The Port of Montevideo is one of the largest ports in South America and is vital to the country’s economy. It is the commercial hub of the country that can handle most types of cargoes.
- TEUs: 850,000 (2016)
- Possesses three basins and 14 piers
- One of MERCOSUR’s key container shipping routes
- Accept regular calls from container ships, fishing vessels, bulk carriers, etc
- Governed by the Free Port System
- Maximum draught – 11.5m, DWT – 181322t
After the Port of Montevideo, Nueva Palmira is considered Uruguay’s 2nd most important commercial port, including yacht docking facilities. It is located 300 kilometers northwest of Montevideo, on the Uruguay River’s east bank.
- TEUs: N/A
- Handle most types of vessels like bulk carrier, general cargo, passenger
- Main cargoes handled are citrus fruits, cereals, iron ore, bulk manganese, and wood
- Transshipment cargoes are transported by barge from Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay
- All goods are stored and loaded onto ocean-going vessels
- Maximum draught – 10.4m, Deadweight – 120566t
The Port of Paysandu is administered and controlled by the Administracion Nacional de Puertos. It is located on the Uruguay River’s left edge. The port is presently only utilized by extremely small coasters and bunker barges due to poor draught channels on the Uruguay River.
- TEUs: N/A
- Handle various vessels including passenger and heavy load carrier
- Busy port as goods bound from NE Uruguay shift from oceangoing ships to shallow-draft vessels
- Maximum vessel size: LOA 180 meters
On the north bank of the River Plate, Puerto de Colonia is located. The port is mostly utilized for ferries and hydrofoils to and from Buenos Aires.
- TEUs: N/A
- Possesses inclined breakwater and basin with three quays
- Administracion Nacional de Puertos is the name of the port authority
Puerto de Fray Bentos is the deepest modernized port on the side of River Uruguay, around 317 km from Montevideo. With the advent of refrigeration and cold-storage facilities, the sector flourished quickly.
- TEU: N/A
- A major player in the country’s meat-packing industry
- Excellent geographical location; easy access to the highway
- Provides regular passenger transportation by road
- Facilitates interconnection between Uruguay and Argentine, Chile and Brazil
Puerto Sauce de Juan Lacaze is a harbor in Uruguay located at 34° 26′ 22″ South, 57° 26′ 36″ West.
- TEUs: N/A
- Port Authority: Administracion Nacional de Puertos
- The port has an elevation of one meter
Port of La Paloma is a class L – Area port located on the south of La Aguada. Its coordinates are -34.6667 and -54.15 (in decimal degrees). The port stands at a height of one meter above sea level.
- TEUs: N/A
- Possess terminals and transfer facilities for loading and unloading waterborne freight or passengers
- Handle vessels: offshore supply ship and trawler
- Maximum size: LOA – 62 meters, draught – 3.2m, DWT – 756t
The Port of Punta del Este is located on the coast of Maldonado Bay. It occupies a total size of 20 square kilometers.
- TEUs: N/A
- Welcomes approximately one million visitors each year
- Protected by a 460-meter-long breakwater on its western side
- Summer yachting destination
- Small craft transit to and from passenger vessels at anchor is provided
Port of Salto is administered and controlled by Administracion Nacional de Puertos .Its geographical coordinates S 31° 23′ 03.76″ – W 057° 58′ 29.70″.
- TEUs: N/A
Jose Ignacio Terminal, a small tanker port with an SBM 2 nautical miles offshore and in 20.0 meters of water, is reachable by pipeline and sea. It is positioned at Latitude: -34.89142000 Longitude: -54.70934000.
- TEUs: N/A
- Capacity to handle tankers up to 150,000DWT
- Handle various types of vessels including a crude oil tanker, an offshore supply ship, and wing in a grind
- Maximum size: LOA – 278m, draught – 15.6m
- Administracion Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland operates the terminal