Colombia’s main export port Cartagena connects over 840 ports in 140 countries
The Port of Cartagena Group (SPRC) is Colombia’s main export port, connecting over 840 ports in 140 countries making it the largest hub and most connected port in Latin America and the Caribbean, Seatrade Maritime said.
SPRC operates 3 port facilities and provides a full range of port, transport, and logistics services, as it includes subsidiaries associated to tugboat operations, river & land transportation, cruise operations, stevedoring, and other logistics services representing yearly corporate sales of over $370m and a total container throughput of more than 3m teus.
Volume wise, in 2022 SPRC total throughput was down 6.5% to 3.14m TEUs going from 3.36m TEUs in 2021 which was "a very good year".
And to date the paradox continues…"we are doing basically the same overall throughput, but with a difference, imports down 18%, exports about the same of last year, no growth, and transhipment growing again. It seems that this year will end with a new record for our transhipment volumes," notes Giovanni Benedetti, VP of Business development for the Port of Cartagena.
Cartagena is Hapag Lloyd's main hub in the region and an important terminal for CMA-CGM, Maersk-Hamburg Sud and for ONE Line. Cosco and ZIM have started some transhipment operations at Cartagena.
While several port operators in the region register blank sailing and service disruptions, Cartagena does not seem affected according to Benedetti.
After its expansion, a few years ago, Cartagena has seen constant growth, even during the pandemic, but enlargement is also ‘in constant growth’ and necessary.