As a result of the global trade imbalance that has become evident in the last year and the considerable increase in logistics costs, Guatemalan importers are beginning to look to Brazil as an option to replace purchases from Chinese companies.
In early March of this year, CentralAmericaData reported that as a result of the imbalance faced by world trade flows, shipping lines have changed their routes and prefer to move empty containers to Asia, a situation that at that time already generated shortages and caused increases in transport rates.
Due to the imbalance in world trade flows, shipping lines have changed their routes and prefer to move empty containers to Asia, a situation that generates shortages and causes increases in freight rates and raw material prices.
In this scenario of new commercial reality, the operating costs of maritime freight have been impacted, since due to the restrictions imposed in several countries around the world, containers have been stranded.
The president of Guatemala offered the neighboring country to explore the possibility of El Salvador having a maritime cargo terminal in the Guatemalan Atlantic, a proposal that generates doubts among exporters.
The announcement was made on January 27th, during a meeting between Alejandro Giammattei and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, on the occasion of the signing of the open skies agreement.
The Panama Chamber of Commerce requested the Panama Canal Authority to postpone the start of collection of the fee for the use of fresh water in the Canal, which would begin to be paid on February 15, 2020.
On January 13, the Panama Canal Authority announced that this year "... the value of water will be incorporated into the line of other maritime services through a charge for fresh water, which will depend on the availability of the resource at the time of the vessel's transit. The freshwater charge is applicable to all vessels over 125 feet in length that transit the Canal:
The Guatemalan exporters' guild presented its direct route service, with a new option to the main ports of the Caribbean with connections to the Main Liners for Northern Europe/Mediterranean and the rest of the world.
Within the framework of its strategic objective to improve the competitiveness of Guatemalan companies through identifying and designing new logistics services for export, the Commission of Integrated Services for Export (SIEX) of AGEXPORT through its partner company CMA CGM presented its new service of direct routes with transit times and competitive rates, informed the guild.
In Guatemala, Empresa Portuaria Quetzal tenders the vessel traffic control system, which must have a simple visualization application integrating all functions.
Guatemala Government Purchase 9579761:
"System for Control of Vessel Traffic. One of the main characteristics of the system is that all operator functions are integrated in a simple visualization app.
To solve the congestion problem affecting Guatemala's port network, it is estimated that at least $133 million needs to be invested to improve the operations of current terminals.
The average standard for port operation is on average 50%, however, currently the country is reaching occupancy limits above 60%, which means that they are reaching congested points that make them less efficient.
Last year, Guatemalan ports mobilized 26.9 million metric tons, 1% less than reported in 2017, mainly because of the machinery deficit in the main maritime terminals.
Data from the National Port Commission (CPN), detail that between 2017 and 2018 the cargo movement in the country's ports fell from 27.3 million to 26.9 million metric tons.
This reduction contrasts with those reported the previous year, because during 2017 the local port system registered a 5% annual increase in the cargo movement, since in 2016 were mobilized 26.4 million metric tons.
From 26 to 30 August, representatives of the port industry of Central America and the Dominican Republic will meet in Antigua Guatemala to discuss innovation, trends and facilitation of international trade.
From the National Port Commission of Guatemala' s press release:
Guatemala has become the venue for one of the most important port events in Central America: the 41st Port Meeting of the Central American Isthmus, better known by its acronym REPICA.
Two multipurpose cranes with the capacity to mobilize 600 tons will begin operating at Guatemala's maritime terminal on December 12th.
Representatives of the Ministry of Communications informed that the new cranes of Operadora Logística de Guatemala, S.A., the company that won the tender to provide the service, have a $6 million cost each.
Hector Recinos, vice minister of Communications in charge of ports and airports, said to Prensalibre.com that "... The crane service operations are going to be reactivated and with the shipping agents the itineraries to receive ships with containerized goods have already been programmed."
In order to minimize some of the impact that the Nicaraguan crisis has had on intraregional trade, the governments of Costa Rica and El Salvador have announced that they are now in a position to start ferry operations.
After unsuccessfully trying to implement this maritime cargo transport option, in May of last year the Spanish shipping company Odiel decided to end the negotiation process to operate the ferry, due to a disagreement over the setting of tariffs that would have to be charged for the service. Since then, the project has been forgotten.
Authorities at the Guatemalan port terminal announced that they have solved the container congestion problem reported weeks ago, and have started working on a reengineering process.
Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomás de Castilla (Empornac) reported that after implementing a series of actions of a logistical nature, they have managed to solve the problem of container saturation in that area, and their operations remain stable.
Only days after two shipping companies announced the partial suspension of their operations in Puerto Santo Tomás, authorities at the terminal reported that 90% of the Salvadoran cargo has been lost.
The president of Empresa Portuaria Santo Tomas de Castilla (Empornac), Bayron Monterrosa, explained that they have lost almost all of the cargo from El Salvador, which represented 20% of the port terminal's operations.
Due to lack of investment in machinery and equipment in recent years and slow loading and unloading of vessels, the shipping company Maersk Line is to partially suspend its operations in the Guatemalan port terminal.
Empresa Portuaria Quetzal de Guatemala is putting out to tender a tug boat, a launch, and maintenance and repair services for engines.
Guatemala Government Purchase 7705301:
"Acquisition of a tug boat with azimuthal propulsion astern, for docking and undocking operations of ships and a launch for maritime piloting services in the port of Santo Tomás de Castilla."