Colombia Hit by 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake, Disrupting Transport and Ports – Premium Coffee Exports Face Suspension Crisis

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (10th), with its epicenter near the nation's primary coffee cultivation zones, causing severe disruptions to the global coffee supply chain. The disaster has paralyzed operations at Buenaventura Port, Colombia's main Pacific gateway, which handles approximately 60% of the country's coffee exports.

The earthquake has blocked major highways connecting coffee-producing regions to the port. According to the National Infrastructure Agency, multiple landslides have occurred along the Buga-Buenaventura corridor, and the quake tragically claimed the lives of three workers. Additionally, tunnels on the Cali-Buenaventura highway have been sealed off.

At the port, several terminals have suspended or restricted operations for safety inspections. The Buenaventura Container Terminal (TCBuen) temporarily halted operations, while the Aguadulce terminal experienced container stack displacement, requiring staff to reposition containers.

Gustavo Gómez, president of the Colombian Coffee Exporters Association (Asoexport), stated that coffee export operations are effectively paralyzed due to blocked roads, power outages, truck shortages, and port restrictions.

Colombia is the world's largest producer of high-quality washed Arabica coffee beans and a key supplier for major roasters like Starbucks. With global Arabica coffee inventories already at dangerously low levels, markets are highly sensitive to supply disruptions. Following the earthquake, New York Arabica coffee futures surged to $3.26 per pound, reaching a multi-week high.

Colombia exports approximately 1 million bags (60 kg per bag) of coffee monthly, meaning each day of disruption halts over 30,000 bags (about 2,000 tons) of cargo. While some coffee is being rerouted through Caribbean ports, severe truck shortages make logistical reorganization extremely difficult.

In addition to earthquake damage, Colombian coffee farmers face production threats from the El Niño phenomenon, with harvests expected to drop from last year's 14.8 million bags to 12.8 million bags. Industry experts warn that even after roads and terminals resume operations, a backlog of inland cargo converging simultaneously on ports could trigger severe traffic congestion and export bottlenecks.