Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla

What Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla does

Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla (EMPORNAC) is a Guatemalan government-owned national port authority founded in 1946 and headquartered in Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla, Izabal, on the country's Caribbean coast. It operates a four-berth multipurpose terminal with drafts of 9.20m to 10.20m, handling container ships, bulk carriers, ro-ro vessels, LNG carriers, tankers, refrigerated ships, and multipurpose vessels. The port provides cargo loading and unloading, merchandise transfer, and passenger embarkation and disembarkation services to international shipping lines, ground transport companies, customs agents, and the general public, positioning itself as a strategic link in the Central American maritime logistics chain. The company also runs an integrated digital platform — the EMPORNAC Logistic Portal and Puerto Seguro portal — that delivers seven interconnected services: 24/7 export appointment scheduling, public container traceability, real-time vessel operation tracking, integrated SAT customs queries, digital port entry permit management (Puerto Seguro), and a real-time port situation dashboard. Revenue is generated through quote-based port service tariffs for vessel berthing, cargo handling, and ancillary services, though no specific pricing or revenue figures are publicly disclosed. The business operates under a five-axis Integral Management Systems Policy covering occupational health and safety, environmental, quality, security/anti-corruption, and information security, and maintains partnerships with Guatemala's SAT customs authority, COCATRAM regional maritime commission, sister port EPQ, and multiple government ministries.

Name

Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla

Legal name

Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla

Website

https://santotomasport.com.gt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

EMPORNAC is a Guatemalan government-owned national port authority operating a four-berth multipurpose Caribbean terminal in Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla, serving shipping lines, transport companies, and customs agents with cargo handling, vessel berthing, and integrated digital port services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Operations and Maritime Logistics Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Marine Cargo Handling (488320)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Port Operations Control Center / Port Call Orchestration (TLAHAFAI), Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA), Port Call Clearance & Documentation (Arrival/Departure, Customs/Immigration/Health) (TLAHAJAA)

Keywords

• Port authority operations
• Maritime cargo handling
• Vessel berthing services
• Container terminal operations
• Port logistics management

Headquarters

HQ city

Puerto Santo Tomás De Castilla

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomás de Castilla (EMPORNAC) operates as a government-owned national port authority on Guatemala's Caribbean coast, providing vessel berthing, cargo loading/unloading, merchandise transfer, and passenger embarkation/disembarkation services. The authority supports these physical operations with an integrated suite of 24/7 digital services covering export container appointment scheduling, container traceability, real-time vessel operation tracking, customs query integration with SAT, port entry permit management, and real-time port situation dashboards accessible through the EMPORNAC Logistic Portal.

Product overview

Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomás de Castilla (EMPORNAC) operates as a government port authority facilitating international maritime trade. The company offers a portfolio of seven interconnected digital services: an appointment scheduling system (Sistema de Citas para Carga de Exportación), a public container traceability portal, vessel operation traceability, a customs query service linked to Guatemala's SAT, the Puerto Seguro digital entry management system, and a real-time port situation dashboard. These services are accessed through two primary portals — the Logistic Portal (logistic.santotomasport.com.gt) for operational services and the Puerto Seguro portal (puertoseguro.santotomasport.com.gt) for entry management — serving both internal port operations and external users including shipping lines, transport operators, and the general public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMPORNAC EN LINEA: Online portal system for port operations including vessel tracking, container traceability, and appointment scheduling
• Puerto Seguro

Products and services

• Vessel Berthing and Cargo Handling Services Physical port operations at four berths (Atracadero Nos. 1–4) with depths of 9.20m to 10.20m, serving container ships, bulk carriers, ro-ro vessels, LNG carriers, tankers, refrigerated vessels, and multipurpose ships. Provided to shipping lines calling at Puerto Santo Tomás de Castilla on Guatemala's Caribbean coast.
• Passenger Embarkation and Disembarkation Services Port services facilitating the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers for cruise and maritime passenger vessels calling at the terminal. Available to shipping lines and passenger vessel operators.
• EMPORNAC Logistic Portal Web-based digital platform operated by EMPORNAC at logistic.santotomasport.com.gt providing real-time port situation monitoring, vessel operation traceability, and container tracking for shipping lines, transport operators, customs agents, and public users.
• Sistema de Citas para Carga de Exportación (Export Container Appointment System) 24/7 appointment scheduling service for shipping lines and transport companies to book specific day and time slots for container entry into the port for export operations. Credentials issued by EMPORNAC.
• Trazabilidad de Contenedor (Container Traceability Service) Public container tracking service enabling users to query the status and traceability of containers by container number or BL number, displaying all events registered at the port. Available to shipping lines, transport companies, customs agents, importers/exporters, and the general public.
• Trazabilidad de Operación de Buque (Vessel Operation Traceability) Real-time traceability system accessed through the Logistic Portal showing cargo loading and unloading operations per vessel, including personnel and machinery assignments and associated demurrage times. Targeted at shipping lines and transport operators.
• Puerto Seguro (Port Entry Permit Management) Digital port entry management system for shipping lines and transport companies to digitally process entry permits for the Temporary Customs Warehouse (Depósito Aduanero Temporal, DAT) for persons, visitors, and vehicles.
• Consultas Aduana SAT (Customs Query Service) Public query service providing information on customs processes managed by Guatemala's SAT (Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria), including holds, releases, manifest opinions, customs declarations, and selective declaration reviews. Available to customs agents, importers, exporters, and the general public.
• Situación Portuaria en Tiempo Real (Real-Time Port Situation Dashboard) Public real-time dashboard displaying the count and status of announced, confirmed, docked, sailed, and externally anchored vessels at the port. Used by users, agents, and shipping lines for updated operational visibility.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gobierno de GuatemalacoreOthersOfficial government portal and parent institution for the national port authority, providing regulatory oversight and institutional framework.
• SAT - Superintendencia de Administración TributariacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegrated customs authority providing public query services for customs declarations, selective declarations, holds, releases, and manifest opinions directly through the port's digital systems.
• Ministerio de EconomíaminorOthersGovernment ministry providing economic policy oversight and coordination for trade and commerce activities.
• COCATRAM - Comisión Centroamericana de Transporte MarítimominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional maritime transportation commission for Central America providing regional coordination and standards for maritime transport.
• Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y ViviendaminorOthersGovernment ministry overseeing communications and infrastructure, relevant for port infrastructure development and regulations.
• GuatecomprasminorOthersGuatemalan government procurement portal for transparent public contracting and procurement processes.
• EPQ - Empresa Portuaria QuetzalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnother Guatemalan national port enterprise (Puerto Quetzal), representing inter-port cooperation within the national port system.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• APM Terminals: Maersk-owned global port operator with Latin American terminals in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Brazil. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering container and multi-purpose port services to international shipping lines in the Central American and Caribbean region.
• Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT): Panama's largest container terminal on the Caribbean side, operated as a public-private partnership. Comparable as a major Central American/Caribbean container and multi-purpose port serving global shipping lines and regional transshipment volumes.
• DP World: Global port operator with terminals across the Americas (including Cartagena, Posorja, and Santo Domingo). Comparable as a global incumbent offering integrated container terminal, vessel-call, and customs-coordination services competing for the same regional shipping-line customers as EMPORNAC.
• ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.): Global port operator with a deep Latin American terminal portfolio (including operations in Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, and DR). Comparable as a competing multi-purpose port operator offering container handling, vessel services, and integrated logistics to shipping lines in the Americas.

Others

• COCATRAM (Comisión Centroamericana de Transporte Marítimo): Regional maritime transport commission for Central America. Listed by EMPORNAC as a strategic regional coordination partner and is comparable as an institutional/regulatory body shaping regional port standards, customs interoperability, and maritime policy that directly affect EMPORNAC's operating environment.

Direct peers

• Empresa Portuaria Quetzal (EPQ): Guatemala's other state-owned national port, located on the Pacific coast. EMPORNAC itself lists EPQ as a strategic inter-port partner, and the two compete directly for Guatemala's maritime trade volumes across the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

Regional players

• JAPDEVA – Puerto de Limón: Costa Rica's Caribbean-coast port authority operating Puerto Limón, the country's principal Atlantic port. A direct regional peer in geography (Central American Caribbean) and in offering container, bulk, and passenger port services to international shipping lines.
• Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana (Puerto Cortés): Operates Puerto Cortés, Honduras's main Caribbean port and Central America's busiest container terminal. Highly comparable as a neighboring Central American Caribbean port handling container, bulk, and general cargo for international shipping lines.
• Autoridad Portuaria de Acajutla: El Salvador's state-owned Pacific-coast port authority. Comparable multi-purpose port operator in the Central American region serving similar shipping-line and transport-company customer segments, though on a different coast.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/santotomasport
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Santotomasport
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santotomasport
• Instagraminstagram.com/santotomasport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empresa Portuaria Nacional Santo Tomas de Castilla