VE Prefix and Three Characters
Venezuelan UN/LOCODEs begin with the country prefix VE and are followed by a three-character location identifier, such as VEPBL for Puerto Cabello or VEMAR for Maracaibo.
Seaports in Venezuela: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026)
Venezuela has 78 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database, supporting petroleum, bulk, breakbulk and container movements across the Caribbean coast and the Orinoco industrial corridor.
Review Venezuelan UN/LOCODE references, principal cargo gateways, regional port clusters and current sea-freight planning considerations.
Venezuela Port Overview
Venezuela’s maritime network combines Caribbean-facing commercial ports, petroleum terminals around Lake Maracaibo and the eastern oil belt, and river-connected industrial facilities on the Orinoco. Publicly comparable national port statistics are limited, so port-level capacity and operating status should be confirmed before booking.
78
Venezuela ports & terminals indexed in our database
Ecer Freight database · Nov 2026
—
National seaborne cargo volume, 2025; year-on-year change not published in a consistently comparable public series
Official public sources reviewed · 2025
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Container throughput, 2025; year-on-year change not published in a consistently comparable public series
Official public sources reviewed · 2025
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National commercial berth count, 2025; year-on-year change not published in a consistently comparable public series
Official public sources reviewed · 2025
How many seaports does Venezuela have?
Venezuela has 78 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in its Nov 2026 country database snapshot. This is an indexed-coverage figure, not a national legal register or a TEU ranking.
Which ports are important for Venezuelan cargo?
Puerto Cabello (VEPBL), Maracaibo (VEMAR), La Guaira (VELGU), Guanta (VEGTA) and El Guamache (VEEGU) are key commercial reference points in the indexed sample, while Palua (VEPAL) is associated with the Ciudad Guayana industrial corridor.
Which area handles Venezuela’s main cargo flows?
The Caribbean-facing central and eastern coast, the Maracaibo basin and the Orinoco–Ciudad Guayana industrial region form Venezuela’s principal cargo areas. Petroleum-related facilities such as Guaraguao (VEGUA) and El Palito (VEEPA) require cargo-specific operational checks.
Leading Venezuelan Ports in the Indexed Sample
The table follows the business-activity order supplied for the Ecer Freight database sample. A reliable, comparable 2025 national league table in million TEU is not publicly available for these facilities; therefore, rank, throughput and year-on-year fields are left uniformly unreported rather than estimated.
Selected ports and terminals in Venezuela; 2025 comparable TEU data subject to confirmation
| World rank | Port | UN-LOCODE | 2025 throughput (M TEU) | YoY change | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Palua | VEPAL | — | — | Orinoco industrial corridor |
| — | Guaraguao | VEGUA | — | — | Eastern petroleum coast |
| — | El Palito | VEEPA | — | — | Central Caribbean coast |
| — | Guanta | VEGTA | — | — | Eastern Caribbean coast |
| — | Puerto Cabello | VEPBL | — | — | Central Caribbean coast |
| — | Maracaibo | VEMAR | — | — | Maracaibo basin |
| — | Barcelona | VEBLA | — | — | Eastern Caribbean coast |
| — | La Guaira | VELGU | — | — | Central Caribbean coast |
Venezuela Port Regions and Cargo Roles
Venezuelan port selection depends on the cargo origin, inland transport conditions, draft restrictions, terminal acceptance and the current carrier or operator schedule. The following clusters use only ports and cities present in the Ecer Freight sample.
Central Caribbean Coast
This cluster serves central Venezuelan demand and includes commercial, refining and general-cargo facilities along the Caribbean coast.
Central Caribbean port references
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Cabello | VEPBL | Puerto Cabello / — | General cargo, containers and regional distribution |
| La Guaira | VELGU | La Guaira / — | Central coast commercial and container-related cargo |
| La Guaira | VELAG | La Guaira / — | Port reference for central coast movements |
| El Palito | VEEPA | El Palito / — | Refinery and petroleum-related cargo |
Eastern Caribbean Coast
Eastern ports support petroleum, industrial, general-cargo and island-related flows around Anzoátegui and adjacent coastal areas.
Eastern Caribbean port references
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guanta | VEGTA | Guanta / — | General cargo and industrial supply flows |
| Guanta | VEGUT | Guanta / — | Local port and terminal reference |
| Barcelona | VEBLA | Barcelona / — | Commercial and regional general cargo |
| Guaraguao | VEGUA | Guaraguao / — | Petroleum and energy-sector cargo |
| Puerto La Cruz | VEPCZ | Puerto La Cruz / — | Petroleum, liquid bulk and regional cargo |
| El Guamache | VEEGU | El Guamache / — | Island supply and general cargo |
Maracaibo Basin and Western Coast
The western cluster links Maracaibo Lake and the surrounding petroleum-producing area with coastal export and supply facilities.
Western Venezuela port references
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maracaibo | VEMAR | Maracaibo / — | Lake and coastal commercial, petroleum-related cargo |
| Puerto Miranda | VEPMI | Puerto Miranda / — | Petroleum and liquid bulk operations |
| Bajo Grande | VEBJG | Bajo Grande / — | Energy-sector and lake terminal cargo |
| La Salina | VELSA | Cabimas / — | Petroleum and industrial cargo |
| Punta Cardon | VEPCN | Punta Cardon / — | Refining and petroleum-related cargo |
| Amuay | VEAMY | Amuay / — | Refinery and liquid bulk cargo |
Orinoco Industrial Corridor
The Orinoco system supports mineral, steel, bulk and industrial supply chains connecting river facilities with Ciudad Guayana and surrounding production zones.
Orinoco and Ciudad Guayana port references
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palua | VEPAL | Ciudad Guayana / — | Bulk, minerals and industrial cargo |
| Puerto Ordaz | VEPZO | Puerto Ordaz / — | Industrial and river-linked cargo |
| Ciudad Guayana | VECGU | Ciudad Guayana / — | Industrial supply and bulk movements |
| Matanzas | VEMTV | Matanzas / — | Heavy industry and bulk cargo |
| San Felix | VESFX | San Felix / — | River-connected industrial cargo |
Venezuela Port Codes and UN/LOCODE Structure
UN/LOCODE references help identify locations in shipping instructions, customs documents and carrier systems. A code should be checked against the named facility and the actual booking location.
City-Level and Terminal-Level References
A city-level location and an individual terminal may have different operational references. Similar names can also appear more than once in a database, so the code, facility name, cargo type and receiving instructions should be matched together.
How to Verify a Port Code
Cross-check a proposed code with the UNECE reference framework and compare it with the current Ecer Freight port directory. Carrier booking systems and local agents should confirm the active terminal designation.
Shipping from Venezuela: Main Trade Lanes
Indicative routing depends on carrier coverage, sanctions and compliance screening, transshipment availability, equipment, terminal acceptance and the final delivery location. Transit times are planning ranges rather than guaranteed schedules.
Venezuela to the Caribbean
Short-sea and feeder services can connect central and eastern Venezuelan gateways with Caribbean hubs, subject to vessel schedules and transshipment plans.
Venezuela to North America
North American cargo may move by direct or transshipment routing, with documentation, sanctions and commodity controls requiring advance review.
Venezuela to Europe
Europe-bound cargo generally requires a carrier-specific ocean plan and may use a Caribbean or Mediterranean transshipment point.
Venezuela to Asia
Asia services are usually longer and may involve multiple transshipment stages, equipment constraints and enhanced compliance checks.
Data Sources and Methodology
The page separates Ecer Freight’s indexed coverage from national and port-level operating statistics. Where no reliable, comparable public 2025 figure could be verified, the page uses an unreported marker rather than an estimate.
- Ecer Freight Ports Database — first-party database snapshot from Nov 2026, containing 78 Venezuela ports and terminals.
- UNECE — international UN/LOCODE framework used for location-code validation and naming context.
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — navigational and maritime reference context for port and coastal-location checks.
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Venezuela — national statistical reference point for official economic and transport data where published.
- Banco Central de Venezuela — macroeconomic and trade-statistics reference point; figures may use different definitions from port throughput.
Venezuela Port FAQ
How many seaports does Venezuela have?
Venezuela has 78 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in the Nov 2026 database snapshot. The figure represents indexed coverage and should not be read as a complete statutory national port register.
What is the largest or busiest port in Venezuela?
Puerto Cabello is widely treated as one of Venezuela’s principal commercial gateways, while La Guaira and Maracaibo are also important reference ports. A consistent public 2025 TEU ranking for all Venezuelan facilities was not verified.
What are the main port codes in Venezuela?
Common indexed examples include VEPBL for Puerto Cabello, VEMAR for Maracaibo, VELGU for La Guaira, VEGTA for Guanta, VEEGU for El Guamache and VEPAL for Palua.
Which regions handle most Venezuelan maritime cargo?
The central Caribbean coast, eastern Caribbean coast, Maracaibo basin and Orinoco industrial corridor are the main geographic groupings used for freight planning. The applicable gateway depends on commodity, inland origin and terminal acceptance.
How current is the Venezuela port information?
The Ecer Freight database coverage shown here is a Nov 2026 snapshot, with the latest complete statistical reference year treated as 2025. Schedules, terminal status, equipment and restrictions remain subject to confirmation.
Can a freight forwarder quote shipping from Venezuela?
Yes. A quote normally requires the cargo description, weight and dimensions, origin and destination, container type, Incoterms, requested dates and compliance information. FCL and LCL rate availability may vary by port and carrier.
What should be checked before booking a Venezuela port?
Confirm the exact UN/LOCODE, terminal name, cargo acceptance, draft and equipment requirements, documentation, inland haulage, sanctions screening and the carrier’s current sailing schedule before cargo delivery.
Editorial note: Venezuela port coverage is based on the Ecer Freight database snapshot for Nov 2026 and is reviewed against available official, international and navigational references. Port schedules, operating conditions, cargo restrictions and statistical releases can change; operational details should be confirmed with the carrier, terminal or local agent before shipment.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Venezuela: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact