 meters and a beam of 51 m, arrived at Terminal Portuario Guayaquil thanks to the recent deepening of the docking pier. It meant the inauguration of the deepening works of the maritime access channel and the estuaries that connect the sea buoy with the port terminals The dredging work was awarded as executed out by Canal Guayaquil, a subsidiary of the Belgian company Jan De Nun, which will maintain the sea lane for 25 years contract. The company dredged the 92-kilometer channel, eliminated the Los Goles rocky area, which was an obstacle to navigation. The depth of the channel went from 9.5 meters to 12.5 meters and 13 meters, with tidal benefit. Jan De Nun B.V. will operate the maintenance of the canal and will charge a fee that will be paid by the shipping companies.

For further information on the Port Statistics, please visit http://www.puertodeguayaquil.gob.ec/

Source: www.jandenul.com/projects/deepening-guayaquil-harbour-access-channel-ecuador

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

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

Port Of Guayaquil: http://www.puertodeguayaquil.gob.ec/tarifario/

Contecon Guayaquil: https://www.cgsa.com.ec/tarifas-servicios-portuarios/

Andinave Guayaquil: https://www.andinave.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Tarifario-M%C3%A1ximo-de-Servicios-Complementarios.pdf

Berthing Specifications

Concesionaria CONTECON Guayaquil S.A.

Terminal Portuario de Guayaquil (TPG)

Andipuerto Guayaquil S.A. Grains & Multipurpose Terminal

Puerto Trinitaria, Trinipuerto S.A.

QC Terminales Ecuador Chemical And Oil-Chemical Handling Terminal

Fertisa Multipurpose Terminal 

Bananapuerto Multipurpose Terminal

General Cargo Handling Berths

 

Port Handling Equipment

Port handling equipment is managed privately by the companies holding the concession for the operation of the terminal.

For the Contecon Terminal (containers) the stacking height on the yard is 5 containers. The quay cranes and reach stackers are equipped with an automatic weighing system.

Container Facilities

Contecon Terminal

Customs Guidance

For import procedures, the following documentation/information will be required at the Billing Department's service windows in order to obtain a door pass:

• The loading number as authorized by SENAE
• For procedures with SENAE authorizations through administrative acts, you must present a copy of the document (Providencia)
• Letter of Authorization of Exit (CAS) (Electronic or Physical)
• Copy of the Bill of Lading (BL), for the cases of General Cargo and Loose Cargo
• Data of the transport company, or name of the driver and the license plate of the vehicle that will withdraw the cargo

This documentation will be required by the access control booths before entering. The door pass can also be issued to the customs agent/assistant or other personnel authorized by the importer to carry out the customs procedures. The requirements of the "Manual of Port Security for the Issuance of Credentials and Provisional Permits" must be fulfilled.

For the dispatch of cargo, the warehouses have a scheduled delivery service with allocated shifts, taking into account the following aspects:

• Depending on availability, the customer chooses the most convenient shift to withdraw their cargo. The shifts include the earliest and latest times to withdraw the cargo.
• In the event that a client misses their shift (i.e. does not arrive during the allocated time) it is possible to request another on the same day at the access control booths.

For cases of Direct Debits (DD) or Advance Dispatch (DA), verify that the customs procedure has been authorized and the operation is scheduled in the Customer Services Department.

Customs office hours in the port of Guayaquil are from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

Terminal Information 

Multipurpose Terminal

 Contecon Multipurpose Berths

Main Storage Terminal

For the Contecon Terminal, well-organized warehousing for both ground operation and sorting in high-frames is found. The goods are barcoded by Contecon, any item can be identified and localized immediately. The floor size of operational warehouses is 45,800 m². 

Grain and Bulk Handling

ANDIPUERTO Guayaquil S.A.

The terminal has an area of ​​13 hectares, has a dock where ships of up to 220 meters in length are received.

 

  

 

Stevedoring

The Port of Guayaquil offers the service of stowage and unloading. The port has equipment and adequate material, duly certified, which guarantees safety and efficiency in cargo handling. Various types of cargo are handled such as containers, agricultural products, general cargo, vehicles, machinery, and project cargo. Stevedoring operation is made by private companies, classified and regulated by the national government.  The ratio and ranking of the operators is performed in accordance to the type of activities and services they provide to the terminals (cargo handling, pilotage, towage, dredging, port storage and other activities).

Hinterland Information

Ecuador has implemented the maritime security requirements contained in Chapter XI-2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code through the Merchant Shipping Bill 2004 and the Maritime Security Regulations 2004. These regulations apply to all seaports in Ecuador and passenger ships, cargo ships of 500GRT or more, and mobile offshore drilling units on international voyages.

Regarding only the bananas exports there is a weekly movement of around 1500 trucks transporting the fruit from Guayas and Los Rios Association. The actual cost for inland cost from the Port of Guayaquil to the factories located within the city for 20 and 40 feet dry containers are around usd180 and usd250 respectively with a path of about 15kms. The distance to the main origin and destinations provinces of the cargos from the Port of Guayaquil are: Guayas 136km: Guayaquil, Duran, Milagro, La Libertad (136 km.) 11 Manabí 280km: Manta (193km), Jipijapa (254 km.), Bahía de Caráquez (280km) El Oro 280km: Puerto Bolívar (193km) Pichincha 415 km: Sto. Domingo (287km), Quito (415km) Loja 415km: Loja (415km)

Port Security

Guayaquil port has in recent years undergone a modernization and upgrade program following significant financial investment. These developments have not however resulted in a more safe and secure environment with foreign ships, moored along the port’s quays or transiting its narrow river passages, said to be easy targets for local criminal gangs. Whilst Ecuador has not traditionally been known as a hotspot of global piracy, the number and maliciousness of recent attacks on vessels has led the IMB to issue a warning to vessels transiting the river passage at Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The warning comes after a spate of incidents involving armed robbers approaching and boarding vessels including those under pilotage. Most incidents are reported to have taken place during night time between the sea buoy and the channel entry and/or exit. Tactics employed by criminals including firing at vessels in order to distract the crew and allow drugs to be smuggled on board notably in containers. *

Ecuador has implemented the maritime security requirements contained in Chapter XI-2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code through the 2004 Merchant Shipping Bill and the 2004 Maritime Security Regulations. These regulations apply to all seaports in Ecuador, as well as passenger ships, cargo ships of 500 GRT or more, and mobile offshore drilling units on international voyages.

Comprehensive security: The Port of Guayaquil is qualified with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), Zero Theft and the Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC) Certification, in the process of ISO 9,000 and 28,000 certifications.

Security Level 1 applies in Ecuador territorial waters and seaports. Any change of security level or its area of application will be communicated by notices to mariners, navigational warnings, circulars, VHF communication, or any other appropriate means.

(*)IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) imbkl@icc-ccs.org / piracy@icc-ccs.org. Roberto Barriga Maldonado of Larrea Canessa Barriga Abogados based in Guayaquil, Ecuador