International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI) and PSA International have formally opened Puerto Aguadulce, a joint venture terminal in the Port of Buenaventura, Colombia with Juan Manuel Santos, president of Colombia, leading the inaugural rites.
The first phase of the $550m multi-user container and bulk handling facility can handle mega container vessels with capacities of up to 18,000 teu. Puerto Aguadulce is operated by Sociedad Puerto Industrial de Aguadulce, the joint venture company of ICTSI and PSA.
“It is very important to have dreams and is more satisfying when they become reality. This is what we are doing today to inaugurate this port,” said President Santos.
He added: “We are stimulating foreign trade with many countries to exploit the full potential we have. We have the vision to have a competitive country, to be a food pantry for the world and this port will be a very important link. All that awaits you is more business, more profit, because if you do well, the country is doing well.”
The terminal had its soft opening late in November last year, servicing its first container vessel – the MSC Sasha. Under its first phase development, the terminal has an annual handling capacity of 550,000 teu operating two container berths. The bulk terminal, meanwhile, will have a capacity of 2m tons annually. It is located in the port city of Buenaventura, Colombia’s sole maritime trading gateway to the Pacific, and the first port of call for southbound services to and from the West Coast of South America.
