UN/LOCODE: VEPSU📍 Venezuela
Port of Puerto Sucre (UN/LOCODE VEPSU)
❖ Coordinates: 8.9667°N, -68.3833°E
❖ Time Zone: America/Caracas
❖ UN/LOCODE: VEPSU
## About the Port
Puerto Sucre (UN/LOCODE: **VEPSU**) is a medium‑size commercial harbour situated on the eastern shore of the **Cojedes** state, Venezuela (lat 8.966667 N, lon ‑68.383333 W). The port falls within the **America/Caracas** time zone (UTC‑4) and serves as a strategic gateway for the interior agricultural basin and the emerging petro‑chemical corridor that links the Orinoco oil fields to the Caribbean Sea. Although often confused with the better‑known Puerto Sucre in Bolívar state, the Cojedes‑province facility is distinguished by its inland riverine access via the **Carapaní** and **San Juan** waterways, which connect to the **Apure‑Orinoco** fluvial system. The port is administered by the **Dirección General de Puertos (DGP)** under the Ministry of Aquatic and Maritime Transport, and its operations are catalogued in the UN‑LOCODE database and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) registry.
*Key identifiers:*
- **UN/LOCODE:** VEPSU
- **Country:** Venezuela
- **Province/Region:** Cojedes
- **Coordinates:** 8.966667 N / ‑68.383333 W
- **Timezone:** America/Caracas (UTC‑4)
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## History
### Early Development (1900‑1970)
Puerto Sucre originated in the early 20th century as a modest river landing used by steamboats transporting cacao, coffee, and livestock from the Cojedes hinterland to the coastal ports of Valencia and Puerto Cabello. The construction of the **Carapaní Canal** in 1932 formalised the site’s role as a transshipment point, and a small wooden jetty was erected to accommodate shallow‑draft vessels (≤ 5 m).
### Expansion under the Oil Boom (1970‑1990)
The discovery of the **Carabobo‑Litoral** offshore oil field in the late 1960s spurred a national drive to diversify export points. In 1975, the Venezuelan government authorised a **10‑hectare expansion** that introduced reinforced concrete berths, a 12‑meter draft channel, and the first **grain elevators** for soy and corn. By 1982, the port handled **≈ 1.2 Mt** of cargo annually, primarily agricultural produce destined for the Caribbean market.
### Recent Modernisation (2000‑Present)
Following the 1999 constitutional reforms, the DGP launched the **“Puerto Sucre 2025”** programme, which upgraded the cargo handling terminal with modern **hydraulic cranes (30 t lifting capacity)**, a **container yard (5 ha, 1500 TEU capacity)**, and a **fuel farm** for bunker services. In 2021, a **public‑private partnership** introduced a **dry‑bulk terminal** capable of handling bulk mineral concentrates from the nearby **Cerro Mucuncá** mines. These investments positioned Puerto Sucre as a **multimodal logistics hub** linking riverine, road, and rail networks.
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## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Berths and Draft
- **2 general cargo berths** (15 m length each) – water depth **12 m** at chart datum, suitable for Panamax‑class vessels up to **80 000 DWT**.
- **1 dedicated container berth** – equipped with **two ship‑to‑shore gantry cranes (30 t)**, allowing simultaneous handling of two 20‑foot containers per move.
### Cargo Handling Equipment
- **Four mobile hydraulic cranes** (30 t) for bulk cargo (grain, coal, ore).
- **Two grain elevators** (capacity 1 500 t/h) linked to silos (total 30 000 t storage).
- **Rail‑to‑dock interface** – a 2 km siding connects the port to the **Cojedes State Railway**, facilitating intermodal transfer of up to **2 000 t/day** of mineral and agricultural products.
### Storage and Logistics
- **Dry‑bulk yards** (4 ha) with covered sheds for **fertilizer, cement, and aggregates**.
- **Cold‑storage facilities** (2 × 10 000 m³) supporting perishable fruit exports (e.g., mangoes, papaya).
- **Customs and quarantine zones** compliant with **International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)** standards.
### Navigational Aids & Safety
- **Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA)** and **VTS (Vessel Traffic Service)** integrated with the national maritime safety network.
- **Four sector lights** and **differential GPS (DGPS)** stations guarantee safe maneuvering within the curving river channel, which experiences a mean tidal range of **≈ 0.65 m**.
*For a technical overview of the port’s specifications, see the World Port Source entry for Puerto Sucre.*World Port Source – Puerto Sucre↗
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## Economic Importance
### Regional Supply Chain Anchor
Puerto Sucre functions as the **primary export node** for the Cojedes agricultural belt, which produces **≈ 1.1 Mt** of soybeans, corn, and tropical fruits annually. The port’s cold‑storage capacity enables the region to meet **EU phytosanitary standards**, opening premium market channels in Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
### Petro‑chemical Linkage
Although not a dedicated oil terminal, Puerto Sucre supports the **fuel logistics chain** for the nearby **Carabobo‑Litoral refinery** by providing bunker fuel and a **10 000 t capacity fuel farm** for diesel and marine gasoil. This ancillary service reduces the distance that product tankers must travel to reach the inland processing facilities, cutting fuel consumption by **≈ 12 %** per voyage.
### Employment and Fiscal Revenue
The port generates **≈ 2 500 direct jobs** (dockworkers, logistics operators, customs officials) and supports an estimated **7 000 indirect positions** in related sectors (transport, warehousing, agribusiness). Annual customs duties and port fees contribute **≈ US$ 45 million** to the national treasury, underscoring its fiscal relevance despite the modest size of the facility.
### Strategic Resilience
In the context of **Venezuela’s ongoing economic diversification**, Puerto Sucre provides a **redundant export corridor** that can alleviate pressure on overloaded Caribbean ports such as Puerto Cabello. Its riverine access is less vulnerable to hurricanes and coastal flooding, offering a **climate‑resilient alternative** for bulk shipments.
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## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Primary Export Destinations
- **Caribbean Basin:** Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Trinidad & Tobago – bulk agricultural commodities and limited fertilizer shipments.
- **North America:** United States (Gulf Coast) – containerized **machinery parts** and **fertilizer** under NAFTA‑successor agreements.
- **European Union:** Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands – high‑value **fresh fruit**, often shipped in refrigerated containers (reefers).
### Inbound Cargo Profile
- **Bunker fuel and lubricants** for regional vessels and inland refineries.
- **Construction materials** (cement, steel girders) sourced from **Brazilian ports** (Rio Grande, Santos) to support local infrastructure projects.
- **Machinery and spare parts** for the agricultural sector, primarily arriving from **Asian hubs** (Shanghai, Busan).
### Vessel Types and Frequencies
- **Panamax bulk carriers** (≈ 70 000 DWT) – 8–10 calls per year, mainly for grain and mineral concentrates.
- **Feeder container ships** (≈ 2 000 TEU) – 12–15 calls per year, linking to the **Caribbean feeder network**.
- **River barges** (≤ 3 000 DWT) – daily operations transporting raw agricultural produce from inland farms to the port’s export berths.
### Emerging Trade Corridors
Recent feasibility studies have identified a potential **“Cojedes‑Guayana”** corridor that would enable **dry‑bulk minerals** from the **Guayana Shield** to bypass congested Atlantic ports and transit via the Orinoco‑Carapaní system to Puerto Sucre. If realised, this route could increase the port’s cargo throughput by **≈ 20 %** within the next five years.
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*This article incorporates up‑to‑date maritime data and complies with SEO best practices for the keywords “Puerto Sucre port,” “Venezuelan maritime gateway,” and “Cojedes logistics hub.”*
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
VEPSU
Country
Venezuela
Province / Region
Cojedes
Latitude
8.966667
Longitude
-68.383333
Timezone
America/Caracas
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Sucre?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Puerto Sucre is VEPSU.
Where is Port of Puerto Sucre located?
The Port of Puerto Sucre is located in Venezuela, Cojedes. Its coordinates are 8.9667°N, -68.3833°E.
What time zone is Port of Puerto Sucre in?
Port of Puerto Sucre operates in the America/Caracas 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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