Puerto Limon : Profile

Location

Puerto Limón, on the Caribbean side, is the main port of Costa Rica. During 2011 a number of ships were robbed at gunpoint in the harbour, both at anchor and on the dock. Whilst to date no cruising yachts have been targeted, visitors should be wary.

Clearance

Contact "Limon Port Control" on VHF channel 14 or 16 just prior to entering the commercial port area. Limon Port Control is staffed 24/7 and only closes on Christmas and New Year's day. The Port Control operators speak English and Spanish.

Clearing In
No agent is required for clearance. Call Limon Port Control on VHF Channel 14 and 16 to clear in and out of Costa Rica. Port Control will make arrangements for the six government agencies to come out to your vessel at the same time. The six agency representatives include Immigrations, Port Authority, Harbour Master, Health Department, Vegetable Quarantine official, and Meat Quarantine official.

Multiple copies of documents are required: 5 copies of passports; 3 copies of crew list; 2 copies of the ship’s papers and a zarpe from your last port. Declare guns, ammunition, illegal drugs, foods, pets, spear guns/slings, etc.

Clearing Out
Call Limon Port Control to make arrangements to clear out. Port Control will make arrangements with Customs, Immigration, and the Harbour Master to meet you for the completion of paperwork.

Normal government business hours are 08:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday.

Fees
Fees can be paid in Costa Rican colones or United State dollars.

Harbour Fee: The Harbour Master will give you a payment voucher for $50 USD during your initial meeting. You must take the voucher to a local bank and pay the related fee. The bank may not accept U.S. dollars for payment of the voucher. Return the paid receipt to the Harbor Master prior to clearing out of Costa Rica.

Updated February 2011.

Immigration
Tel:cell phone 506 8875-5463

Port Authority
Tel:011 506 8366-8424

Docking

Entering the harbour is straight forward. There is plenty of deep water to the north, east and southeast of the commercial harbour. The only offshore concern to navigation is Isla Uvita which is a small, easy-to-see, island northeast of the commercial harbour.

The Port Authorities and Harbour Master do not recommend anchoring south of Pier 5 (numbering the commercial piers from N to S), for four reasons.
1. This small anchorage area is close to the Rio Cieneguita, a river which is used by numerous high speed fishing boats.
2. The Rio Cieneguita and city of Cieneguita are high risk security areas for visitors.
3. There are at least four sunk vessels in the area (2 near shore, 1 just south of Pier 5, and 1 southeast of the red buoy marking the approach to the Rio Cieneguita.
4. This anchorage area is 16 feet deep with good holding, yet this corner of the harbor is typically exposed to more wind, waves, and swell.

Updated February 2011.

Harbour Master
Tel:011 506 8367-2426
Gerardo Martinez

Port Authority [see above]

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