Port of Buenos Aires

The Port of Buenos Aires (Spanish: Puerto de Buenos Aires) is the main place for ships to come and go in Argentina. It is run by a group called the Administración General de Puertos (General Ports Administration), which is owned by the government. This port is very important for the foreign trade of Argentina because many things are moved in and out of the country here.

Today, the port is in a part of the city called Retiro and is often called Puerto Nuevo, which means “New Port.” Every year, the port handles about 11 million metric tons of goods. There is also another place called Dock Sud just south of the city, owned by the Province of Buenos Aires, where even more goods—about 17 million metric tons—pass through each year.

In the past, when many people were moving to Argentina, the port was very busy with passengers. Many new visitors arrived at a place called the Hotel de Inmigrantes. Now, most passengers are tourists coming to see Argentina or people traveling to nearby Uruguay. There are special boats, like a fast ferry run by companies such as Buquebus and Ferrylíneas, that take people to cities like Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo. Another service takes tourists to Tigre, a favorite place for weekend trips. In the year 2000, a new place called the Benito Quinquela Martín Terminal opened. The Port of Buenos Aires is also part of a group of ports from many countries called the International Association of Ports and Harbours.

History

Buenos Aires was founded as a port in 1580 by Captain Juan de Garay for the Spanish Empire. At first, it was hard to use because merchants from the Viceroyalty of Perú had it closed. This made it hard to bring goods from Europe, so people often traded secretly. Things changed in 1776 when the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata was created. Then, exports like salted meat and cowhides began to grow.

For a long time, the main port was a natural harbor called Balizas Interiores. It was hard to use because the land was swampy and steep, and ships had to stop far from shore. In 1868, laws were passed to study where to build a better port. After many discussions, construction began. In 1872, a businessman named Francisco Seeber built the first new harbor using land pulled from the river. This helped make shipping easier.

Later, plans for an even bigger port were made. One plan came from an Argentine engineer, and another from a British designer. The British plan was chosen and work started in 1884. The first part of this port, called Puerto Madero, opened in 1889. But by 1907, it was too small for all the ships and goods. Work then began on a new part called Puerto Nuevo, which added more docks and a breakwater. When this was finished in 1925, the Port of Buenos Aires became the largest in Latin America and the southern hemisphere.

Operations

The Port of Buenos Aires is managed by a government agency. It was set up in 1949 by President Juan Perón and changed its name in 1987 under President Raúl Alfonsín. In 1992, some parts of the port were sold to private companies, but the main port stayed under government control.

Many ships that visited Argentina were managed by a company started by a businessman named Nicolás Mihanovich. This company was sold and changed owners several times. Today, a large power plant provides electricity to the port, and there is a major shipbuilding place called Tandanor nearby.

Puerto Madero redevelopment

Puerto Madero was a smaller part of the port that began in 1925. In 1989, it was given new life as the Old Puerto Madero Corporation. From around 1994, people and companies helped change old buildings into fancy offices, homes, shops, restaurants, schools, and hotels. The east side has new buildings and some of the city's biggest parks.

Famous architects helped design Puerto Madero, making it a popular and stylish place in Buenos Aires. Many people choose to live there. The streets have been redesigned with wide roads and special walking areas. Puerto Madero is now one of the biggest and most successful city renewal projects in the world.