El Salvador Ferry, a strategic project to facilitate trade with Costa Rica

By Eddie Galdamez  |  Mar 14th, 2021

El Salvador Ferry is a strategic project by the Nayib Bukele administration to strengthen the commercial exchange between Costa Rica and El Salvador. Once completed, the ferry would connect the Port of La Unión in El Salvador and the Caldera Port in Costa Rica.

In early March 2021, officials of the Government of President Nayib Bukele met with a delegation from Costa Rica to carry out a technical review of the tariff schedule to implement the ferry between the two countries.

Federico Anliker, the president of CEPA, explained that this project will offer fair and attractive rates to potential ferry users.

La Union Port
Port of La Union

According to CEPA, the autonomous port executive commission, the ferry would provide daily service through a vessel with the capacity to mobilize 100 vehicles between trailers and/or cargo trucks and 100 motorists and/or passengers.

The El Salvador ferry will create an alternative route to speed up imports and exports between the two countries. As of now, all commercial exchange between the two nations involves entering Nicaraguan territory.

“The cargo will be transported more safely; also, traffic accidents or robberies will be avoided. Furthermore, time will be saved by preventing paperwork through land borders,” CEPA.

The El Salvador ferry will allow better conditions for motorists in terms of safety and comfort, compared to driving long distances from Costa Rica to El Salvador, or vice versa.

The El Salvador ferry project has been discussed by previous administrations dating back to the Tony Saca (ARENA) administration. Nevertheless, no concrete agreement was ever reached until the Nayib Bukele administration.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of El Salvador and the Republic of Costa Rica on Binational Cooperation to Implement the ferry initiative was signed on September 1, 2020.

“This day is historic for Costa Rica and El Salvador as we signed a memorandum of understanding that reiterates the commitment to implement the short-distance maritime transport, ferry,” expressed Federico Anliker. CEPA president during the signing of the agreement.
El Salvador Ferry
Port of La Union. Photo by @CEPASV

El Salvador Ferry.

Thanks to the Government of President Nayib Bukele, the execution of the El Salvador ferry strategic project, which will facilitate trade between the two nations, will soon be a reality.