Guayaquil (Ecuador)

Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest seaport and biggest city, with population around 3,5 million (metro over 5 million). Port Guayaquil (locode ECGYE) is on Guayas River's western bank (across Isla Santay/river island) and the river connects it directly to the Pacific Ocean.

In Guayaquil are registered all deployed in the Galapagos cruise vessels, thus choosing Ecuador as their flag-state.

Guayaquil is Guayas province's capital and was founded twice by Spanish conquistadors - in 1535 (by Sebastian de Benalcazar) and in 1537 (by Francisco de Orellana). Among current-day city's best-known attractions is the Malecon 2000 - a tree-lined waterfront complex with gardens, outdoor playgrounds, restaurants, shops, fountains, museum, photo- and art galleries. Nearby are also located Club de la Union, Moorish clock tower, Government Palace. The old district Las Penas is a reminder of the town's colonial times - featuring narrow, cobbled streets, brightly painted wooden houses, a 16th-century church.

In Parque Centenario is the monument commemorating the Guayaquil Conference of 1822 - between South American statesmen Jose de San Martín and Simón Bolívar. The Ecological Reserve of Manglares Churute and Cerro Blanco Forest Reserve are outside the city. Visitors can take canoes into the mangroves there to watch wildlife. From Guayaquil, cruise passengers can also visit Ecuador's capital Quito City.

Port Guayaquil

At Puerto Guayaquil, boxships are handled at a dedicated terminal managed by CGSA (Contecon Guayaquil SA - a subsidiary of ICTSI/International Container Terminal Services Inc (Manila Philipines-based multinational). CGSA is the country's top port serving the shipping trade with bananas, cocoa, wood, shrimp, fish, raw materials, general merchandise. Nearly 85% of Ecuador’s imports/exports pass through Port Guayaquil.

In October 2018, Jan De Nul Group (Luxembourg-based company specializing in dredging and offshore projects) was awarded a 25-year concession contract (until 2043) for deepening and maintenance dredging of Port Guayaquil's access channel (length 95 km / 60 mi). After completion, the project will allow even the world's largest boxships to access Guayaquil Port Terminals - among South America's newest and largest cargo handling facilities.

The works include deepening the waterway from 9,8 to 12,5 m (33 to 41 ft) as max draught/depth at high tide. The contractor will use three hopper dredgers (trailing suction ships) and one CSD (cutter suction dredger). The project also includes removing the "Los Goles" rock (in the channel's offshore section), installing of latest-technology systems (vessel traffic control, toll collection), dredging "Canal Fluvial" (on Rio Guayas).

Channel's deepening was completed in 9 months (in late-January 2020). Jan De Nul's fleet of 4 dredgers removed ~25 million m3 of sediments plus the Los Goles rock formation. The first boxship that navigated the deepened waterway was APL Esplanade (Neo-Panamax class container carrier with capacity 14000 TEUs).

On April 4, 2023, Port Guayaquil handled its largest vessel - Maersk Camden (IMO 9924194, 2022-built boxship with max capacity 15400 TEUs).

Guayaquil cruise terminal