In an operation in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Costa Rican Coast Guard Service and Drug Control Police seized 1,002 kilograms of cocaine with a value of over $35,000,000 USD. The vessel, under the name "Princeso Claudio", was intercepted 53 nautical miles off the coast of Puntarenas, 4 men were arrested with last names López Avalos ,45 years of age who was the ca...

On June 22, the SSCA HF Radio Service confirmed having received an SOS from a ship’s Personal Locator Beacon (PLB1). Then there was silence. The Radio Service confirmed that the message came from the TRANAVIS, a trimaran sailing between St. Martin, French Antilles, to Barranquilla, Colombia. Aboard the TRANAVIS was Rocco Acocella Roverndom, a well known Eco-Friendly Tour Guide, on his way to Ecuad...

The crew of a Royal Caribbean Cruise rescued two Costa Rican castaways in waters of the Caribbean. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Empress of the Seas, found the two fishermen between Grand Cayman and Jamaica, they had apparently been adrift since December 1st. Chief Meteorologist for Royal Caribbean International, James Van Fleet shared some of the details and photos of this event. He expla...

The ferry service between Puntarenas and Playa Naranjo will resume normal operations with a normal schedule this Tuesday, October 8. The service has been interrupted since last Friday due to the heavy rains that affected the Pacific this past week. Even though the service will resume the authorities warned travelers that route 21 in Cabo Blanco de Jicaral is only possible through an alternate r...

The MS Maasdam, mid-size cruise ship of Holland America Line, arrived at the Golfito dock in the South Pacific of Costa Rica this week with 1,164 passengers aboard between tourists and crew; this is the first cruise that Golfito receives since its relaunching as tourism destination for mid-size cruise ships. Tourists were able to leave the ship and enjoy different cultural activities that had...

In the midst of general labor strike that had the goal of paralyzing the country, the second cruise ship of the season docked at the Limon port with no problems; the Carnival Miracle, arrived with 2,031 passengers aboard originating from Tampa, Florida. “We are supervising that the cruise activity carries out normally”, stated Marlon Clarke, Manager of the Atlantic Zone Development and Port Adm...

If you are planning to travel to or from Paquera or the touristic areas of Tambor, Santa Teresa, Montezuma, this Tuesday, July 24, be advised that the ferry service will be suspended all day. According to the information posted by Naviera Tambor, the suspension will only be effective on the date mentioned due to maintenance work scheduled by the Ministry of Public Work and Transportation (MOPT)...

Starting this Friday, December 15, the Naviera Tambor ferry that provides service between Puntarenas and the southern Nicoya Peninsula town of Paquera will resume its operations with normality after working in a reduced scheduled since early October. One of the vessels (Tambor 2) had been out of service and in maintenance in Cartagena, Colombia but has not been fixed. The service will go back t...

On Friday, December 8 at close to 4 p.m. a boat of Panamanian flag ran aground in Manzanillo Beach, Limón, apparently, water was entering the boat and therefore the captain decided to run aground so it wouldn’t sink. The captain of the boat explained that he was headed towards the Limon port to load some materials when the emergency occurred; local authorities have kept the boat under custody s...

Photo Credit: Kenneth Bolaños./ Puntarenas se Oye A man and a woman lost their lives in different water accidents in Puntarenas this weekend. The first accident took place in Playa Hermosa in the Central Pacific when a 40-year-old woman of last names Soto Alvarez who was swimming along with her kids was dragged in by the tide; when the rescue team arrived they were able to pull her out but i...

The Naviera Tambor ferry company providing service between the Pacific port of Puntarenas and the southern Nicoya Peninsula town of Paquera announced a special reduced schedule while one of their vessels is in the shop. Service will depart from Puntarenas to Paquera at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 8 p.m. And the ferry will travel from Paquera to Puntarenas on the following schedule: 5 a.m., ...

With more than six thousand kilos of cocaine and 692 kilos of marijuana confiscated from export shipments over the past five years, according to the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Security, exporters are concerned about the impact on Costa Rica's competitiveness. Infiltration of merchandise with illegal drugs and other substances not only affects the export sector, but is a national security co...

With an eye to receiving more and larger ships in the near future, the pacific port of Caldera, in the province of Puntarenas, is getting a much-needed boost to its facilities. The US$20 million improvements aim to decrease wait time for ships to load and unload, thus making the port an attractive option by saving ships money. President of the Republic, Luis Guillermo Solís and the First Lad...

The start of this year's southern Pacific Whale and Dolphin Festival coincides with Costa Rica's Independence Day. The 9th edition of the festival will be held from September 15 to October 1 at Punta Uvita's Marino Ballena National Park. Community members and especially tour operators got some additional good news for their festival week when the Costa Rican Tourism Institute announced the appr...

Costa Rica's Ministry of Transportation and Public Works announced that repairs have been made to the damaged ferry dock in Paquera on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, thus allowing service to resume between Puntarenas and Paquera on Tuesday, September 5. The service, which is used by locals and tourists alike to connect to Puntarenas and points beyond, was suspended August 15 when par...

Costa Rica's policy towards migrants seeking transit through the country has been to grant them a 25-day permit and basic assistance at border shelters, after a screening procedure to register their country of origin and to vet any criminals. Recent years has seen a new phenomenon of migrants from diverse countries in Africa, Asia, as well as Haiti arriving at Costa Rica's southern border with ...

So far this year, Costa Rica's police forces have captured over 17.5 tons of cocaine, both in land and sea operations, informed the Public Security Ministry in the wake of an incident at the Moín, Limón port on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. On Thursday August 17, drug control police detained and inspected a ship where they discovered 50 kilos of cocaine attached to its hull, said the ministry. ...

Paquera, Puntarenas suffered damage to its dock last week when a ferry apparently crashed into it due to rough seas. The Ministry of Transportation and Public Works (MOPT) said they are giving priority attention to the dock's repairs given its importance for transportation of people and goods between Puntarenas and the Paquera/Tambor region. The ferry company, Naviera Tambor, is providing ma...

A shopper in Scotland brought home something unexpected with his purchase of a Costa Rican pineapple this week. The pineapple was shipped from Costa Rica as are all fresh pineapples with the crown, or green leaves attached to the top, to keep them from ripening too quickly. And this adventurous snake found that a convenient place to hide. The Edinburgh grocery shopper called the Scottish Soc...

The ferry connecting Puntarenas with Paquera on the southern Nicoya Peninsula is out of service for an indefinite amount of time, said the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works (MOPT) this week after a ferry caused damage to the Paquera dock. Paquera is adjacent to the beaches of Tambor, the Curu Wildlife Refuge, and other areas. Those wishing to cross the Gulf of Nicoya from Puntarena...

Crowley Liner Services will begin fixed-day, weekly sailings on Wednesday, Aug. 9, directly between Florida and Costa Rica and Panama. The new service offers fast transits to speed cargo to market at peak times to better connect customers' U.S. and Central American supply chains. Crowley's vessels will sail southbound from Florida on Wednesdays from the Port of Jacksonville, and Fridays from Port...