Port of Colonia reached record passenger movement in 2023

Statement from the Presidency of Uruguay

This is an automated translation of the press release issued in Spanish

The maritime terminal of Colonia del Sacramento surpassed its record for passenger movement, with 2,670,000 tourists in 2023, reported the president of the National Ports Administration (ANP), Juan Curbelo, in dialogue with Presidential Communication. In addition, he highlighted that the infrastructure works being developed at the terminal will allow for expansion, improvement of services and guarantee of safe navigation.

Curbelo maintained that a large part of the movement in the port of Colonia was carried out by Uruguayan citizens who traveled to Argentina during 2023 due to the exchange difference with the neighboring country. In that sense, he highlighted the capacity of the terminal, after the expansion works, which made it possible to provide the services corresponding to that volume of travelers.

On the other hand, he recalled that there are more works in the terminal to benefit passengers and transport companies that connect Colonia and Buenos Aires. Among others, new boat mooring places will be incorporated to achieve greater river safety.

These interventions will cost more than $23,000,000 and are expected to be completed in the second half of 2024, he indicated. Likewise, he added that they include the construction of a third fixed walkway on the dock with a mobile beam, the expansion of docks and the placement of more defenses. The initiative will make it possible for Colonia to receive smaller cruise ships than traditional ones, measuring between 4.5 and 5 meters.

In addition, he pointed out that the ANP has a budget to restore the emblematic wooden pier of the city of Colonia and that they are working on reconfiguring the specifications to complete the work. The objective is that by the middle of this year the executing company will be defined and the work will begin to recover this tourist attraction that is so significant for the area, he added.

Port of Piriapolis

Curbelo explained that the ANP works jointly with the Municipality of Maldonado and the mayor's office of Piriápolis to guarantee all services in the maritime terminal of the spa city. In that sense, he highlighted that the port began its operations positively in 2024 with a 75% occupancy of vessels moored to the dock, both sports, traffic and fishing.

He assured that the main activities in said terminal increase due to tourism, fishing and sports, and specified that the majority of the vessels come from Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

On the other hand, he assured that cruise tourism is very important, and that to achieve its consolidation it would be essential to build a dock or terminal of this type in Maldonado Bay. In that sense, he explained that the ANP, together with the Ministry of Tourism, analyzes alternatives and evaluates a private initiative presented in December 2023.