The Report of the Operations Management of the Quetzal Port Companies (EPQ) in Escuintla registered an increase of 119% of ships in anchor with 46 vessels, greater than the average reported last December when 21 ships were counted. This volume represents a significant increase compared to the average six months ago.
The ships waiting transport merchandise such as solid and liquid bulk – main, fuels, general load, jumbos, cement, iron, clinker, fertilizer, coal -, container with import products, and sugar bags for export.
One of the consequences of congestion is the collection of additional costs by shipping companies, due to the waiting time, which has an impact on the final price of raw materials and supplies. The daily cost of anchor can range between US $ 30 thousand and US $ 70,000.
Load growth in EPQ
From January to March this year – last data available— The national port system mobilized 8.4 million metric tons (TM) load; EPQ managed 4.2 million, that is, 50% of the total, according to statistics from the National Port Commission (CPN). In 2024, 15.3 million TM have mobilized, exceeding 13.7 million registered in 2023.
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EPQ mainly concentrates the reception of bulk, especially food and fertilizers.
Three reasons of the increase in anchorage
Accessed by Press Libre, Vice Admiral José Antonio Lemus Guzmán, president of the Board of Directors of the EPQ, explained three factors that justify the increase in funding vessels:
- Climatic conditions: The rainy season, especially during the night, forces to pause operations on the docks, especially with bulk vessels, to avoid damage to the products. This prolongs attention time and aggravates the accumulation of ships.
- Load increase: Before the beginning of winter, an increase in maritime load was projected. Between January and May there has been substantial growth in both imports and exports, which affects the accumulation of ships.
- Export of sugar in sacks: This type of maneuver is slower than bulk export. While a bulk operation can be completed in 20 hours, the office in sacks takes several days.
“Now the majority load is the export of sugar in sacks, which has demanded more time of the ships and has affected the tail. That variation, together with the climatic conditions, explains the current accumulation,” said Lemus Guzmán.
Atypical season in exports
The president of the EPQ unusual described the high proportion of sugar exports in sacks during this season. Traditionally, the product was dispatched in bulk or containers, a modality that is more efficient.
Currently, the process implies the manual load of sacks by cranes, which delays the operation. “The crane loads a network, the bags are placed, they embark and accommodate. It is a very slow process. Exporters are being asked to seek automation. The end of the chain is them: the fastest is the bulk; the slowest, the sack,” he said.
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Products such as steel, iron and other metals also have slow maneuvers, while loads in containers and liquids are more agile.
“In this season the export of sugar in sacks was greatly diversified. That is the important variable that changed. The congestion was not going to be eliminated. To resolve it, more beating positions are required, or it is docks,” he added.
Emerging measures
Among the actions implemented to mitigate congestion stand out:
Authorization of a temporary dock which will have an estimated duration of 10 months, located in the area known as “Carboneras”, where a platform will be built to download.
There is interest in using the use of the Duke of Alba cruise terminal and other little -used facilities, with barges support to facilitate downloads in auxiliary springs suitable only for little draft vessels.
Installation of two new specialized cranes in bulk (clam spoon type), with the ability to accelerate discharge maneuvers.