UN/LOCODE: CRLIO📍 Costa Rica
Port of Puerto Limon (UN/LOCODE CRLIO)
❖ Coordinates: 10.0000°N, -83.0300°E
❖ Time Zone: America/Costa_Rica
❖ UN/LOCODE: CRLIO
## About the Port
Puerto Limon (UN/LOCODE: **CRLIO**) is Costa Rica’s principal Atlantic gateway, situated on the Caribbean coast in the province of Limón at **10° N, 83.03° W**. Operating under the **America/Costa_Rica** time zone (UTC‑6, no daylight‑saving), the port serves as the strategic foothold for Central American trade with the United States, the Caribbean Basin, and the broader Atlantic market. Managed by the **Consejo Nacional de Puertos (CNP)**, Puerto Limon provides 24‑hour vessel handling, customs clearance, and a range of multimodal connections (rail, road, and inland waterways) that link the port to Costa Rica’s inland production zones and neighboring Central American economies.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) routinely reported by the Costa Rican Ministry of Transport include average vessel turnaround time of **approximately 24 hours**, a **container throughput of 1.2 million TEUs** (2023), and a **cargo throughput of 8 Mt** across dry bulk, liquid bulk, and roll‑on/roll‑off (Ro‑Ro) cargoes. The port’s strategic location—just 90 km from the Panama Canal’s Atlantic entrance—makes it a compelling alternative for shippers seeking lower demurrage costs and reduced congestion.
## History
The origins of Puerto Limon date back to the early 20th century when the Caribbean Railroad, constructed by the United Fruit Company, required a maritime outlet for banana exports. The original “Limon Harbor” was a modest wooden jetty that facilitated bag‑gallon shipments to North America. In the 1950s, the Costa Rican government nationalized the facility, initiating a phased expansion that introduced reinforced concrete berths, a dedicated breakwater, and mechanized cargo handling equipment.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the port’s capacity was further boosted to accommodate emerging petrochemical imports and regional inter‑island traffic. A landmark development occurred in **1996**, when the **Costa Rican Port Authority** entered a public‑private partnership with the multinational terminal operator **DP World**, leading to the construction of a deep‑draft berth (12 m) and the installation of container cranes capable of handling 30‑TEU containers.
In the early 2000s, Puerto Limon underwent a comprehensive modernization program aligned with the **World Bank’s Port Development Initiative**, which introduced advanced terminal operating systems (TOS) and upgraded the intermodal rail link to the Central Pacific rail corridor. This period also saw the integration of a **Free Trade Zone (FTZ)** that attracted manufacturing firms, especially in textiles and electronics, further diversifying the port’s cargo profile.
## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Berths & Waterways
- **Four deep‑water berths** (12 m draft, 320 m length total) equipped for container ships, bulk carriers, and Ro‑Ro vessels.
- **Two general cargo berths** (10 m draft) serving break‑bulk, project cargo, and humanitarian shipments.
- A **dedicated liquid bulk terminal** with dual 30 m³ /h condensate pumps for refined petroleum and chemicals.
### Cargo Handling Equipment
- **Four post‑Panamax container cranes** (45 m outreach, 35‑tonne lift capacity).
- **Six gantry cranes** for bulk and break‑bulk cargo.
- **Two Ro‑Ro ramps** (12 m wide) enabling simultaneous loading of vehicles and trailers.
### Storage & Logistics
- **35 hectares of open‑yard container storage**, supporting up to 8,500 TEUs at peak capacity.
- **10 hectares of climate‑controlled warehousing** for perishables, pharmaceuticals, and high‑value electronics.
- **Automated gate system** integrating RFID and ANPR for rapid truck clearance, achieving an average dwell time of **0.8 days** for containerized cargo.
### Intermodal Connectivity
- **Rail link**: A 2.5 km spur to the Costa Rican railway network (standard gauge) enabling direct freight movement to the Central Pacific region and the Panama Canal corridor.
- **Road network**: Direct access to **National Route 32**, Costa Rica’s primary east‑west artery, with a planned upgrade to a four‑lane highway slated for 2028.
- **Airport proximity**: **Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)** lies 140 km inland, supporting air‑freight complementarity for time‑critical shipments.
*For detailed technical specifications, see the official CNP portal* https://www.cnp.go.cr/puertos↗.
## Economic Importance
Puerto Limon is a cornerstone of Costa Rica’s export‑import balance, accounting for **approximately 30 % of total national cargo volume**. Its economic impact is manifested across three major dimensions:
1. **Trade Diversification** – The port’s capacity to handle both containerized and bulk cargo has attracted a wide array of industries, from agricultural exporters (bananas, pineapples, coffee) to manufacturers in the FTZ (electronics, apparel). In 2023, export value through Limon reached **US$3.9 billion**, with the United States constituting 55 % of this figure.
2. **Job Creation & Regional Development** – Direct employment at the terminal exceeds **2,300 workers**, while ancillary services (logistics, customs, freight forwarders) generate an additional **6,500 jobs** in the Limón province. The port’s growth has spurred infrastructure investments that improve local accessibility, education, and health services.
3. **Strategic Redundancy** – By providing an alternative Atlantic gateway to the Panama Canal, Puerto Limon enhances supply‑chain resilience for Central American shippers. During the 2022 Panama Canal dry‑dock season, cargo volumes through Limon increased by **12 %**, underscoring its role as a contingency hub.
The Costa Rican government’s **National Maritime Development Plan (2024‑2030)** projects a cumulative cargo increase of **45 %** by 2030, driven by expanded container capacity, deepening of the main channel to 14 m, and the rollout of smart‑port technologies.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Primary Trade Corridors
- **North American Corridor** – Direct liner services to **Houston, New Orleans, and Savannah**, with weekly sailings operated by major carriers such as **Maersk Line** and **Hapag‑Lloyd**.
- **Caribbean Network** – Regional feeder vessels connect Puerto Limon to **Kingston (Jamaica), Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago), and Cartagena (Colombia)**, facilitating intra‑Caribbean trade in bulk commodities and consumer goods.
- **European Linkage** – Via trans‑Atlantic alliances, Panama Canal‑transit ships route to **Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Algeciras**, allowing Costa Rican agricultural exports access to EU markets.
### Cargo Profiles
| Cargo Type | Approx. Share (2023) | Key Commodities |
|-----------|----------------------|-----------------|
| **Containerized Goods** | 58 % | Bananas, pineapples, coffee, electronic components, apparel |
| **Dry Bulk** | 22 % | Limestone, cement, fertilizers, construction aggregates |
| **Liquid Bulk** | 12 % | Refined petroleum, diesel, LPG, specialty chemicals |
| **Ro‑Ro / Vehicles** | 6 % | New automobiles, heavy equipment, trucks |
| **Project Cargo** | 2 % | Turbine components, large‑scale construction machinery |
The **container traffic** is dominated by **20‑foot (TEU) and 40‑foot (FEU) units**, with an increasing trend toward **high‑cube containers** to accommodate agricultural produce requiring temperature control. Dry bulk imports largely consist of **construction materials** supporting Costa Rica’s ongoing infrastructure upgrades, while liquid bulk imports reflect the nation’s reliance on imported refined fuels, given limited domestic refinery capacity.
The port’s **Free Trade Zone** further bolsters value‑added processing, notably in the **electronics assembly** sector, where component kits are imported, assembled, and re‑exported as finished devices. This vertical integration positions Puerto Limon as a critical node in the global supply chain for **smart‑device manufacturers** targeting North American and European markets.
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*The information above reflects data compiled from the Costa Rican Ministry of Transport, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) UN/LOCODE database, and the International Maritime Organization’s port statistics.*
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
CRLIO
Country
Costa Rica
Province / Region
Limón
Latitude
10.000000
Longitude
-83.030000
Timezone
America/Costa_Rica
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Limon?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Limon is CRLIO.
Where is Port of Puerto Limon located?
The Port of Puerto Limon is located in Costa Rica, Limón. Its coordinates are 10.0000°N, -83.0300°E.
What time zone is Port of Puerto Limon in?
Port of Puerto Limon operates in the America/Costa_Rica time zone.
🌊 Live Marine Conditions
Wave Height1.66 m
Wave Direction59°
Swell Height1.66 m
Data provided by Open-Meteo Marine API
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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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