Environmental & Social Review Summary
Project Number
32763
Company Name
APM TERMINALS QUETZAL SA
Date ESRS Disclosed
Feb 21, 2014
Country
Guatemala
Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Last Updated Date
Aug 3, 2026
Environmental Category
B - Limited
Status
Active
Previous Events
Approved : Mar 27, 2014
Signed : May 5, 2014
Invested : Aug 8, 2014
Sector
Port and Harbor Operations
Industry
Infrastructure
Department
Regional Industry - INF LAC
Project Description
The Project is to construct and operate a new dedicated container terminal (the “Terminal”) within Puerto Quetzal.
The Terminal will operate under a 25-year Contrato de Usufructo Oneroso (“Usufruct Agreement”) on leased land owned by EPQ. The proposed financing would help execute Phase 1 investments required under the Usufruct Agreement and help create a container facility with an annual capacity of 340,000 twenty-foot container equivalent units (“TEUs”). At full build out, the Terminal will have an annual capacity of 700,000 TEUs and be able to handle post-panamax ships.
Inaugurated in the early 1980s, PQ is located on the pacific coast of Guatemala, in the Department of Escuintla and the Municipality of Puerto de San José, which is located 98 kilometers from Guatemala City. The Terminal was included in PQ’s original port master plan (as Zone 1). Other townships in the vicinity are the weekend residential community of San Marino, which was developed after PQ was established, and is located immediately to its east; the village of Puerta de Hierro, which is located immediately north of San Marino; and the town of Iztapa located approximately ~7-kilometers to the east.
Currently there are 21 other private port operators (with usufruct contracts with EPQ) located within PQ; these include, among others, specialized bulk terminals that handle grains, ethanol and sugar, a cement and batch plant, a liquefied petroleum gas terminal, a banana terminal and a cruise ship terminal.
The Terminal will operate under a 25-year Contrato de Usufructo Oneroso (“Usufruct Agreement”) on leased land owned by EPQ. The proposed financing would help execute Phase 1 investments required under the Usufruct Agreement and help create a container facility with an annual capacity of 340,000 twenty-foot container equivalent units (“TEUs”). At full build out, the Terminal will have an annual capacity of 700,000 TEUs and be able to handle post-panamax ships.
Inaugurated in the early 1980s, PQ is located on the pacific coast of Guatemala, in the Department of Escuintla and the Municipality of Puerto de San José, which is located 98 kilometers from Guatemala City. The Terminal was included in PQ’s original port master plan (as Zone 1). Other townships in the vicinity are the weekend residential community of San Marino, which was developed after PQ was established, and is located immediately to its east; the village of Puerta de Hierro, which is located immediately north of San Marino; and the town of Iztapa located approximately ~7-kilometers to the east.
Currently there are 21 other private port operators (with usufruct contracts with EPQ) located within PQ; these include, among others, specialized bulk terminals that handle grains, ethanol and sugar, a cement and batch plant, a liquefied petroleum gas terminal, a banana terminal and a cruise ship terminal.
Overview of IFC's Scope of Review
IFC’s appraisal of this project consisted of a review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the environmental baseline studies and a visit on 2 – 6 December 2013 to the proposed location of the specialized container terminal to be developed by Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal, S.A. (“TCQ”, or the “company”) within Puerto Quetzal (or “PQ”). As part of the site visit, IFC reviewed and discussed environmental and social (E&S) aspects of the container terminal development with the following: TCQ’s General Director; environmental management representatives from TCQ’s parent company, Grup Maritim TCB S.L. (“GMTCB” or the “sponsor”) based in Spain; the company’s environmental consultant based in Guatemala City; Environmental, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) representatives of Empresa Portuaria Quetzal (EPQ), the state-entity that owns and administers PQ; and, the Communications Department of EPQ. Lastly, IFC also held a meeting with community representatives from various groups who are active in the vicinity of the PQ (e.g., from fishing cooperatives, tourism and sporting organizations, and youth and women’s associations).
As TCQ is a greenfield project in the very early stages of development, IFC’s appraisal largely considered the EIA, which includes a framework of management plans, which will be developed into the company’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS). Any necessary measures to close any gaps between these framework plans and IFC requirements within a reasonable period of time are summarized in the paragraphs that follow and in the agreed Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) disclosed in this review summary. Through implementation of these management plans and the ESAP, the Project is expected to be designed and operated in accordance with Performance Standards objectives.
As TCQ is a greenfield project in the very early stages of development, IFC’s appraisal largely considered the EIA, which includes a framework of management plans, which will be developed into the company’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS). Any necessary measures to close any gaps between these framework plans and IFC requirements within a reasonable period of time are summarized in the paragraphs that follow and in the agreed Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) disclosed in this review summary. Through implementation of these management plans and the ESAP, the Project is expected to be designed and operated in accordance with Performance Standards objectives.
