Costa Rica’s port authority for the Pacific coast, the Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico (INCOP), said on November 2, 2026, that concessionaire Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera had completed a maintenance programme at Puerto Caldera under a conciliation agreement. INCOP reported $5.5 million in infrastructure maintenance and $13.003 million in port equipment work, which together total about $18.5 million.
INCOP’s board unanimously authorised its executive president on October 30, 2026, to sign the final settlement document, known as the finiquito, after its technical supervision unit verified compliance with the agreed obligations, according to the official INCOP statement. The statement reports that authorisation rather than a completed signature.
Maintenance Covers More Than 51,900 Square Metres at Puerto Caldera
The infrastructure component of the Puerto Caldera programme covered 51,918.72 square metres, according to INCOP. The work included operational yards 1, 2 and 3, Yard 4, paved internal roads and concrete pavements.
The equipment component at Puerto Caldera, valued at $13.003 million, began with an assessment of the condition of port equipment. It then covered maintenance, repairs, corrections arising from technical-mechanical inspections and the addition of new equipment. INCOP did not specify the type or number of new machines.
The Puerto Caldera conciliation agreement covered three areas: port equipment maintenance, port facility maintenance, and productivity and service quality. Víctor Morales Figueroa, coordinator of INCOP’s Caldera Technical Supervision Unit, said the unit had verified satisfactory compliance with the commitments made by Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera.
INCOP’s statement does not report any added berth capacity, new terminal area or quantified change in cargo-handling performance at Puerto Caldera as a result of the programme.
Existing Port Concessions Extended Until August 2027
Puerto Caldera continues to operate under extended concession contracts. On June 29, 2026, INCOP announced that its board had approved an extension of the general cargo and bulk terminal concessions until August 31, 2027, to ensure the continuity of port services while the tender for the port’s modernisation concluded.
The maintenance obligations completed by Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera are separate from the investment planned under the future Puerto Caldera modernisation concession.
Sunset Award Stands as $600M-Plus Modernisation Advances
Puerto Caldera’s separate modernisation project involves an investment of more than $600 million, according to INCOP, under a concession awarded to Consorcio Sunset. On July 7, 2026, Costa Rica‘s Comptroller General (CGR) rejected appeals filed by International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) against that award, finding that ICTSI’s bid failed one of the tender’s financial admissibility requirements.
On October 7, 2026, an administrative court revoked a provisional precautionary measure linked to the legal and environmental status of land associated with the development of Puerto Caldera, INCOP said on October 8.
The official documents reviewed as of November 5, 2026, do not confirm that the new Puerto Caldera concession contract has been signed or that Consorcio Sunset has taken over port operations.
FAQ
What maintenance work has been completed at Puerto Caldera?
According to INCOP’s November 2, 2026 statement, Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera completed $5.5 million in infrastructure maintenance covering 51,918.72 square metres, alongside $13.003 million in port equipment work, under a conciliation agreement.
How long have Puerto Caldera’s existing concessions been extended?
INCOP announced on June 29, 2026, that its board had approved extending Puerto Caldera’s general cargo and bulk terminal concessions until August 31, 2027, to ensure the continuity of port services.
Which consortium was awarded the Puerto Caldera modernisation concession?
INCOP awarded the Puerto Caldera modernisation concession, involving more than $600 million, to Consorcio Sunset. Costa Rica’s Comptroller General rejected ICTSI’s appeals against the award on July 7, 2026.
