Venezuelan Port Remains Shuttered as Quake Response Continues
The massive quakes that destroyed thousands of buildings across Venezuela's central coastline have also disrupted the normal functioning of the port of La Guaira, prompting container lines to suspend or alter service until recovery operations are complete.
The harbor is accessible, according to the U.S. military. The amphib USS Fort Lauderdale has been allowed to enter the port and moor alongside in order to speed up delivery of humanitarian goods and services. An emergency supply vessel from the Mexican Navy is also expected soon. However, commercial port operations are shut down for the present, according to Maersk.
"Commercial operations at the Port of La Guaira have not yet been authorized to resume. As a result, import and export shipments through this terminal remain suspended until further notice," the number-two container line said in a statement.
Bookings to La Guaira from other ports in the Americas are suspended for now, but Maersk will still accept new bookings from overseas, which will arrive later and allow more time for the port's reactivation. Maersk is still running operations elsewhere in Venezuela, and is accepting returns of empties at its Puerto Cabello location instead of La Guaira.
CMA CGM reports that structural damage has rendered the La Guaira Container Terminal inoperable for the time being, citing reports from state-owned port operator Bolipuertos.
Instead of commercial activity, the quayside has been pressed into service as a temporary disaster-response hub. A temporary field hospital has been set up by charity Samaritan's Purse, and aid distribution operations are in process as well.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
The port also serves another essential role. The quake's official death toll stands at about 1,700 people, but tens of thousands remain missing, and independent assessments suggest that the true number is much higher. To handle the influx of remains, responders have set up a temporary morgue on the quayside at La Guaira, where forensic specialists are working to identify the deceased. A nearby area has been set aside for family members to await news of their loved ones, according to EuroNews.