Port of San Juan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port of San Juan |
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| Location | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°27′47″N 66°06′42″W / 18.463134°N 66.111774°W |
| Details | |
| Draft depth | 36–56 feet |
The Port of San Juan (which means Puerto de San Juan in Spanish) is a very important seaport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's located in the main city area of San Juan.
This port is actually a group of different places for ships. These places are all around the San Juan Bay (Bahía de San Juan). The port has sixteen piers, which are like long docks where ships can park. Eight of these piers are for passenger ships, and eight are for cargo ships. The Puerto Rico Ports Authority owns and manages all these facilities. This includes the port, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, and the Cataño Ferry service.
The port and its docks are found along the San Antonio Canal. This is a narrow waterway in San Juan Bay. It's south of Old San Juan and the main San Juan island. It's also north and west of the Puerto Rico Convention Center District and Isla Grande Airport. The towns of Cataño, Guaynabo, and San Juan are on the south side of the bay and port.
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Moving Goods: Cargo Facilities
The Port of San Juan has special areas for cargo ships. These are located on the southern part of San Juan Bay. There are about eight cargo terminals in total. Five of them are in the Puerto Nuevo area of San Juan. The other three are in the nearby town of Guaynabo.
These cargo areas have a lot of space, over 500,000 square feet, for loading and unloading goods. This means many trucks can move things around easily. The port's location is great because it connects directly to Puerto Rico's main highways. This helps goods get transported quickly across the island.
Traveling by Sea: Passenger Facilities
The Port of San Juan also has places for passenger ships. These are along the San Antonio Canal. Four of the piers in this channel are used for large cruise ships. Other piers are for cargo ships and the Cataño Ferry.
Local Travel: Ferry Service
The Cataño Ferry (called Lancha de Cataño) offers many trips each day. It goes back and forth between San Juan and Cataño. This ferry helps people travel between these two areas.
Fun Trips: Cruise Service
Most cargo ships dock on the south side of the bay. But cruise ships arrive at one of the four special cruise piers. These piers are located along the San Antonio Canal. This setup is great for tourists. They can easily walk to popular places like Old San Juan and the Puerto Rico Convention Center District.
The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is only about 7 miles from the cruise ship docks. This short distance makes San Juan a perfect spot for cruise companies. Big cruise lines like Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean often choose San Juan as a stop on their trips.
Some well-known ships have docked at the Port of San Juan. These include the Carla C and Cunard's Countess and Princess ships.
Cruise Ships Based in San Juan
Some cruise ships use San Juan as their home port for certain times of the year. This means their journeys start and end here.
- Celebrity Summit (during certain seasons)
- Disney Magic
- Jewel of the Seas (during certain seasons)
- Norwegian Epic (during certain seasons)
- Norwegian Viva
- Rhapsody of the Seas
- Silver Wind (during certain seasons)
- Voyager of the Seas
- Sea Dream II (during certain seasons)
Cruise Companies Visiting San Juan
Many different cruise companies visit San Juan. This shows how popular the port is for sea travel.
- AIDA Cruises
- Azamara Club Cruises
- Carnival
- Celebrity
- Costa Crociere
- Crystal Cruises
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- MSC Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Oceania Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- SeaDream Yacht Club
- Silversea
- Viking Ocean Cruises
- Windstar Cruises
Popular Cruise Destinations from San Juan
Ships leaving San Juan travel to many exciting places. Here are some of the most common destinations:
Port Operations During Hurricane Maria
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico very hard. It damaged the power and communication systems. After the hurricane, the Port of San Juan faced big challenges. It was hard to find enough truck drivers to deliver important supplies. Things like landslides, floods, and a lack of gas, water, and food made it very difficult. This created a huge problem for getting help to people.
See also
In Spanish: Puerto de San Juan (Puerto Rico) para niños
- Transportation in Puerto Rico
- Port of Mayagüez
- Port of Ponce
