ECLAC: Port Activity in Latin America and the Caribbean Sluggish in 2012

ECLAC reports container throughput at Latin American and Caribbean ports turned sluggish in 2012, with the annual growth rate falling to 4.3 percent from 15.9 percent in 2010 and 13.9 percent in 2011. The decline, says the agency, reflects a slowdown in the region's foreign trade caused by recession in Europe and slower growth in the United States and China.  

ECLAC is the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, an agency of the United Nations based in Santiago de Chile.

Data compiled by ECLAC and posted online show throughput at the region's leading container ports achieved growth rates of 7.4 percent during the first half of 2012, but just 0.4 percent during the second half. 

Most severely impacted were the ports of Argentina and Jamaica, with container traffic declines of 10.5 percent and 35.1 percent in 2012, according to ECLAC. Abnormally low growth was experienced by Chile (+1.2 percent), Panama (+3.4 percent) and Brazil (+3.6 percent).

Ports elsewhere in the region did better, particularly in Peru (+9.9 percent), Colombia (+18.2 percent), Mexico (+13.9 percent), Costa Rica (+15.0 percent), Venezuela (+17.6 percent) and the Dominican Republic (+18.4 percent). Top performers were Callao in Peru, Cartagena and Buenaventura in Colombia, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz and Manzanillo in Mexico, Limón Moin in Costa Rica, Cabello in Venezuela and Caucedo in the Dominican Republic.

American Association of Port Authorities
Asociación Americana de Autoridades Portuarias
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