Editing Port Louis (section)

===Port===
[[File:Port Louis, Mauritius 2.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the city at night, featuring the port]]
Port Louis is home to the nation's main harbour, which is the only official port of entry and exit for sea vessels in Mauritius. Ships must be cleared in the port before visiting any other anchorage in the island nation.

The [[Mauritius Ports Authority]] (MPA), established by law in 1998, is the port authority responsible for Port Louis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mauritius Ports Authority – Harvesting Resources under the Blue Economy |url=http://www.mauport.com |access-date=26 August 2017 |website=Mauport.com}}</ref> The MPA provides port infrastructure, enters into contracts with private providers for port and cargo-handling services, promotes the use and development of the ports, and licenses and regulates port and marine services. The harbour adjoins the main city, with the port currently comprising three terminals.<ref>[http://www.govmu.org/portal/sites/nsp/industry/portinfras.htm]{{dead link|date=August 2017}}</ref> Terminal I contains a total of 1180 meters of [[quay]], with six berthing positions for cargo, passengers, and fishing boats. Terminal II contains 986 meters of quays with six berthing positions and includes specialized facilities for handling and storing sugar, fish, [[tallow]], and [[caustic soda]]. In particular, the Bulk Sugar Terminal (operated by the Mauritius Sugar Terminal Corporation) can handle vessels with up to 11 meters of draft, can load sugar at a rate of 1450 tons per hour, and can store 175,000 tons of cargo. Also present in Terminal II is a dedicated 124-meter [[cruise ship]] [[jetty]], with a dredged depth of 10.8 metres. Terminal III has two 280-meter quays with a depth of 14 meters, and is specialized for handling container ships, having three super-post-[[Panamax]] and five post-Panamax [[gantry cranes]]. Also present are storage facilities for bulk [[ethanol]] and [[tie-in]] points for [[Reefer (container)|reefer containers]]. Vessels too large to dock at the quays can anchor at the Outer Anchorage, which is still within the official boundaries of the port.
The number of ships visiting the port numbered over 2,200 annually in 2010. In 2019, cargo container capacity was 1 million TEUs ([[twenty-foot equivalent units]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=An ocean of economic opportunity |url=http://www.the-businessreport.com/article/an-ocean-of-economic-opportunity-maritime-territory/ |access-date=24 January 2019 |publisher=The Business Report}}</ref> Overall, the port contributes 2% to the country's GDP.<ref>A. B. Ramsaha. 2011. Port Louis Harbour.  Presentation at African Ports and Maritime Conference, Namibia.</ref>

[[File:Port Louis, Mauritius, Bulk Sugar Terminal Quay.jpg|thumb|Port Louis, Mauritius, Bulk Sugar Terminal Quay]]

The cruise ship terminal, opened in 2010 and named after Christian Decotter (past chairman of the Mauritius Tourism Advisory Board), illustrates the increasing role of tourism in the economy of Mauritius. Cruise ships of up to 300 metres can be accommodated at the facility, which includes two access bridges for passengers and vehicles. The facility was the first in the Indian Ocean to be capable of handling the largest cruise ships in the world.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} In 2012, passenger arrivals by sea included 11,510 tourists and 6,450 excursionists who arrived aboard 23 cruise ships.<ref>International Travel And Tourism, 2012 annual report.  Downloaded from statsmauritius.govmu.org</ref>

Berthing facilities are available at the Caudan Waterfront. Available are 20 berths with electrical and water connections, showers and toilets, laundry, and vehicle parking.{{cn|date=April 2025}} Also available are dry dock and hull and sail repair facilities. Depths of the berths range from 2 to 4 meters, depending on the tide, and up to 30-metre ships can be accommodated.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Also based in the port is the National Coast Guard facility, at Quay A of Terminal I.