port of Cartagena

{{Infobox port

| name = Port of Cartagena

| image = View of Cartagena from the fortification East of the city - 2016 c.jpg

| image_caption = View of the inner port

| country = Spain

| location = Cartagena

| coordinates = {{coord|37|35|00|N|0|59|00|W|display=inline,title}}

| locode = ESCAR{{cite web |title=UNLOCODE (ES) - SPAIN |url=https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/es.htm |website=service.unece.org |access-date=28 April 2020}}

| type = Commercial port, naval base, fishing port, marina

| operated = Port Authority of Cartagena

| website = www.apc.es/

}}

The port of Cartagena ({{langx|es|Puerto de Cartagena}}) is the port located in Cartagena, Spain. It is the fourth nationwide port in freight traffic behind Algeciras, Valencia and Barcelona.{{cite web |work=Puertos del Estado |url=http://www.puertos.es/es-es/estadisticas/EstadisticaMensual/01%20Enero%202019.pdf |title=Resumen general del tráfico portuario |date=January 2019 |access-date=21 March 2019 |language=es |pages=29 |publisher=Dirección de Planificación y Desarrollo, Departamento de Estadística |agency=Ministerio de Fomento, Gobierno de España}}{{cite web |url=http://www.apc.es/elpuerto.php?reg=7# |title=Estadísticas. Resumen de movimiento de mercancías al mes de septiembre de 2015 |work=Autoridad Portuaria de Cartagena |date=September 2015 |access-date=21 March 2019 |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615014954/http://www.apc.es/elpuerto.php?reg=7# |archive-date=15 June 2015 |publisher=Ministerio de Fomento |agency=Gobierno de España}} It occupies the eighth place in relation to the number of cruises. 60% of exports and the 80% of imports from the Region of Murcia are made through the port of Cartagena.{{cite web

|url=http://www.apc.es/actualidad.php?reg=18¬=279 |date=3 March 2015 |title=El puerto de Cartagena como infraestructura logística de apoyo a las empresas exportadoras |work=Autoridad Portuaria de Cartagena |access-date=21 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615001305/http://www.apc.es/actualidad.php?reg=18¬=279 |archive-date=15 June 2015 |publisher=Ministerio de Fomento |agency=Gobierno de España |language=es}} More than 40% of the tourism that Cartagena receives is made by its port.{{cite web |url=https://www.carm.es/web/servlet/pagina?IDCONTENIDO=89379&IDTIPO=10&RASTRO=c$m122,70 |title=Noticias |date=27 January 2017 |access-date=21 March 2019 |work=CARM.es |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202053827/https://www.carm.es/web/servlet/pagina?IDCONTENIDO=89379&IDTIPO=10&RASTRO=c$m122,70 |archive-date=2 February 2017}}

It historical importance relies on both the good harbour offered by the natural bay and its strategic location near the East–West maritime route linking the Suez Canal to the strait of Gibraltar.{{Sfn|Morales Gil|2004|pp=107–108}} It was used by the Punic civilization, and then by Romans. Besides its location, it also was appreciated at the time because of the metal ore mining (argentifourous galenas) in the surrounding mountains as well as the esparto exports.{{Sfn|Morales Gil|2004|pp=110}}

In 2006, the Autoridad Portuaria de Cartagena proposed the expansion of the port with a new dock in El Gorguel. The estimated cost exceeded 1500 million of euros.{{cite journal |url=http://www.fundacionsierraminera.org/ficheros/escritos/01_Escritos_12_01_2009_19_55_18.pdf |title=Informe técnico sobre el impacto de la instalación de una dársena de contenedores en El Gorguel |work=Fundación Sierra Minera |pages=102 |language=es |access-date=21 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208165639/http://www.fundacionsierraminera.org/ficheros/escritos/01_Escritos_12_01_2009_19_55_18.pdf |archive-date=8 December 2015 |url-status=dead }}

The Port of Cartagena has two independent docks (Cartagena and Escombreras), separated from each other by a distance of 5 km by road and 1.5 miles by sea.{{cite web |url=http://www.apc.es/en/docs/compromiso/Declaracion_EMAS_2009_APC.pdf |title=Declaración Ambiental 2009 |year=2010 |work=Autoridad Portuaria de Cartagena |language=es |access-date=21 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105306/http://www.apc.es/en/docs/compromiso/Declaracion_EMAS_2009_APC.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |publisher=Ministerio de Fomento |agency=Gobierno de España |pages=54}}

File:Puerto de Cartagena (Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando).jpg|Puerto de Cartagena, by Mariano Ramón Sánchez (1793)

File:Cartagena Harbour, Spain. (9976168886).jpg|New outer dock of Escombreras