CENTRAL AMERICAN PORTS STATISTICAL SUMMARY, YEAR2019 1
Cargo throughput
1.1
Cargo handled by country and port
In 2019, the Central American region handled a total of 159.3 million metric tonnes (MT) across its seaports, showing a 6% increase when compared with the previous year throughput. Unloaded cargo accounted for 60% of the total cargo, and it registered a 7% increase, while loaded cargo represented 40%, and it also experienced an increase around 5%. As to the percentage of cargo handled by Central American countries; in general, almost all of them kept their percentage of representation, except for Panama that gained two percentage points this year, reaching the largest increase (10%) among the countries in region while Costa Rica decreased its representation in 1%, suffering a 2% drop in terms of handled cargo when compared with the previous year. The rest of the countries that kept their percentage of representation showed certain increase when compared with the previous year. Table 1 shows this information in detail. Table 1 Central America: Cargo throughput by country, (Thousands metric tons), year 2018-2019 2018
2019
Guatemala
26,960.28
18%
27,984.96
18%
Variation Percentage 2018-2019 3.8%
El Salvador
6,373.07
4%
6,681.65
4%
4.8%
Honduras
14,127.06
9%
14,325.64
9%
1.4%
Nicaragua
4,584.64
3%
4,763.65
3%
3.9%
Costa Rica
17,948.14
12%
17,668.60
11%
-1.6%
Panama
79,976.80
53%
87,892.4
55%
9.9%
149,969.99
100%
159,316.86
100%
6.2%
Country
Total
(Thousands MT)
Distribution Percentage
(Thousands MT)
Percentage distribution
Source: Central American Ports and Panama Maritime Authority
Chart 1 Cargo throughput percentage by country (Thousands of MT, %), year 2019
Guatemala; 27,985.0; 18% El Salvador; 6,681.7; 4% Honduras; 14,325.6; 9% Nicaragua; 4,763.6; 3%
Panama; 87,892.4; 55%
Costa Rica; 17,668.6; 11%
Source: Central American Ports and Panama Maritime Authority
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