Ruin of the seaport: causes of the abandonment of Puerto Colombia and the loss of a coastal gem
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines the main factors that led to the closure of Puerto Colombia's maritime pier and the relocation of Colombia's international port activity to Barranquilla in 1936. The construction of the Bocas de Ceniza breakwaters enabled deep-draft vessels to reach Barranquilla through the Magdalena River, consolidating its port dominance. However, this shift also reflected political and economic interests that marginalized Puerto Colombia's population and limited its urban development. Drawing on primary and secondary sources—technical reports, government resolutions, census data and journalistic accounts—the study applies a historiographical approach inspired by Koselleck and Skinner to interpret both conceptual and intentional dimensions of historical discourse. By comparing contemporaneous and retrospective narratives, it reveals how official accounts emphasized the technical and economic benefits of Barranquilla's rise while obscuring the local consequences of Puerto Colombia's decline. The findings highlight the role of infrastructure in shaping regional urban hierarchies and propose new avenues for studying how decisions on port relocation affect social and spatial configurations in coastal territories.
Source: Planning Perspectives
Language: English
Topic: Maritime Ports and Logistics
Subfield: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415160620