Ecuador Port Reform Targets 12,000 Abandoned Containers

A legal reform moving through Ecuador's Assembly aims to clear about 12,000 abandoned containers from the country's ports.

The proposal reforms the Organic Code of Production, Commerce and Investment and is based on a customs proposal from Senae, Ecuador's customs authority.

The Scale Of The Backlog

The abandoned cargo problem includes:

| Item | Figure | |---|---:| | Abandoned containers identified each year | More than 12,000 | | Estimated retained cargo value | About $450 million | | Average waiting time | 365 days | | Some immobilized cargo | More than 18 years |

The cargo mix includes luxury vehicles, clothing, shoes, household goods, appliances, electronics, technology, medicines, beauty products and refrigerated containers.

Port terminal representatives said some strategic terminals have more than 65% of abandoned containers stored for more than five years.

Why It Matters

The backlog affects port capacity, logistics infrastructure, foreign trade efficiency and space that could otherwise be used for active import and export operations.

In three Guayaquil-linked terminals, TPG, Fertisa and Naportec, there are 339 containers in accumulated abandoned cargo categories, with 65% immobilized for more than five years.

For refrigerated containers, accumulated costs can reach $159,116, and more than $1.2 million in unbilled services is tied to abandoned containers.

What This Means for Expats

Most foreign residents will not deal with this directly. But if you import household goods, vehicles, medical equipment, business inventory or specialized parts, port congestion and customs bottlenecks matter.

A cleaner legal path for abandoned cargo could improve port space and processing efficiency over time. The important question is whether the reform moves beyond debate and actually changes customs handling on the ground.