The Port of Santo Tomás de Castilla will leave in search of US $ 300 million to expand the four existing holders, José de la Peña, president of the Board of Directors of the EMPORNAC (National Port Company of Santo Tomás de Castilla) confirmed to the Free Press. With this extension, it seeks to increase the depth of the docks and attract ships with greater draft, such as post-panamax.
Post-Panamax ships are vessels that exceed the maximum dimensions allowed by the original locks of the Panama Canal, which were approximately 294 meters in length (length), 32 meters of sleeve (wide) and 12 meters of draft (depth). Before the extension of the channel in 2016, these ships could not travel through it. With the expansion, new locks were built that allow the passage of larger vessels.
Currently, the port is saturated, according to Alejandro Toledo, president of the International Transport Users Council of Guatemala (Cutriguea). Waleska Sterkel, executive director of the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce (Amcham Guatemala), said that around 14 ships are waiting, since only four ships can be addressed at the same time.
According to Toledo, one day of backward represents approximately US $ 40,000 in losses, only in the operational cost of a boat. For him, this could be resolved with more investment and the construction of new docks.
On the other hand, De la Peña indicated that, instead of new docks, it is necessary to strengthen existing ones. Regarding the extension project, he said that it seeks to extend the four bingers 10 meters above sea level, with piles between 42 and 46 meters. With this extension, he explained, a depth of between 13 and 16 meters will be achieved, which will allow ships with a draft of up to 12.5 meters, such as post-panamax.
To specify these extensions, a preliminary cost of around Q300 million is estimated for each binger, or US $ 300 million for the four, said Empornac president.
International support
Currently, the port has a linear dock with piles 22 meters deep, allowing a maximum depth of 11 meters. However, improvements would be made with expansion to receive ships Post-Panamaxwhich have, on average, a length of 366 meters and capacity to transport standard 20 feet containers, which allows them to mobilize massive load on a single trip.
According to Sterkel, the minimum depth so that a ship of these dimensions can enter is 12 meters. However, the executive director of Amcham Guatemala stressed that in the port of Caucedo, in the Dominican Republic, they have more than 15 meters of draft, which allows them to receive latest generation ships. Therefore, he considered that he should aspire to depths between 15 and 16 meters.
To expand the four bingers, De la Peña stressed that they are in the search for international support. In particular, he mentioned that they have held conversations with the United States embassy and with some state banks of that country.
De la Peña said they will seek to have the budget in 2025 to convene a multiannual contest this year and start the extension – attracting for binge – in 2026, with the aim of not suspending operations. In addition, he explained that each extension would take approximately nine months, so the project would extend for three years.
Are 10 meters enough?
De la Peña stressed that it was also possible to increase the depth on a spring face from 7 to 10.5 meters in bingers 1 and 2. This was possible thanks to a crane that was already in the port already an clam used to download the merchandise in bulk of the ships.
According to De la Peña, this improvement allows a safe bingle to ships with greater load.
The measure was implemented due to the low competitiveness of the port. According to the Executive, there were previously few who sought to download their merchandise in Santo Tomás de Castilla, which generated losses of until q 84 million for 2023.
However, for Sterkel, the minimum necessary is 12 meters deep, since without that draft it cannot be attended to ships Panamax neither Post-Panamax.
Other improvements
In addition to the extension of the bingers, Sterkel pointed out the need to have more space for the courtyards – where the discharged containers are stored – as well as building specific springs for containers and performing the dredging of the bay.
According to De la Peña, among the aspects that will be sought to improve this year are the courtyards destined for the mobilization and stacking of containers. To do this, he explained that an agreement was signed with the body of engineers of the Guatemala Army, which will be responsible for placing a better quality concrete in the ports of the port. De la Peña estimated that with this improvement, 10,000 additional containers can be stacked.
Empornac will only facilitate the raw material, for which an investment of up to Q 30 million will be allocated, said De la Peña.