November 13, 2026
A vehicle carrier unloads cars and pickup trucks at the Port of La Unión in eastern El Salvador. The port received nearly 30,000 vehicles in the first ten months of 2026. AI-generated illustration for Our Life in El Salvador.
On October 25, I wrote about the Atlas Leader bringing more than 400 vehicles to the Port of La Unión. After years when the port saw very little traffic, I wondered whether shipments like that one was becoming a regular part of business in eastern El Salvador. Port of La Unión: El Salvador’s Growing Trade Hub
The latest figures give us a better idea of what is happening. The port received 108 ships and nearly 30,000 vehicles in the first ten months of 2026, according to Luis Canto, general manager of Unión Portuaria del Pacífico, the company that operates the port.
Read our October 25 post about the Port of La Unión.
La Unión Has Already Passed Last Year’s Ship Count
Canto said the port received about 70 ships in the first ten months of 2025. It received 108 over the same period this year, an increase of more than 50 percent. By the end of October, the port had already passed the 75 ship arrivals reported for all of last year.
Vehicle traffic also rose sharply. The port handled nearly 30,000 vehicles in the first ten months of this year, up from about 20,000 over the same period in 2025.
Canto said the operator helped attract vehicle carriers by offering favorable terms for docking and storing vehicles. Some of the vehicles arriving from China and Japan are then sent on to other Central American countries. That gives La Unión a growing role in distributing vehicles across the region.
What the Growth Means for Eastern El Salvador
The port also handles fertilizer, steel, cement and other construction supplies. It supports exports to Honduras as well. That mix of cargo gives the port more ways to serve businesses here in El Salvador and in neighboring countries.
The figure that stood out to me was 350 direct jobs, which Canto says the port’s operations now support. Each shipment also creates work beyond the dock. Someone has to prepare the vehicles, arrange storage and move them to buyers. For people in eastern El Salvador, steady work from those shipments may be one of the most important parts of the port’s recovery.
The Channel Still Needs Attention
The port is operating with an 8.7-meter draft limit. Draft is how deep a ship sits in the water. The limit affects which ships can enter and how heavily some ships can be loaded when they arrive.
Sediment builds up in the access channel, a problem we looked at in October. The operator is studying currents and sediment to work out how to keep the channel deep enough over time.
I see this as a positive update. The Atlas Leader gave us a close look at one shipment in October. We now have ten months of figures showing how quickly the port’s business has grown. I’ll be watching whether La Unión can keep that traffic coming and turn it into steady work for more people in the eastern part of the country.
Based on November 13 reporting by Kevin Rivera for Diario El Salvador and by Radio Cadena YSKL.
If you’re following the changes at La Unión, I’d like to hear what you think. Please leave a comment, and if you found this update helpful, give it a like and share it with a friend.
Before you go, I’d like to share a personal story. My memoir, Where Love Led Us, tells the true story of how I met my wife, Elizabeth, while we were both working for the same company in the United States. What began as a workplace friendship grew into a journey that eventually led us to build a life together in El Salvador. If you enjoy stories of love, perseverance, cultural discovery, and the unexpected paths life can take. Find Where Love Led Us on Amazon
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