The ten countries with the greatest contribution to the total volume of cargo operated accounted for 84,1% of regional movement, according to ECLAC's annual report.
The movement of containerized cargo in Latin American and Caribbean ports increased by 7,7% in 2018 compared to the previous year, according to data released this Wednesday (3.4.2019) by ECLAC.
The analysis includes the behaviour of a sample of 31 countries and 118 ports and port areas in the region.
According to the annual report delivered by the United Nations agency – which in previous years was distributed under the name of port ranking – the data largely maintained the heterogeneity shown in the behaviour of port movements in previous periods, both at the port and country level. Of the total sample, 66 ports and port areas improved their figures compared to 2017.
The total volume of activity in 2018 exceeded 53,2 million TEU, representing 7,1% of container movement (throughput) worldwide, showing a slight increase in variation compared to the previous year (when it reached 6,6% of the throughputoverall).
The ten countries with the greatest contribution to the total volume of cargo handled accounted for 84,1% of regional traffic. These are (ordered from highest to lowest according to the number of TEUs handled): Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
According to the sample data compiled by ECLAC, in 2018 the East Coast of South America (CEAS) registered a 12% increase in port and port area activity, as measured by volume operated. Meanwhile, the West Coast of South America (COAS) continued with a slight upward progression, growing 7% in 2018, compared to the 6% recorded between 2016 and 2017. The Caribbean registered a 12% growth in total container movement, while Central America (excluding Mexico) had a more subtle growth of 7% only on the West Coast, as the East Coast basically maintained the same movement as in 2017. The Mexico Gulf zone grew 8% compared to 2017, and Mexico Pacific 11%. Panama, meanwhile, presented a growth on its Caribbean coast (11%) with respect to the country's total movement, while its Pacific coast registered a fall of -16%.
On this occasion, ECLAC's annual port report included some modifications to its format in order to include other data analyses, which will also be incorporated in the future into the maritime and logistics profile it produces.
Among the new developments, there is an examination of the tonnage moved by ports and port areas in 2018. Of the 20 ports and port areas in the sample, only those in Brazil have an individual tonnage above 100 million, while the top twenty include ports in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Panama.
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