Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez recently inaugurated the new Pier 6 facility of Puerto Cortes operated by Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana (OPC), a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).
The $145m greenfield development represents the first phase of OPC’s expansion work in Puertos Cortes and will add another 350 m of quay to the existing 800 m and depth of 14 m.
OPC-Puerto Cortes is now the only port in the Central America region able to receive the largest box ships plying major trade routes in the Atlantic thanks to two of its new super post-Panamax cranes, which also increased the annual operational capacity of the terminal by 50% to 1.4m teu..
Aside from the completion of this first phase, more large-scale projects are already in the pipeline for the coming years, Razon said, including the construction and expansion of the container yard, and implementation of advanced port technologies for greater efficiency.
“In all, I am proud to say that the investments have generated employment and development in Honduras and in Central America. We have delivered best industry practices in port management to a country with a vast potential and a dynamic leadership,” Razon added.
«With the start of operations of the new dock, Puerto Cortés will become the container terminal with the greatest capacity in the entire Central America region,» said Mariano Turnes, OPC ceo.
As of date, OPC has already invested more than $250m as part of its 30-year commitment in operating the Specialised Container and Cargo Terminal in Puerto Cortes.
