Honduras
Honduras - 2.5 Waterway Assessment

In Honduras, inland waterways play a vital role in transporting goods and people, especially in remote regions like Gracias a Dios. This region has a number of rivers, such as the Patuca, that have historically been used as transportation arteries to connect isolated communities and carry out trade in essential goods. Currently, these roads are essential for access to basic services and the movement of goods in an area that is difficult to access by road. 

However, the capacity of the waterways in Gracias a Dios is limited by several challenges. Bottlenecks include navigation on shallow rivers during the dry season and lack of adequate infrastructure at river ports. In addition, the absence of maintenance and lack of investment in these areas have led to sediment accumulation and difficulty in navigation, which affects the carrying capacity and frequency of trips. 

 

For more information on government contact details, please refer to the following link:  4.1 Government Contact List.  

 

Company Information 

In Honduras, and particularly in regions like Gracias a Dios, private transport companies play a vital role in moving cargo and passengers along waterways. These companies often operate barges, speedboats and specialized vessels to provide transportation services in areas difficult to access by road. Competition in this sector can be varied, with some companies competing in terms of rates, frequency and quality of service. 

Over time, problems have arisen in the private waterway transportation sector, including concerns related to safety and security. Since some areas can be remote and prone to extreme weather conditions, businesses face challenges in ensuring the safety of operations and passengers. In addition, the lack of proper regulation and supervision in some regions has led to incidents in the past, underscoring the importance of implementing more rigorous safety and security measures. 

 

For more information on   the  contact  details of  inland waterway companies, please refer to the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterway Company Contact List. 

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Travel Time Matrix 

Travel time from main port to other major ports by Ferry  

  

Roatan 

Puerto Cortes 

Puerto Lempira 

Puerto Castilla 

Port of La Ceiba 

Port San Lorenzo 

Roatan 

 

NA 

 

NA 

NA 

NA 

Puerto Cortes 

6 hr 55 min 

 

 

NA 

NA 

NA 

Puerto Lempira 

1 hr 15 min 

 

 

 

 

 

Puerto Castilla 

8 hr 3 min 

NA 

NA 

 

NA 

NA 

Port of La Ceiba 

1 hr 15 min 

NA 

18 hr 30 min 

NA 

 

NA 

San Lorenzo  

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

 

 

 

Port Information 

Key port information 

 

La Ceiba 

Puerto Castilla  

Puerto Cortes  

Henecan  

Coxen Hole 

Location 

Atlantis 

Trujillo, Colon  

Puerto Cortes  

San Lorenzo  

Bay Islands  

Connection with other transport 

(Land / river / air) 

Land-Maritime 

Land-Maritime 

Land-Maritime 

Land-Maritime 

Land-Maritime 

Storage capacity (m 2 and m3) 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

Cargo handling equipment  

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

 Customs available (Yes / No) 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Other comments 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

 

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