UN/LOCODE: GTSTC📍 Guatemala
Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla (UN/LOCODE GTSTC)
❖ Coordinates: 15.7000°N, -88.6200°E
❖ Time Zone: America/Guatemala
❖ UN/LOCODE: GTSTC
## About the Port
Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla (UN/LOCODE: GTSTC) is the leading deep-water seaport on the Caribbean littoral of Guatemala, located in the Department of Izabal at 15.700° N, -88.620° W. Operating within the America/Guatemala timezone (UTC−6), the port occupies the western shore of the Bahía de Amatique, approximately 8 km southwest of Puerto Barrios and 290 km by highway from Guatemala City via the CA-9 Northern Corridor. The harbor is naturally sheltered by the Sierra de Santa Cruz and exhibits a microtidal regime (range <0.4 m), permitting uninterrupted all-weather operations. Pilotage is compulsory; experienced local pilots board at the approached anchorage. The port maintains a 12.5 m alongside depth at container berths, with fender systems compliant with PIANC guidelines. As a multi-modal logistics platform, GTSTC integrates road, rail, and maritime networks, serving as the primary Atlantic gateway for Guatemalan foreign trade and a secondary outlet for the Seco Corridor of Honduras and El Salvador.
## History
The genesis of Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla traces to the late 1950s, when Guatemalan planners identified the inadequacy of Puerto Barrios’ shallow draft for expanding agro-exports. With bilateral assistance from the Soviet Union, a greenfield port was engineered at Punta Palo Gordo; construction commenced in 1962 and the facility was inaugurated in 1970 as the Empresa Portuaria Santo Tomás de Castilla (EPSTC), a wholly state-owned enterprise. The original design incorporated a 1,200 m main quay, later extended in phases to meet Panamax demands. Initially equipped with general cargo berths and a modest railway spur, the port absorbed growing banana and coffee volumes through the 1980s. Structural reforms in the 2000s led to a landmark concession: in 2007 the container terminal was awarded to APM Terminals Santo Tomás↗, a subsidiary of A.P. Moller–Maersk. Subsequent capital works in 2015 and 2021 deepened the channel to -13.5 m and extended quays, positioning the port for Post-Panamax callings.
## Infrastructure & Facilities
The port complex encompasses 120 hectares of reclaimed terminal area with 1,650 m of continuous quay. The dredged entrance channel is 13.5 m deep at Chart Datum, with a 400 m turning basin accommodating vessels up to 65,000 DWT and 294 m LOA.
### Container Terminal
Operated under concession, the container terminal fields three post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes (22-row outreach), six rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and a 26-ha paved yard with 2,400 reefer slots. Annual nominal capacity surpasses 1.2 million TEU. Gate automation with OCR and direct EDI to the DAGM customs system yields truck turn times under 35 minutes.
### Bulk, Liquid, and Specialized Berths
Three multi-purpose berths handle breakbulk, project cargo, and dry bulk. A dedicated grain terminal provides 80,000 tons of silo storage and high-capacity shiploaders. The petroleum jetty, built to ISPS standards, receives tankers to 30,000 DWT and feeds the national refined-products network. A RO-RO ramp and 5,000 m² temperature-controlled warehouse support automotive and perishable flows.
### Support Services and Connectivity
GTSTC offers VLSFO/MGO bunkering, fresh water, shore power, and VHF Ch.16 communications. The onsite Ferrocarril de Guatemala connection, though presently under rehabilitation, links to the highland interior. Road linkages to CA-9 and the Pan-American network ensure rapid hinterland distribution.
## Economic Importance
Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla is the economic engine of Izabal and a top national revenue source. Per the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing↗, the port processes more than 55% of Guatemala’s Atlantic merchandise trade, representing US$9–11 billion in annual goods. It sustains over 18,000 direct and indirect jobs, from stevedoring to freight forwarding. Berth productivity averages 28 crane moves per hour, reducing dwell times and logistics costs. The facility’s free trade zone (Zona Libre) hosts value-added services such as packing and consolidation, amplifying export competitiveness. The port’s efficiency bolsters Guatemala’s position in global apparel and perishables supply chains, while its dry-corridor connectivity extends benefits to landlocked Honduran and Salvadoran markets.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
GTSTC is called by all major liner alliances, with fixed weekly loops to the U.S. East Coast (Savannah, Norfolk), Northern Europe (Rotterdam, Hamburg), and transshipment hubs at Cartagena and Kingston. Intra-Caribbean feeders serve Cuba, Dominican Republic, and the Lesser Antilles.
### Export Commodities
Principal exports are bananas (Izabal plantations), Arabica coffee, sugar, cardamom, and free-zone textiles. Reefer boxes approach 40% of TEU volume. Breakbulk exports include molasses, frozen shrimp, and nickel matte from the Fenix project.
### Import Commodities
Imports are dominated by crude and refined fuels, wheat, corn, urea, steel coil, and capital equipment. The container yard also handles transshipment electronics for regional distribution.
Through its synergistic deep-water draft, concession-driven modernization, and bilateral corridor reach, Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla remains the definitive maritime node for Guatemala’s Caribbean commerce and a strategic pillar of Central American trade.
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
GTSTC
Country
Guatemala
Province / Region
Izabal
Latitude
15.700000
Longitude
-88.620000
Timezone
America/Guatemala
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
Loading Map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla is GTSTC.
Where is Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla located?
The Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla is located in Guatemala, Izabal. Its coordinates are 15.7000°N, -88.6200°E.
What time zone is Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla in?
Port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla operates in the America/Guatemala time zone.
🌊 Live Marine Conditions
Wave Height0.42 m
Wave Direction53°
Swell Height0.42 m
Data provided by Open-Meteo Marine API
Scanning Local Infrastructure...
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.
📍 Nearby Ports
Other maritime facilities geographically close to Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla.
Puerto Barrios
Guatemala • 4 km awayPuerto Cortes
Honduras • 75 km awayTela
Honduras • 124 km awayLa Ceiba
Honduras • 196 km away