Cartagena - Clearance
Full details on the formalities required for clearing into and out of Colombia can be found at Colombia Formalities.
Remember, an agent is required to clear into and out of Colombia, so no attempt at contacting the Port Captain should be made, except through your nominated clearing agent (Agencia Maritima) on arrival.
It is advisable to contact two or three agents and ask or a price for their services, ensure you name everything that you want included in their service i.e.
- Acte de Visita
- Visa (number of persons/90 days)
- Temporary Importation Permit (if staying longer than normal)
- Certificado de permanencia (cruising permit)
- Zarpe International
- Exit Stamp
See Formalities/Clearance for more details on agencies and a list below.
Cartagena Local Navigation:
In Cartagena from mid-December 2021 DIMAR require that SITMAR (https://appn.dimar.mil.co/Sitmar/) be used to submit float plans for local navigation. This system is currently used by clearing agents for arriving and departing vessels, but now vessels will be required to receive an “electronic zarpe” from SITMAR for local navigation. Previously, popular overnight/day trips to Cholon or the Rosario Islands did not require a zarpe or a notification process, but now these trips will need to be registered in SITMAR. This includes registering a list of crew members, list of passengers or supernumeraries, the country flag of the ship, estimated time of departure and arrival, destination, activity, among other data that allow the Maritime Authority to have the necessary information to act in a timely manner in the event of an emergency at sea. For the cruising vessels, the request to set sail is approved immediately. A vessel may self-report via SITMAR or they can contact their entry agent for this support (additional fees may be required).
Notes:
The Club Nautico website has “A cruiser’s guide” with lots of useful marine contacts for Cartagena, including names and contact numbers of several customs clearance agents.
Last updated: April 2023
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Related to following destinations: Caribbean Coast (Colombia), Cartagena, Colombia
Port Navigation
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Our 3 weeks stay at Club Nautico extended to 6 months due to the high quality and affordable work we found at this wonderful port city. In general, labor is far cheaper and more professional that in any of the other Caribbean locations. These are no YouTube professionals like in the islands. In addition, there are 5 chandleries within 10 minute walk from Club Nautico.
Work we did:
• Carpentry:
o Redid our galley with sliding doors and new the floors.
o Replaced stern bulkhead
o Redid both heads with new showers walls, shower faucets and new floors
o Converted bunkroom to bottom storage and queen bed on top.
o Removed old floor varnish and revarnished.
o Revarnished main stateroom
o Replaced rotten floor and wallboards
o Rebuild generator room with new floorboards and battery banks
o And lots of small carpentry work
• Steel
o Reinforced hard dodger
o Replaced top lifeline with stainless steel tubing
o Expanded solar array to 3 panels
• Canvas
o Redid canvas on the hard dodger
o New canvas for the hatches
o New canvas for the dinghy
The work was very good and super affordable. Could not be happier.
While the floors were being revarnished, we went and spend time in the Amazon. Amazing.
And we did this while side docked at Club Nautico.
Whether you are in Cartagena on a passage or to have work done, this is a wonderful city to visit.
We hauled out at Ferro Alquimar in August 2019 and left our boat there for three months while traveling overland. We had antifouling and steelwork done in the yard and highly recommend.
I just had a 1 month refit on a 45 ft Outremer cat in Cartagena at Ferroalquimar. Great experience. Ferroalquimar boasts great team, grat showers and great wifi. I recommend the comapny Globe Sailing International who supervised for a fixed price most of the work that had to be done. It is absolutely necessary if you do not plan to stay on site and call in spanish all contractors 3 times a day.
Do not hesitate to call Mario San Juan +57 318 3498098 or mail msanjuan@globe-sailing.com.
Mario was able to have us shipped a Facnor furler to replace ours within 3 weeks.
Works done : sails (with excellent Renzon Herrera), engines check up, carpentry, antifouling, hull polishing, rigg inspection, furler replacement, fiber, autopilot repair.
Mike Pitre says:
Jan 23, 2019 09:04 PM
We would like to recommend Alvaro at Cartagena Boat Repair (contact details above)
Alvaro is an American trained manager, fluent in English, always on time , reliable and honest. The work performed was very good and at a very fair price. We had the bottom sanded and new antifouling paint applied. Our rear sugarscoops were raised and gel coat was repaired in a few places. We had the whole boat buffed and waxed. The day of splashing they washed the whole boat top to bottom and it looks awesome! The work was done at Ferroalquimar which is a very professional yard with a 300 ton travel lift. Make sure you contact Alvaro before heading to the yard so everything will go smoothly.
Mike Pitre on SV Mojo
For people who send to Colombia spare parts for boats from abroad, by DHL or FEDEX I remind them that if they weigh more than 50 kilos or cost more than US $2000, they will have to import the package through customs, which entails an additional cost of US $800.
October 2018
I contacted the club de pesca. They are supposed to have a 30 ton lift.
Apparently they don’t haul and launch though?
dorita says:
Sep 09, 2018 05:13 PM
Have to write about a very positive experience in Cartagena. found a general contractor who organized to paint the boat, exchange all tiles in 2 showers, get good stainless steel welding done, get the ac repaired, got the 8 kW generator overhauled and all in only 3 weeks, sometimes having 15 people working on the boat. All at a very reasonable firm contract price, all done at anchor outside Club Nautico.
Contractor was Alvaro Simancas tel 0057 304 6055971 or 0057 300 2589522 email simancasalvaro27@gmail.com
Club Nautico Cartagena
Looks like they’ve overhauled their website (same URL) to reflect the Club’s renovations. Nice pics of the new facilities and new rate sheets- now that is helpful!
Club Nautico
They just opened the restaurant at Club Nautico a couple weeks ago. Pricey for Colombia, which means reasonable for those with US dollars currently. Very upscale, gourmet food, yummy. The Italian restaurant across the street, Verona, is good too. The Club Nautico bar is not yet open.
Club Nautico Cartagena
Constructing the new clubhouse is almost finished (February 2015) The showers and bathrooms are finished. The bar and restaurant is almost ready. Dinghy fee still 58000 cops = us$ 25 but Dinghy cannot be locked. The front is guarded by a security man. No WIFI. Go for free-wifi to the supermarket cafe Carulla 300 m
October 2014: New Ferry Service Begins Operating Between Panama, Cartagena, and Bocas del Toro. Full details at:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/707aaa_1e18aa1f23084dcf90032d8fdbbcd651.pdf
Phone: (507)380 0909 in Panama.