Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana (OPC), the Honduran subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), has beefed up its partnership with Honduran authorities to improve its port service and efficiency at Puerto Cortes, Central America 4’s (CA-4) largest port.
OPC is now working with the Honduran government and Puerto Cortes authorities to enhance the port’s competitiveness and better serve its customers in the four-nation CA-4 comprising Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, ICTSI said in a statement.
Enhancements include simplified and faster port transactions, and the construction of critical road infrastructure that will improve cargo movement in the region.
To expedite intra-regional trade, the Honduran Customs Agency has streamlined its systems for early clearance and dispatch of cargo, matching OPC’s operations. The operating hours of customs authorities were likewise extended until 7 p.m. to give agents and brokers more time to process shipments.
For its part, the Honduran Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has implemented online processes for the application of certificates and phytosanitary permits, improving the process and generation of payment tickets.
Outside of the port, the Honduran Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Services recently invested in the expansion, reconstruction and maintenance of the main road and secondary road network leading to the port to expedite the transfer of loads between hinterland areas and border areas in the CA-4.
In addition, Enpresa Nacional Portuaria, the Honduran port authority, has enabled a truck entry facilitation zone near the port, mitigating truck traffic on public roads during days when a large amount of cargo is sent or received.
Once these service improvements are fully realized, ICTSI said it should improve the country’s position as Central America’s regional logistics hub, and Puerto Cortes as the region’s main port on the Atlantic side.
“As a partner of good and long standing of the Honduran government, there is no doubt that we are on the right track—the good relationship and teamwork between OPC and authorities, a prime example of good public-private partnership, will help Puerto Cortes to be more efficient and competitive, move more volume, and benefit all stakeholders in the logistics chain,” OPC executive officer Mariano Turnes said.
“It is very important that shared efficiencies between us, the port operator and the government are achieved through the improvement of processes, avoiding extra costs for stakeholders and making them more competitive in the local and international market,” Turnes added.
ICTSI said OPC operates 24 hours every day of the year without extra costs for overtime, while its customer service offices are open all week during administrative hours, including weekends and holidays.
ICTSI recently completed for OPC the US$145-million Pier 6 greenfield development, which represents the first phase of expansion work in Puerto Cortes. It has also acquired two super post-Panamax cranes, allowing larger ships to dock without any restrictions.
More large-scale projects are in the pipeline for the coming years, including the construction and expansion of the container yard, and implementation of advanced port technologies for greater efficiency.