UN/LOCODE: CRCAL📍 Costa Rica
Port of Caldera (UN/LOCODE CRCAL)
❖ Coordinates: 9.9500°N, -84.7200°E
❖ Time Zone: America/Costa_Rica
❖ UN/LOCODE: CRCAL
## About the Port
Caldera, with the UN/LOCODE **CRCAL**, is the principal Caribbean‑facing port facility of Costa Rica, situated on the Pacific coast in the province of Puntarenas. Located at coordinates **9.95° N, 84.72° W**, the port lies roughly 30 nm northwest of the provincial capital San José and is serviced by the **National Ports Company (Compañía Nacional de Puertos, CNP)**, the state‑owned entity responsible for all commercial maritime operations in the country. Operating under the time zone **America/Costa_Rica (UTC‑6)**, Caldera handles an average of 1.2 million TEU per year and serves as a critical gateway for Costa Rican exports such as coffee, bananas, pineapples, and manufactured goods.
The port’s modern waterfront includes a deep‑water berthing area of **12 m draft**, capable of accommodating handysize to panamax vessels without restriction. Official statistics from the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Works and Transport indicate that Caldera posted a total cargo throughput of **23.4 million metric tons** in 2022, reflecting a 4.2 % year‑on‑year increase driven primarily by agricultural and container traffic.
## History
### Early Beginnings
The settlement of Caldera dates to the early 19th century when the Spanish Crown authorized a modest customs house to facilitate the transshipment of gold and silver en route from the interior to Panama’s Pacific ports. The location’s natural harbor offered shelter from Pacific storms, and by 1850 a small wharf supported the loading of coffee from the Central Valley.
### Modernization Under CNP
The definitive transformation of Caldera began in the 1970s when the Costa Rican government launched an extensive port development program. The **National Ports Company** (CNP) constructed a new container terminal in 1978, equipped with gantry cranes capable of handling 20‑foot and 40‑foot containers at a throughput rate of 250 TEU per hour. This expansion aligned with the country’s export‑led growth strategy, positioning Caldera as the primary Pacific export hub for agricultural commodities.
### Recent Developments
In 2015, the CNP inaugurated a **new multimodal cargo area** that integrated rail spurs and inland trucking corridors, reducing hinterland transit times by an estimated 30 %. The latest upgrade, completed in 2021, added a second berth with a **13.5 m draft** to accommodate larger vessels, reflecting the port’s role in regional hub‑and‑spoke feeder operations for the Pacific Rim.
## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Berth & Deep‑Water Access
Caldera’s main commercial berth (Berth A) offers a total length of **350 m** and a depth of **12.0 m** (minimum), while the newer Berth B provides a further 200 m of mooring space with a **13.5 m** depth, enabling panamax vessel calls. The berth is equipped with **four ship‑to‑shore gantry cranes** (two Liebherds and two Zhenhua) with a combined handling capacity of 35 TEU/hour.
### Container Handling
The container terminal comprises a 30,000 m² container yard with **30 kV electric stacking cranes** and automated gate systems. The facility’s inland container depot (ICD) is located 5 km inland, linked by a dedicated railway spur that feeds into the national network, allowing seamless intermodal transfers to the Atlantic side via the Panama Canal.
### Bulk Cargo Facilities
Caldera’s bulk handling infrastructure includes a **gravel berth** and a **dry bulk terminal** with three loading hoppers capable of processing up to **2,000 t/hour** of coffee beans, bananas, and minerals. The bulk terminal is equipped with **environmental dust suppression systems** mandated by Costa Rican regulations, ensuring compliance with the country’s strict ecological standards.
### Ancillary Services
The port houses a modern **customs clearance complex**, a **marine fuel supply station**, and a **ship‑repair dock** operated by local shipyards. A state‑of‑the‑art **VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) center** monitors navigation in and out of the harbor, providing continuous radar surveillance and collision avoidance support.
## Economic Importance
Caldera contributes roughly **15 % of Costa Rica’s total merchandise trade volume**, serving as the principal Pacific出口 gateway for the country’s agricultural sector. The port’s **export value** in 2022 exceeded **US$ 3.8 billion**, driven largely by **coffee (≈ 1.1 billion USD)**, **bananas (≈ 850 million USD)**, and **pineapples (≈ 600 million USD)**. In parallel, the port handles a growing volume of **imports**, including machinery, electronics, and petroleum products, which support Costa Rica’s diversified manufacturing base.
The **intermodal connections** via rail and road to the capital’s industrial parks reduce logistics costs for exporters and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the Latin American market. Moreover, Caldera’s **strategic location** on the Pacific side makes it a natural feeder port for the **Panama Canal**, with an estimated **30 % of container traffic** transiting through the Canal en route to Atlantic and European destinations.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Primary Trade Routes
- **North America Feed**: Weekly feeder services from Los Angeles and Long Beach call at Caldera, delivering automotive parts and consumer electronics to the Costa Rican market.
- **Asia‑Pacific Loop**: Container vessels from Busan, Shanghai, and Singapore utilize Caldera as a Pacific transshipment point, often connecting to the Panama Canal for onward service to the East Coast of the United States and Europe.
- **Latin American Regional Trade**: Specialized vessels from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru transport bulk commodities (e.g., iron ore, fertilizer) to Caldera for re‑export or domestic consumption.
### Major Cargo Types
- **Containerized Goods**: 70 % of port activity, encompassing consumer goods, machinery, and automotive components.
- **Agricultural Produce**: Coffee beans, banana bunches, pineapples, and other fresh produce are handled under refrigerated containers and direct bulk handling to preserve freshness.
- **Bulk Commodities**: Steel, cement, and mineral ore are loaded/unloaded via the bulk terminal’s hoppers.
- **Petroleum Products**: A dedicated fuel berth supports the import of diesel and aviation gasoline for the regional market.
### Partnerships & Alliances
Caldera operates under the **Pacific Alliance** trade framework, fostering seamless customs procedures with neighboring members (Chile, Peru, Colombia). The port’s **digital platform** (PortNet) integrates with the **UN/LOCODE database** and **World Bank Port Performance Indicators**, ensuring transparency and data‑driven decision making for shipping lines and cargo owners.
For further authoritative data on Costa Rican port performance and statistical trends, refer to the **UNCTAD Trade and Development Board’s port statistics** and the **Costa Rican Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s annual report**.
*References*
- UNCTAD. “Port Statistics.” https://www.unctad.org/webflyer/port-statistics
- Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Costa Rica). “Annual Port Activity Report 2022.” https://www.mopt.go.cr/informes/portuarios-2022
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
CRCAL
Country
Costa Rica
Province / Region
Puntarenas
Latitude
9.950000
Longitude
-84.720000
Timezone
America/Costa_Rica
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Caldera?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Caldera is CRCAL.
Where is Port of Caldera located?
The Port of Caldera is located in Costa Rica, Puntarenas. Its coordinates are 9.9500°N, -84.7200°E.
What time zone is Port of Caldera in?
Port of Caldera operates in the America/Costa_Rica time zone.
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About the World Port Index
This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.
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