Guatemala Issues Decree 20-2026 on September 2, Establishing the National Port Authority

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 2, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo issued Decree 20-2026, the General Law of the Port System (Ley General del Sistema Portuario), establishing a new legal framework for the country's port system. The law, approved by Congress with 123 votes on August 5, covers the organization, regulation, planning, development, management, and oversight of the port system.

The new law will establish the National Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria Nacional), an autonomous and decentralized entity responsible for regulating, planning, supervising, and inspecting port sector activities, as well as ensuring compliance with this law, its implementing regulations, and international conventions applicable to port activities. This body assumes the coordination and guidance responsibilities for the national port system, aiming to promote more orderly, efficient, and sustainable development across ports, while addressing long-standing issues in the port sector such as the lack of comprehensive planning, dispersed competencies, and the inability to expand and modernize infrastructure in a timely manner.

The law also requires the preparation of the National Comprehensive Port Development Plan (Plan Nacional Integral de Desarrollo Portuario, Planport), which will define priorities, objectives, and targets for the industry, including enhancing port operational capacity, strengthening logistics connectivity, and promoting reductions in time and costs for foreign trade. Regarding investments in port infrastructure and superstructure, the new law will provide greater certainty for both the public and private sectors, creating conditions for project development, expansion, and operational improvements. The government has stated that port modernization is key to strengthening the national economy and enhancing competitiveness.

In terms of port security, the new legal framework incorporates relevant safety and security provisions, including compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (Código Internacional para la Protección de los Buques y de las Instalaciones Portuarias, Código PBIP). Guatemala's Congress noted that the port system has long been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and structural constraints, and that establishing a dedicated agency aims to provide stronger institutional support for the port industry to keep pace with the growth of trade and logistics activities.

The General Law of the Port System will take effect 30 days after its official publication. The implementation phase will advance the establishment of the National Port Authority, the drafting of implementing regulations, and the launch of the planning instruments provided for by the law.