Empresa Portuaria Quetzal is the institution in charge of the management of Puerto Quetzal, located on the Pacific coast of Guatemala.
Its strategic geographical location allows it to provide services to the Pacific Rim, the West Coast of the American Continent, and its close proximity to the Panama provides access to worldwide maritime routes in the rest of the world.
It has modern infrastructure, machinery, equipment and specialized facilities to offer complete port services, competitive operating costs, extensive area for commercial and industrial development and access to the country’s tourist wealth.
Empresa Portuaria Quetzal is committed to Guatemala’s economic development through the execution of investment projects. We have demonstrated success in the achievement of our goals. This translates into continuous attainment of our vision statement and the added value reflected by our diligent effort to consistently exceed service quality expectations that enables the ongoing fulfillment of our mission.
Our mission
“Puerto Quetzal, located in the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, facilitates the international trade through specialized terminals and qualified staff. We provide efficient and safe maritime-port services to meet the needs of our customers and contribute to the country’s economic development”.
Our vision
“To position Puerto Quetzal as a leader company in the provision of maritime port services in the Central American Pacific Cost and Southern Mexico, as well as becoming a logistics hub for cargo distribution by 2024.
Objectives
To provide reliable and quality services, following environmental standards.
To expand our operations according to the growth of the load.
To contribute to the country’s foreign trade and be a competitive choice for the Pacific Cost. To promote new investments related to our main activity.
To encourage the creation of new sources of employment.
History
On November 8, 1979, the Government of Guatemala published an agreement in which it declared the creation of a modern port on the Pacific Coast as a national emergency.
That same year the Government, through the Ministerio de Comunicaciones y Obras Públicas (Ministry of Communications and Public Works, now Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing), created the Unidad Ejecutora del Complejo Portuario en el Litoral Pacífico, Unecpa (Executing Unit of the Pacific coast Port Complex), attached to the Presidency of the Republic.
In 1980, the French company Dragages El Travaux Public started the construction of the port complex. On March 18, 1983, port services began with the arrival of the Spiliada sugar vessel. However, the conditions were limited due to the port was still in the initial stage of construction.
On November 16, 1985, UNECPA completed the first construction phase. In this way, Puerto Quetzal was born, which name comes in honor of the Guatemalan symbol bird: the Quetzal. Empresa Portuaria Quetzal was also created to be in charge of the administration of the port. Throughout the time Empresa Portuaria Quetzal has had several managements, whose highest authority is the Board of Directors.
Nowadays, the services to the ship and the cargo have become more transparent and efficient, imposing a record in mobilized tonnage.
After 33 years of its opening, Puerto Quetzal is a reliable ¡link with the world!
Time Line
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1979
- – The government ordered the construction of a port on the Pacific coast as a national emergency.
- – The Unidad Ejecutora del Complejo Portuario en el Litoral Pacífico, UNECPA (Execution Unit of the Port Complex in the Pacific Coast) was created.
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1981
– The Government of Guatemala and the company Dragages Et Travaux Publics sign a contract..
– The construction of the port complex began.
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1983
– UNECPA is in charge to carry out the project of construction of the port area.
– The sugar ship Spiliada is the first to arrive.
– The new port is called Puerto Quetzal.
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1985
– The Port Company Quetzal is founded to manage the operations of the port.
– At that time, the railroad was the main means of transportation of materials for the construction of the port.
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2019
– Se crea la Empresa Portuaria Quetzal, para administrar las operaciones del puerto.
– En ese entonces, el ferrocarril era el medio principal de transporte de materiales para la construcción del puerto.
Certifications
BASC CERTIFIED SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN CONTROL AND SECURITY.
It consists in carry out several steps to minimize the threats identified in the processes of the organization and in the supply chain.. ¿Why BASC is important? The BASC system must guarantee the security of the load, the information generated and the processes of the organization through the effective use of the established controls, the inspection and continuous improvement of the management system in control and security.
It is a standard of supply chain management that requires assessing the company's security environment to determine if adequate security steps have been used and if other regulatory requirements already exist. ¿Why ISO 28000 is important? Because it allows identifying security needs that the organization must fulfill through mechanisms and processes. Some organizations that manage multiple supply chains may request that their service suppliers comply with ISO 2800 standards or related government regulations as a requirement to be included in that supply chain.
ISO 18001, CERTIFIED ON DECEMBER 16 2009, OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
Specifies the requirements for a safety and occupational health management system to control risks, implemented safety measures and complying with legal requirements.
ISO 14001 CERTIFIED ON DECEMBER 14 2010, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
Established for the organization to develop and implement an environmental policy. It is applied to those environmental aspects that the organization can control and have influence. Why ISO 14001 is important? Because it allows to identify and control the significant aspects generated from the activities that impact the environment..