New Cartagena – Tumaco Fuel Maritime Route Deals a Blow to High Logistics Costs
Colombia took a strategic step in its energy logistics with the launch of a new maritime route for fuel transportation from Cartagena to Tumaco.

TL;DR
- A new maritime route for fuel transportation from Cartagena to Tumaco has been launched in Colombia.
- This route is expected to reduce logistics costs by around 30% and ensure fuel supply to remote regions.
- The first shipment involved the vessel Willard J arriving in Tumaco with 97,000 barrels of fuel from the Reficar refinery.
- The new scheme allows national fuel to be transported at a national price via a more efficient maritime route, bypassing more costly and time-consuming pipeline logistics.
- The route will supply fuel to departments such as Nariño, Putumayo, Amazonas, and Guainía, which have historically faced supply issues.
- Maritime transport is more economical, helping to stabilize fuel prices and ensure availability for daily activities, transport, and machinery.
- The initiative is expected to boost port activity and local commerce in Tumaco.
- The Tumaco port has a storage capacity of over 130,000 barrels and is becoming a strategic node.
- This operation is a result of public and private sector collaboration.
- The new route adds a supply source from Cartagena to Tumaco, increasing system reliability.
- Infrastructure adjustments were made at the Cartagena refinery to load large fuel volumes onto ships.