Quetzal Port Company is offering a special rate with discounts up to 50% for ships carrying cargo whose origin and destination is Central America.
This project seeks to promote short sea shipping between the ports of Quetzal in Guatemala, Acajutla in El Salvador, Corinth in Nicaragua and Caldera in Costa Rica, and in this way reduce land freight traffic between countries in the region.
Otto Perez Molina: "This is the third attempt to modernize the port and it must not fail, it must go ahead. I am determined for this to succeed and ask you to allow modernization "
Tthe forum ‘Myths and Realities of Puerto Quetzal’ was convened by the President in order to explain the reasons for the Port of Quetzal Company (EPQ in Spanish) has leased an area of 348, 171.81 square meters for 25 years, renewable, to the company, Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal (TCQ), a subsidiary of the Spanish company Terminal de Contenedores de Barcelona (TCB).
Despite this increase, there was a decrease in attended vessels.
In the first eight months of the year freight grew by 33% compared to the same period last year, reflecting the dynamism experienced by the ports of Guatemala this year.
The increase in cargo carried and the decrease in ships that arrived in Puerto Quetzal is explained in part by the larger ships being used now, which are able to carry more cargo than before.
The decision by shippers not to use the Mexican ports of Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas has significantly influenced growth.
Retention of containers in 2010 in the Mexican ports has caused several shipping companies to opt for the terminal in Guatemala instead.
With the inauguration of the Seventh Regional Maritime Congress, Estuardo Villatoro, sub interventor of the Port of Quetzal (EPQ) noted, "We expect to attend to about 60,000 container movements this year."
Since the installation of the Central Asia South America Services, the Porturia Quetzal Company has been able to move more containers.
The system (which mobilizes trans-shipment containers) has raised the average number of containers moved per month from 13,500 to 20,000.
The assistant manager of operations in Puerto Quetzal, Ricardo Monterroso, told Sigloxxi.com.gt, "The competitive issue is important to us, for this reason we are using the new system to re-adjusts administrative and operational policies to provide highly competitive services in the region."
Exports and imports moved cargo for 7.57 million metric tons in 2010, 13% higher than 2009.
The increase comes after two years of decreases, 7% in 2008 and 4% in 2009.
"The sum of solids, liquids, general cargo and containers in 2010 came to 5.2 metric tons, while in 2009 it was 4.5. Exports amounted to 2.3 in 2010 and in 2009 was down to 2.1 metric tons", reported Siglo21.com.gt.