On August 9, 2026, Puerto Antioquia handled the CMA CGM Dignity, a Neo-Panamax vessel measuring 366 meters with a capacity of 14,800 TEU. It is the largest ship the Urabá terminal has handled since it began operations.
During its stay at the port, crews completed 211 container movements, averaging 26 moves per hour per crane, using two STS cranes working at the same time. The operation included unloading containers from Asia and loading Colombian goods bound for international markets.
What a Neo-Panamax Vessel Is
The Neo-Panamax category covers container ships built to pass through the expanded locks of the Panama Canal, one of the largest vessel classes currently sailing international shipping routes. The CMA CGM Dignity has roughly 1,000 reefer connections plus additional space for dry cargo. It runs on liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion, a technology more carriers are adopting to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.
What Made the Operation Possible
Handling a ship this size requires specific draft conditions in the access channel and at the berth. Puerto Antioquia meets those conditions, which allowed it to receive the Dignity without the restrictions that apply at shallower terminals.
Gilberto Peña, Puerto Antioquia’s VP of Operations, said the ship’s arrival confirms the terminal now “connects this continent directly with Colombia’s northern coast,” referring to the direct route with Asia this call represents.
Why This Matters for Foreign Trade
This milestone points to something bigger than a capacity figure: Puerto Antioquia can now receive the same class of ships that carries most of the world’s containerized cargo today. For Colombian importers and exporters, that means more direct routes to Asia, fewer transshipments, and shorter transit times compared with terminals that don’t yet have this draft capacity.
The Dignity’s call adds to a string of recent milestones for the terminal, including its first coffee shipment to international markets, and confirms Puerto Antioquia’s growing role as a logistics hub for Colombia’s foreign trade, particularly cargo moving through the north of Antioquia.
- El Colombiano. Hito para Puerto Antioquia: recibe el buque más grande que ha llegado a su terminal, el Neo-Panamax, 9 de agosto de 2026. Ver artículo
- El Colombiano. “Con Puerto Antioquia, los costos logísticos del café se reducen entre 30% y 40%”: Asoexport. Ver artículo
- El Colombiano. Puerto Antioquia logró nuevo hito: despachó al exterior su primer cargamento de café. Ver artículo
