The cargo moved by the port system in 2023 totaled 28,892 million metric tons, a figure lower than the 29,809 million in 2022, which represents a drop of 3%.
The figures show that variations in cargo movement, especially in solid and containerized bulk, substantially impacted the annual numbers at the Santo Tomás de Castilla National Port Company (Empornac) in Izabal, contrary to what happened in the Pacific. since the Quetzal Port Company (EPQ) in Escuintla, reported a positive growth rate, according to data published by the National Port Commission (CPN).
The aforementioned institution makes a classification of boarding and disembarkation at a general level, indicating that the first case corresponds to 33% of the total movement, while in the second it amounts to 67%. In addition, 59% was cargo operated on the Pacific coast and 41% in the Caribbean.
The cargoes that reported a negative performance in relation to 2022 were solid bulk, -10%; general cargo, -6.2%; and in containers, -0.32%. The only one that reported growth was liquid bulk cargo, with 3.2% more, which is the import of petroleum derivatives.
By port
47.4% of the cargo transported in 2023 was handled by EPQ, with 13 million 707 thousand tons and the figures presented by the CPN include that moved by APM Terminals Quetzal, although there is no breakdown as such. In 2022 the movement was 13 million 72 thousand tons, which represents a growth of 4.8%.
Containerized cargo in EPQ registers an increase of 8.5%, since in 2022 it was 4 million 9 thousand and last year, 4 million 444 thousand.
In second place is Empornac, which registered a cargo movement of 6 million 932 thousand, less than the 8 million 787 thousand in 2022, which is equivalent to a decrease of 21%.
But solid bulk cargo had a drop of -51%, since it reported 1 million 233 thousand tons last year, while in 2022 it was 2 million 542 thousand tons.
The figures show that there was also a drop in containerized cargo of -13%, since 3 million 432 thousand tons were transported, versus 3 million 948 thousand the previous year. This means that in Empornac it lost solid and containerized bulk cargo; That terminal moved 23.9% of the total maritime cargo.
The Puerto Barrios Railway Terminal, in Izabal, reported 4 million 895 thousand tons, for an increase of 1.4% compared to the 4 million 824 thousand in 2022, with a participation of 16.9% of the total movement.
Finally, Boyas de San José, which is a terminal specialized in the handling of liquid bulk, transported 3 million 356 thousand tons, which is equivalent to an increase of 7.3%, since in 2022 it reported 3 million 126 thousand tons. This terminal has a participation of 11.6%.
What is the reading
The foreign trade consultant, Mariano Díaz, provided a balance of the results in the movement of maritime cargo in 2023, and highlighted that all ports registered growth, which means that economic activity remains strong, and the rise in fuel It is explained by the volume demanded by industry, commerce, transportation and vehicle fleet, among others.
He commented that the drop observed in Empornac in solid bulk is explained by the decrease in mining activity, which fell year-on-year by almost half “and that was the hardest thing”, since the nickel mines paralyzed activities.
Another item that registered a drop and that catches the consultant’s attention was containerized cargo, since the cargo that left Santo Tomás dropped 13%, but it grew in Puerto Barrios, “and it may be that some of the users changed from Empornac to Puerto Barrios because it has better efficiency in handling containers.”
On the other hand, according to the evaluation of the monetary, exchange and credit policy of the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) as of last November, the downward behavior of foreign trade would be consistent with the continuation of the expected recovery of world trade.
Foreign trade decreases
According to the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat), the total amount of general trade exports during last year stood at US$14,194.3 million, lower by US$1,459.9 million (-9.3%) than the amount registered per year. 2022 (US$15,654.2 million).
“All ports recorded growth, which means that economic activity remains strong”
The most important products according to their participation in the total value of exports were: clothing items with US$1,527.7 million (10.8%); edible fats and oils with US$1,60.6 million (7.5%); bananas with US$996.2 million (7.0%); coffee with US$945.9 million (6.7%); sugar with US$596.0 million (4.2%); as well as plastic materials and their manufactures with US$577.7 million (4.1%).
Meanwhile, the total amount of imports made stood at US$30,318.5 million, lower by US$1,805.3 million (-5.6%) than that registered in 2022 (US$32,123.7 million).
The decrease was mainly influenced by the negative variation observed in raw materials and intermediate products for the industry.
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